Last week, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology announced its national Roadmap to Trusted Third-Party AI Assurance.
The roadmap outlines the government’s ambition for a ‘world-leading AI assurance market’, one where AI tools used across public services (including education) are safe, reliable and trustworthy. This vision strongly aligns with our own approach at Teachmate, where trust, transparency and compliance have always been at the heart of how we design and deliver our AI tools for schools.
The roadmap is an important step forward in shaping how AI is used responsibly across sectors. But for schools, these conversations are already very real. Leaders and teachers are looking for clear, practical ways to build confidence, ensure compliance and make the most of AI’s potential in the classroom.
That’s exactly why we developed our AI Progression Framework: a practical tool that helps schools reflect on where they are on their AI journey, identify gaps and plan next steps with trust and safety at the forefront.
Our AI Progression Framework is already supporting 100+ schools nationwide
Early in the 2024/25 academic year, we worked with John Sibbald and our Teachmate Ambassadors to create and refine our AI Progression Framework. This is a school-wide, self assessment tool designed to help leaders and staff reflect on their AI journey: where they feel confident, where gaps remain and what more they might want to consider.
In creating this framework, we built in areas included within the UK Government’s 5 Regulatory Principles of Al in the UK, wording which has been echoed in an Ofsted paper published in April 2024.
Currently, more than 100 schools have used the framework’s self-assessment, and the results give us a unique insight into where schools are with AI right now:
Adaptation and SEND:
85% of respondents report that AI is being used in their schools to adapt resources, to varying degrees. This reflects the real potential of AI to personalise learning, something we’ve prioritised in our own tools to make inclusion achievable at scale.
Security and Robustness:
72% of schools know AI needs to be safe and secure, but only 11% have completed the steps needed to guarantee GDPR and IP compliance. Many schools are finding it challenging to keep pace with compliance as technology moves so quickly. Yet safeguarding data and ensuring GDPR compliance remain essential to building trust in AI. At Teachmate, these safeguards are built in from the start. Our tools are fully compliant, giving schools the reassurance they need to explore AI with confidence and peace of mind.
Leadership:
Over half of school leaders are opening up conversations about AI with their staff, but fewer are yet modelling its use in practice. Building a culture of responsible adoption takes time and strong leadership plays a crucial role. That’s why Teachmate is developing dedicated tools and resources to support leaders in confidently guiding their schools through this journey. We’ll soon be releasing more leadership tools to help schools take the next step with AI.
From policy to practice
The government’s roadmap signals a growing commitment to making AI safe and reliable across all sectors. At Teachmate, we welcome this ambition and we’re proud that our AI Progression Framework is already helping schools put these principles into practice today.
By embedding compliance, trust and inclusivity at the heart of everything we create, we’re not only supporting schools on their AI journey but also helping shape the wider conversation on how AI should be implemented responsibly in education.
As policy evolves, Teachmate will continue to provide the evidence, frameworks and trusted solutions that schools need to align with national priorities while confidently embracing the opportunities of AI.
If you’d like to see where your school sits on the AI progression journey, you can complete the self-assessment here: https://teachmateai.com/ai-framework-for-schools
Hannah McCreesh