Last week’s Estyn report A New Era: How Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Supporting Teaching and Learning marked a huge milestone for education in Wales, and Teachmate is proud to have been recognised as one of the top three AI platforms most used by teachers and school leaders across the country.
Estyn, the education and training inspectorate for Wales, is responsible for inspecting the quality and standards of education across schools, PRUs, colleges and training providers. Its purpose is to ensure that education in Wales is effective, inclusive and continually improving, making this recognition even more meaningful.
In Estyn’s national survey of schools, Teachmate ranked third overall, ahead of Google’s Gemini, with only ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot mentioned more frequently.
“More than 200 respondents said they understood GenAI, with over 100 providing detailed insights into their use of AI in practice. Many referenced simple uses like drafting letters, creating resources, or using tools like Copilot, ChatGPT or TeachmateAI regularly.”
For a Welsh education system that’s rapidly embracing innovation, such recognition means a lot. It reflects the trust, creativity and confidence teachers across Wales have shown in exploring AI responsibly, and the work our team and community have done to make Teachmate genuinely relevant for Welsh classrooms.
Why is Teachmate so popular in Wales?
Teachers told Estyn that they value tools which are practical, curriculum-aligned and safe to use – and that is exactly what Teachmate is built for.
When teachers and school leaders in Wales log in to Teachmate, they see a platform created specifically for them and fully aligned with Curriculum for Wales 2022. Using the built in ‘Refinement’ bar, teachers can easily translate and adapt any resource into Welsh, ensuring every learner can access materials in their preferred language. There are already a range of tools designed especially for teachers in Wales, with even more to come on Teachmate 2.0!
We’ve also been incredibly fortunate to have educators like Faye Palmer, our Welsh Community Advocate, helping shape Teachmate’s development alongside our product team led by Lindsay Round. Together, they’ve built tools by teachers, for teachers, ensuring that every new feature is grounded in classroom realities across Wales.
Our Community Advocate for Wales, Faye, shared:
“It is inspiring to see Teachmate recognised by teachers and leaders across Wales in Estyn’s latest report. This growing confidence shows real progress in how schools are using AI to support teaching, learning and wellbeing. Seeing Wales proactively lead the way in ethical, purposeful AI use is a sign of positive change, and it is exciting to think about how platforms like Teachmate will continue to empower teachers and improve outcomes for our learners. The upcoming launch of Teachmate 2.0 will build on this progress, offering even stronger support for Curriculum for Wales and the Made for Wales changes.”
Faye palmer, teacher & teachmate community advocate for wales
How Teachmate is acting on Estyn’s Recommendations (before they were even published!)
One of the report’s most exciting recommendations (Recommendation 2) calls on Initial Teacher Education providers to train student teachers in using AI to support their professional practice.
But we’re already one step ahead.
Through our collaboration with Deloitte, we’ve rolled out hundreds of licences to Cardiff Metropolitan University, where Teachmate will be used to help trainee teachers explore how AI can enhance learning safely, ethically and creatively.
This initiative directly supports Estyn’s vision for professional learning on AI, helping future educators enter the profession confident and AI-ready.
A national moment for education in Wales
Estyn’s report paints a clear picture of how AI can strengthen teaching and learning by enhancing creativity, collaboration and curiosity across Welsh schools. It highlights the positive impact of tools like Teachmate in supporting this progress and making innovation feel accessible to all.
As AI continues to evolve, we’re committed to ensuring Welsh schools remain at the forefront of this new era; that teachers feel confident, supported and inspired to use AI ethically and with real impact.