A new report from GoStudent shows that 74% of teachers in the UK aren’t being trained to use AI in the classroom, which could see the education system missing out on AI benefits and skills training.

The survey provides insights from over 5,000 parents and students across Europe, alongside 300 teachers, has revealed a growing AI knowledge gap between the education students need and want to thrive in a technologically advanced world and what schools can currently provide.

From traditional exams, rigid curricula, and outdated teaching models, teachers, students, and parents all share an appetite for change.

The importance of AI knowledge is becoming harder to ignore, and yet UK schools are struggling to keep up with the demand.

Seventy percent of teachers feel that AI will be intrinsic to a student’s professional life, but only half (53%) of students feel they’re being taught the skills necessary for their dream job.

Over half of students (58%) believe their future job to be directly related to technology.

And yet, when asked if they feel confident about living in a world surrounded by new technologies, confidence has dropped in European students to a three-year low. From 64% in 2023, rising briefly to 77% in 2024, before falling to just 51% in 2025.

AI Sparks Concerns for Teachers

Teachers believe that cybersecurity (48%), coding and programming (48%), and AI and machine learning (38%) will be some of the most important subjects to be integrated into the curriculum, yet only 34% of students have tried AI learning techniques.

The drive is there, as 76% feel confident in their ability to teach students the AI skills they’ll need, but they just don’t have the tools to set their students up for success.

Teachers aren’t asking to be replaced by new technology, they simply want to be empowered by it. But without funding, curriculum support, or training frameworks, most teachers are being left to figure it out themselves.

Over half (56%) of UK teachers now warn that children without access to AI will fall behind, creating a dangerous educational divide.

At the same time, 70% of parents feel that UK schools are responsible for teaching children how to responsibly use AI tools, and 58% of parents say upskilling teachers on AI is essential.

74% of teachers agree that schools should play a central role in teaching students how to use AI safely, but the current system is failing to meet the demand. With a fifth of teachers (20%) nervous about a lack of funding for AI tools, educators are eager to learn but are unsupported.

Worryingly, the training gap is already creating inequalities. While 67% of teachers in private schools are not receiving AI training, this jumps by 10% for state schools. This disparity threatens to widen the educational gap and leave some students fundamentally more unprepared for the new world they’re entering.

How do Students Feel? 

In the UK it seems that students are not waiting around for the education system to catch up.

With 59% of children expecting AI and smart robots to be standard by 2030, it’s clear the next generation is already imagining a future schools haven’t prepared for.

The majority (84%) of school children are already using AI tools and 90% want to learn how to use them better. However, only 30% of UK children have access to AI-powered tools in the classroom, and just 35% say teachers are showing them how to use them.

Nearly six in ten (59%) wish their teachers knew more about AI, so they are turning to other sources, with 28% using social media, and a fifth of children (20%) learning amongst friends.

Without proper guidance, students not only miss out on opportunities but are also exposed to the potential risks of AI.

“When students are left to teach themselves AI, they’re left to navigate its potential dangers alone,” Charbel Chraim, GoStudent’s 2025 UK tutor of the year said. “One in five UK students don’t understand that AI can manipulate what they see online, and 22% admit to not even knowing what deepfake videos are. It’s crucial that the system doesn’t let these children down by allowing ignorance to put children at risk.”

Recommended reading

• How Do Teachers Feel About AI in Education?
• AI to Ease Teacher Workloads by Marking Homework
• Teachers Not Keen On Using AI For Education, BCS Says

What About Outside of School?

This disconnect is being felt at home, too. While just under a quarter of children are learning AI skills from mum or data (24%), 38% of parents don’t feel like they’d be confident teaching their child how to develop AI skills needed for the future.

Half of UK teachers (50%) believe students will need access to generative AI tools like ChatGPT and writing assistants like Grammarly within the next two years. Yet meaningful integration is still lagging behind, despite 70% of teachers agreeing that access to AI in education should be a basic human right – the highest score across all surveyed countries.

Personalised AI learning can deliver real-time feedback to struggling students, adapt future lessons, and support a more tailored path to learning. This is especially powerful for students with special educational needs (SEN), and 44% of European parents of SEN children believe AI can offer vital support. Notably, the UK stands out as a frontrunner in terms of parents believing AI teachers will enhance learning, as 58% of UK parents believe this to be true, the highest level of support across all surveyed countries.

But it’s not just about the students. Nearly half of European parents (46%) hope that AI will help teachers reduce time doing admin tasks, allowing them to focus on what truly matters: teaching, mentoring and inspiring students. “Ensuring that teaching remains adaptable, equitable, and centered on human connection is crucial for maintaining the quality of education in the future,” says a UK English language and literature teacher.

Teachers remain the heart of learning. Despite the rise of AI, only 11% of UK parents believe it will ever replace teachers. “The creativity of teachers helps children thrive,” says Felix Ohswald, Co-Founder and CEO of GoStudent, “and their understanding and ideas can help shape how students succeed with AI.”

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