As schools face increasing pressure on time and resources, AI is no longer just a futuristic buzzword, it’s a practical tool that’s already helping teachers and school leaders save time, reduce admin, and focus more on what matters most: supporting pupils.

One example is Kira Learning, an AI tool co-founded by one of the brains behind Google’s AI research. But don’t worry, you don’t need to be a tech expert or invest in new software to benefit. Tools like ChatGPT can help you achieve many of the same results with just a few simple prompts.

Let’s explore what this looks like in practice.

Save Time on Lesson Planning and Marking

Kira’s smart assistant creates lesson plans based on your syllabus and even includes questions that promote deeper thinking in the classroom. Instead of producing standard slide decks, it builds in interactive activities designed to stretch pupils’ thinking.

It also uses AI to mark work, offering instant feedback and spotting common misconceptions helping teachers get up to 40% of their planning and marking time back.

You can do something similar using ChatGPT with a simple prompt like:

Prompt:
You are an educational designer. Develop a 45-minute lesson plan on [topic] for [student age group], using Socratic questioning. Include objectives, key questions, and interactive activities.

Try it for your next topic, it’s a great starting point that you can tweak to suit your class.

Use Data More Easily to Support Pupils

Kira also pulls together data from different systems like attendance, assignments, and pupil engagement and turns it into simple, visual maps. These show where pupils might be struggling, so interventions can happen early.

Imagine being able to click a button and get instant suggestions like:

  • Pairing a pupil with a peer mentor
  • Creating a short ‘micro-lesson’ on a tricky topic
  • Getting notified about patterns in behaviour or attendance

Even if you’re not using a full AI system like Kira, there are small steps you can take now. For example:

Prompt:
You are an AI teaching assistant. Summarise the main arguments in this student essay and suggest two areas for improvement.

You can copy and paste pupil work into ChatGPT (without using names or sensitive data, of course), and get a useful summary to support feedback and planning.

The Human Touch Still Matters

What makes tools like Kira work well is that they don’t replace teachers, they support them. Suggestions come with confidence scores so you can check and edit them, keeping you in control of the learning experience. This balance of tech and teacher has led to better outcomes and happier staff in the schools using it.

What’s Next? And What Can You Do Now?

AI tools are already getting more powerful. In the future, they could support everything from lesson planning and marking to allocating resources and planning timetables. But the best way to start is small:

  • Try a few prompts for planning or marking
  • Share tips as a team (e.g. in a staff meeting or CPD session)
  • Explore how AI can reduce admin so you get more time with pupils

The goal isn’t to “replace” anything—it’s to give you back time to focus on the bits of the job you love.

Useful Links

Chat GPT – link to website

Kira – link to Kira