The Department for Education (DfE) has unveiled its Technology in Schools Survey: 2024 to 2025, an extensive examination of digital tools, infrastructure, and artificial intelligence (AI) usage across primary and secondary schools in England. The five-wave biennial study, conducted by IFF Research, aims to assess progress toward DfE’s goal that every school adheres to six core digital and technology standards by 2030.
This report synthesizes data collected from headteachers, senior leaders, classroom teachers, and IT leads to create a comprehensive overview of educational technology strategy, application, impact, and barriers. It complements recent DfE initiatives, such as updated digital standards, the Connect the Classroom infrastructure program, guidance on AI in education, and the Plan Technology for Your School service.
While the adoption of digital strategies is becoming a norm, particularly in secondary schools, the evaluation of such strategies still lags. The survey reveals that 70 percent of secondary schools and 52 percent of primary schools currently have a digital technology strategy in place, with an additional 20 percent of secondary and 22 percent of primary schools in development. Only 7 percent of secondary and 20 percent of primary schools report having no strategy or plans to establish one.
Responsibility for the formulation of these strategies typically lies with headteachers and senior leadership teams, while implementation is predominantly managed by senior teams and IT managers. Most strategies are reviewed annually, reflecting the rapid evolution of technology platforms and policies. Teachers appear to be increasingly involved in the process, with around two in five indicating that their school effectively communicates its digital strategy, provides feedback opportunities, and engages them in technology planning.
Despite this positive trend, the report highlights a critical gap between strategy formulation and effective evaluation. Only 22 percent of leaders report having a formal evaluation plan to monitor technology’s effectiveness. When broader evaluation mechanisms, such as surveys or outcome data, are considered, only 35 percent of schools report having some form of evaluation, a decline from 41 percent in 2023. Approximately 29 percent of leaders have no evaluation framework and no plans to develop one, a figure that increases to 31 percent among primary leaders.
This disparity between planning and assessment is a recurring theme throughout the report. Schools are establishing more structured digital decision-making but still lack a standardized approach to evaluate whether technologies are genuinely enhancing teaching, learning, or overall efficiency.
AI Tools in Education
The 2024–25 survey marks the first inclusion of a dedicated section on artificial intelligence, reflecting new DfE guidance regarding generative AI (GenAI) and expectations for safe product design. Overall, 44 percent of teachers report using GenAI tools at least occasionally for school-related activities, primarily for preparation rather than direct instruction. Specific usage includes 35 percent employing AI for lesson planning, 20 percent for administrative tasks, and 15 percent for providing written feedback. Only 7 percent utilize AI for live lesson delivery, with just 5 percent employing it for marking, indicating ongoing concerns about reliability, fairness, and assessment integrity.
Usage patterns vary slightly between educational phases. Approximately 41 percent of primary teachers and 46 percent of secondary teachers utilize AI for at least one of the specified teaching activities, with primary educators more inclined to use GenAI for feedback and secondary teachers experimenting with AI-assisted marking. Teachers in academies report higher utilization of AI compared to their counterparts in local authority-maintained schools, particularly in planning, administration, and marking.
Training for AI usage is also progressing, albeit unevenly; 21 percent of primary schools and 25 percent of secondary schools offer GenAI training for staff, with approximately half planning to implement such training. At the teacher level, 29 percent report receiving training on generative AI in the past year, compared to 36 percent for online safety and 31 percent for new platforms or products. When effectively utilized, AI has been noted by leaders and teachers as beneficial for drafting tailored materials and generating ideas for adaptive teaching, although concerns persist regarding accessibility, quality variability, and issues related to plagiarism and misinformation.
The survey also correlates the use of AI and other educational technologies with workload and student achievement. Sixty-one percent of leaders assert that technology has decreased staff workload over the past three academic years, while 43 percent of teachers agree. Two-thirds of leaders and just over half of teachers believe that technology has led to improved pupil attainment, with expectations for further gains over the next three years, a significant increase in optimism compared to 2023.
In terms of infrastructure, the report indicates steady advancements. Compared to 2023, more schools now meet DfE connectivity and wiring standards. Among IT leaders, 67 percent of primary and 97 percent of secondary schools report using a full fiber connection for broadband. Additionally, 15 percent of primary and 60 percent of secondary schools have backup broadband connections. Nearly half of primary schools and 54 percent of secondary schools utilize Wi-Fi 6, the latest standard.
These connectivity improvements are bolstered by government funding, including over £215 million previously allocated to the Connect the Classroom program and an additional £45 million designated for Wi-Fi and broadband upgrades in 2025–26. While most IT leaders report that their school’s Wi-Fi and broadband meet their requirements, secondary schools are more likely than primary schools to cite reliable connectivity and efficient network switches.
Despite these advancements, financial and personnel constraints remain significant barriers. Ninety-five percent of leadership respondents point to budget limitations, while 93 percent cite high technology costs as obstacles to further adoption. Additionally, approximately three-quarters highlight the availability of technology and the cost of professional development as constraints. Concerns regarding staff skills, confidence, and safeguarding have increased since 2023, even as connectivity issues have subsided, particularly in primary schools.
Teachers echo these sentiments, with 85 percent identifying budget constraints and high costs as barriers, along with limited device availability both in schools and at home, and connectivity issues for students. About 60 percent cite the time and cost of professional development as limiting factors, while over 40 percent mention their own willingness to adopt technology or unclear benefits as reasons for limited use.
The report repeatedly links effective planning and robust infrastructure with perceived improvements in educational impact. Leaders from schools with a digital strategy and evaluation framework are more likely to state that technology has alleviated workload and supported attainment, while teachers who find devices appropriate for their needs are more likely to report positive effects on both workload and educational outcomes.
See also
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