In October 2025, Estyn, the education and training inspectorate for Wales, published a review of artificial intelligence in schools. It called for a clear national approach, and for action “with urgency”. A year on, what has changed? On the published evidence, there is some new guidance, some training and pilot work, and a firmer line from the exams regulator. There are no new inspection findings.
What inspectors found a year ago
Estyn’s report, “A New Era”, drew on school visits and a survey (Estyn). Its headline finding was that “many schools are still in the early stages of exploring AI”.
Schools were “largely exploring the potential and challenges of AI independently”, with “limited support and collaboration” across Wales’ 22 local authorities. Teachers “consistently reported substantial workload reductions”, notably in lesson planning and report writing. Inspectors also warned of “the risk of a digital divide, as pupils who can afford paid-for AI tools may gain advantages that others cannot”.
The report’s recommendations to the Welsh Government included national guidance and “a national programme of professional learning and enquiry on AI”. It also asked for the Digital Competence Framework, the curriculum’s framework for digital skills, to be updated “to incorporate AI-related digital literacy”. It wanted “a single point of contact” to oversee the work, and said “it is essential that these actions are implemented with urgency”.
Chief Inspector Owen Evans said AI “has the potential to transform teaching and learning, reduce workload, and support inclusion in schools. But it also brings challenges that we cannot ignore.” (Estyn)
What the Welsh Government has done since
In its response of 21 October 2025, the Welsh Government explicitly accepted the professional learning recommendation. It “welcomes” the guidance and curriculum recommendations, committing to “co-design a strategic framework” and to “review and refresh the Digital Competence Framework” (Welsh Government).
The clearest recent statement is in a letter on school workload from the Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, dated 23 July 2026 (Welsh Government). It says: “We are currently engaging with an OECD project to learn from other countries how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to support workload reduction. Work is also being taken forward to implement Estyn recommendations on the effective use of AI.” It gives no detail or timetable. We found no published progress report on the single point of contact, the professional learning programme or the framework update.
On Hwb, the Welsh Government’s digital learning platform, Google’s Gemini assistant is available to staff. The guidance page, last updated on 28 October 2026, says “Gemini is disabled for learners” (Hwb).
We found no published progress report on the single point of contact, the professional learning programme or the framework update.
A freedom of information release dated 1 June 2026 covers Teaching Digital with Confidence, a Welsh Government grant programme run by STEM Learning UK (Welsh Government FOI). It is a general digital confidence programme, not an AI programme, although three of the six courses it has developed or has in final review have AI in the title. By 31 March 2026, “56 practitioners had booked onto courses”. That met the target agreed for delivery by 31 March 2026. The original application had an indicator of 500 teachers (FOI annex). Its priority groups are schools with high levels of free school meals, additional learning needs or ethnic minority pupils. By the end of March 2026, 41 practitioners from 37 schools in its priority groups had booked onto training or joined focus groups. That is 3.6% of the priority group, against an agreed target of 4% (the original application indicator was 24%).
What inspectors have said since
Estyn has published no new national report on AI in schools since “A New Era”. In June 2026 it published two short good practice examples from individual schools.
At Ysgol Bryn Coch, teachers “use AI to adapt texts to align more beneficially with the interests and needs of reluctant readers” (Estyn). Inspectors noted that “Leaders and staff also exercise sensible levels of caution”. In a second, unnamed school, pupils use AI-generated images to test their descriptive writing. Estyn says this gives pupils, “especially those learning English as an additional language, useful and thought-provoking feedback” (Estyn).
A year on, the inspectorate has published praise for individual schools, but no new national picture.
Estyn’s stated position is that “we do not prescribe any preferred methods or tools (including AI)” (Estyn). Its inspections look at “the impact these tools may, or may not, have”.
Estyn’s 2025-26 remit from the Welsh Government, last updated on 18 May 2026, lists a review of generative AI in schools, marked “standard review 2nd year”. It says: “This report will provide a national landscape view on the current use and impact of AI in schools and settings in Wales.” It is not clear whether this refers to “A New Era” or a further report (Welsh Government). The 2026-27 remit has no AI review. It does include a review of learners’ digital skills, including “any impact that using technology has, positively or negatively” on well-being (Welsh Government).
Estyn’s news release on its early insights for 2025-26, published on 21 October 2026, does not mention AI. The full annual report is due “in February 2027” (Estyn). A year on, the inspectorate has published praise for individual schools, but no new national picture.
New guard rails on exams and data
Qualifications Wales, the exams regulator, updated its position on AI on 14 August 2026 (Qualifications Wales). It says: “We are positive about the potential benefits that AI models could offer”. But AI also presents “challenges to how learners are assessed fairly”. Some uses are “currently likely to lead to non-compliance with our conditions”. These include using AI “to develop assessments without human review” or “to fulfil the role of an Assessor”. It will monitor “for increases in AI-related malpractice”. It has published no malpractice figures. In our reading, the exams regulator wants a human in the loop.
The Information Commissioner’s Office published a review of audits of 28 education technology providers on 24 June 2026 (ICO). It found that “Many providers didn’t always correctly identify whether they were processors or controllers”. “Some also used children’s information to train AI functionality.” And “Children don’t choose which education technology (edtech) products their school uses”. The audits did not cover “generative AI chatbots or assistants”, but the findings “may also be relevant” to schools in Wales.
In our reading, the exams regulator wants a human in the loop.
On Hwb, schools using Gemini “remain the data controller for any information entered”. They are told to consider whether a data protection impact assessment is needed (Hwb).
What comes next
At its conference in April 2026, the teaching union UCAC passed two AI motions unanimously. It published the decisions in May 2026 (UCAC). One asks for training that gives “arweiniad pendant ar y defnydd cyfreithlon o Ddeallusrwydd Artiffisial”. In our translation, that is “clear guidance on the lawful use of Artificial Intelligence”. The other calls on the Welsh Government to ensure “ar fyrder” (urgently, our translation) training for learners of all ages. It distinguishes using the technology as an aid from using it “mewn modd twyllodrus neu ddiegwyddor” (in a fraudulent or unprincipled way, our translation), giving creating inappropriate images as an example.
A year on, the national approach Estyn asked for is still more promise than plan.
The WISERD Education Multi Cohort Study team has asked the Senedd’s new education committee to hold an inquiry into “The impact of Generative AI in schools” (WISERD). The committee was set up on 16 June 2026 and consulted on its priorities in July. It has not announced an AI inquiry (Senedd). The Senedd’s own research briefing on generative AI, published on 14 September 2026, cites only the October 2025 Estyn review on Welsh schools. It says that review “found many schools in Wales to be in the early stages of exploring AI” (Senedd Research).
The next markers are Estyn’s annual report and its 2026-27 review of digital skills, which may shed light on how pupils use AI.
In our view, the workload gains teachers reported are worth having. But on the published evidence, schools are still largely working it out for themselves. A year on, the national approach Estyn asked for is still more promise than plan.