From vision to practice - responding to Bridget Phillipson’s BETT speech

At BETT today, Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson struck a tone that many school leaders will welcome: ambition matched with responsibility. Her speech recognised AI’s potential to reduce workload, personalise learning and strengthen the system - while also acknowledging the risks if it is adopted without clarity, ethics or professional confidence. At AI in Education, we see this moment as pivotal. The debate has moved beyond whether schools should engage with AI, to how they do so safely, purposefully and at scale.

A consistent theme in the Secretary of State’s remarks was the importance of leadership and system coherence. This aligns closely with what we hear from schools every day. Teachers and leaders are not short of tools; they are short of time, confidence and trusted frameworks that help them decide what good looks like in their own context.

That is precisely why we developed the AiEd Certified Framework - an education-led, evidence-informed road map that supports whole-school AI adoption. Rather than promoting tools, it focuses on five core domains: AI literacy; policies and ethics; tools and systems; digital pedagogy; and collaboration and community. Crucially, it recognises different starting points and supports progression from Explorer to Practitioner to Innovator.

Phillipson rightly highlighted the need for AI to work for all learners. In practice, this means safeguarding, bias, accessibility and SEND cannot be afterthoughts. Through the AiEd Certified Framework, schools evidence how they are addressing data protection, intellectual property, inclusive pedagogy and pupil voice - ensuring AI enhances equity rather than widening gaps.

National ambition matters, but impact is won or lost in classrooms, staff rooms and leadership meetings. Schools need space to learn, reflect and collaborate - without fear of getting it wrong. Certification is not about compliance; it is about confidence. It helps schools demonstrate to parents, governors and inspectors that their approach to AI is thoughtful, ethical and grounded in learning.

BETT reminded us that government, schools, edtech and charities all have a role to play. AI in Education exists to bridge policy and practice - supporting leaders to turn vision into sustainable action. The message from today was clear: AI is not a future issue. It is a leadership issue, now. With the right frameworks, the profession is more than ready to lead.