Norfolk teacher calls for 'multi-pronged' plan for new tech in schools
The head of the UK education regulator says 'human interaction' in classrooms has never been more important- with the rise of AI
Last updated 6th Jul 2025
A teacher in Norfolk is calling for a multi-pronged plan to ensure only the best of new tech makes it way into schools.
It's after the chief inspector of Ofsted has warned that children are 'increasingly receiving life lessons from influencers'.
"It's something that they're used to and it's not what happens in the classroom"
Scott Lyons also works for the National Education Union:
"Teachers here are seeing at the moment that children's attention spans seems to be getting shorter and shorter, as they are exposed to increasing amounts of 20 second videos and stimulation.
"It's something that they're used to and it's not what happens in the classroom. Here, we challenge misconceptions, foster debate and encourage empathy".
"They increasingly receive life lessons from influencers or AI-generated summaries"
Children are increasingly receiving life lessons from influencers or "AI-generated summaries", according to the chief inspector of Ofsted.
Sir Martyn Oliver argues that classroom learning with human interaction "has never been more important" as children are spending their lives online.
In a major speech at the Festival of Education, the Ofsted chief says schools are places of "refuge", connection, friendship and humanity for children.
Sir Martyn told the event at Wellington College, Berkshire: "Right now, many children live much of their lives online.
"Socially, they are never 'off' and always in touch with their friends.
"And they increasingly receive life lessons from influencers or AI-generated summaries.
"I would argue that the place of learning, real learning, classroom learning - with human interaction - has never been more important."
The Ofsted boss added: "In a way there's something cloistered about living one's life in a curated online environment.
"You may be able to find 'the best that has been thought or said' if you go looking for it.
"But who's guiding you through it? Where's the human connection? And of course, where's the protection?"
His comments come amid calls from the Conservatives for the Government to bring in a statutory ban on smartphones in schools.
Schools in England were given non-statutory Government guidance in February last year intended to stop the use of phones during the school day.
Sir Martyn will say: "Schools have never just been places of learning.
"They were, and are places of safety, even refuge. Places of community and connection. Places of friendship and humanity.
"They are citadels of childhood: communities within communities looking after their own and helping children develop into well-rounded adults - capable of looking after others in turn."
On Thursday, Sir Martyn hit back at cynics who "decry the norms of education" and who say Ofsted enforces an "out-of-date, joyless system".
In his speech, he said: "For Ofsted, teaching a full, rich range of subjects isn't just a nice to have, it's fundamental to a great education.
"Music and art and sport aren't add-ons to the core curriculum, they are some of the most important subjects to study, in terms of developing a child's awareness of the world around them.
"And in a more macro sense, feeding into the cultural evolution of our country and pushing civilisation on."