Question
I presume it is too much to expect a Government Minister to admit that the shadow Education Secretary was right to propose this measure previously and that the Government were wrong to vote against it, so let me ask him something easier to answer. What does he think the measures will be in the evolutionary process that he describes when schoolchildren start returning to the classroom with long essays that have clearly been the result of the application of AI? It will put teachers in an extremely difficult position, and it would be good if we could be ahead of that particular curve.
Answer
The right hon. Member asks excellent questions in this House, and I am very happy to answer the specific one about homework and AI. He is right to highlight that this is an issue to which we will need to return in years to come. In fact, in many ways homework has already been highly disrupted by the use of generative AI tools. The issue for school leaders and teachers is ensuring there are methods of assessment and pushing learning that have grit and friction. Often that will need to be in the classroom, where we can be confident that AI tools are not being used to do the cognitive offloading, meaning children miss out on the opportunity to grow and develop, which is what our schools should be all about.14% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (35/100)
The reply partly answers the question. It names concrete assessment approaches, such as classroom-based work where AI use can be ruled out and assessment that tests 'grit and friction', but it presents these as matters for school leaders and teachers rather than saying what the Minister expects to emerge. It does not say how pupils' essays specifically would be handled or over what timescale, so the person who asked would likely need to follow up on those points.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What measures does the Minister expect will emerge from the evolutionary process he describes to address pupils submitting long essays that have clearly been produced using AI? | Partially Addressed | Direct | The reply names a concrete type of response, assessment methods with 'grit and friction' and classroom-based work where AI use can be ruled out, which answers part of what measures might emerge. However, it frames these as the responsibility of school leaders and teachers rather than stating what the Minister expects to emerge from the evolutionary process, and it does not say how long pupils' essays specifically would be handled. |