Lesson planning is one of the most time-consuming parts of a teacher’s week. For years, staff in UK schools have searched for ways to reduce that burden without sacrificing lesson quality. A recent trial involving 68 secondary schools across England suggests that artificial intelligence can play a significant role. Teachers using ChatGPT alongside a short guide saved roughly 25 minutes per week, a 31% reduction in planning time. While the study focused on lesson resources rather than full course generation, the results point to a future where AI does even more. Schools now have a clear path to reclaiming hours for teaching and student support.
The evidence behind the time savings
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) published findings in December 2024 from a randomised controlled trial involving 259 teachers of Year 7 and 8 science. Teachers who used a guide with ChatGPT spent an average of 56.2 minutes per week on lesson planning, compared with 81.5 minutes for the control group. That difference of roughly 25 minutes may sound small, but it represents a 31% reduction in a task that is often cited as a major contributor to teacher workload. The trial was independently evaluated by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), adding weight to the results.
Teachers in the ChatGPT group primarily used the tool to create questions, design quizzes, and generate activity ideas. The AI helped them produce resources more quickly, but its impact depended on having a structured guide. The EEF press release noted that the guide was critical: teachers needed to know how to prompt the AI effectively to get useful outputs. This finding matters for any school considering AI adoption. A tool alone is not enough; training and clear workflows are essential.
How AI tools compare for lesson planning
The EEF trial used ChatGPT, but other AI assistants are emerging specifically for UK educators. Oak National Academy’s Aila, for example, is an AI lesson assistant that uses GPT-4o and retrieval augmented generation. It can create lesson plans that follow Oak’s pedagogy template, including lesson outcomes, learning cycles, quizzes, and slide decks. Teachers can personalise resources by adjusting literacy levels or adding local geographic context. Oak’s algorithmic transparency record, published in December 2024 by GOV.UK, does not provide a specific time-saving percentage, but the design goal is clearly to reduce workload.
Both ChatGPT and Aila demonstrate that AI can handle the repetitive parts of lesson preparation. The EEF trial found no significant difference in lesson quality between resources created with and without AI, based on an independent panel’s assessment. That means the time savings came without harming instructional quality. For schools concerned about standards, this is reassuring news.
From lesson planning to full course generation
While the trial focused on individual lesson resources, the logical next step is generating entire courses. This is where platforms like Discourse AI come in. Discourse AI offers an AI-powered learning management system that automates course creation. Instead of building each lesson plan manually or relying on a general-purpose chatbot, educators can use a structured platform designed for curriculum development. The system generates complete learning paths, including assessments and tracking, which reduces planning time even further.
A tool like Discourse AI takes the 31% saving seen in the EEF trial and multiplies it. Teachers no longer need to create each lesson from scratch. They input their curriculum goals, and the AI builds a coherent course with measurable outcomes. The platform also handles certification and student progress tracking, freeing teachers to focus on classroom engagement and individual support.
Why structured AI course generation matters for UK schools
The EEF trial shows that AI can reduce planning time, but general chatbots like ChatGPT require careful guidance. Without a structured framework, teachers may spend time tweaking prompts or verifying outputs. Dedicated course generation tools embed curriculum standards and pedagogical best practice directly into the AI. For UK schools, this means resources that align with the national curriculum and assessment frameworks without extra effort.
Discourse AI is designed with UK education in mind. It offers an AI LMS that automates course creation while keeping teachers in control. The platform can generate quizzes, activities, and learning sequences that match school or trust policies. Schools that adopt a purpose-built tool can move beyond the 31% saving seen in the trial, potentially cutting lesson planning time by half or more. Teachers reclaim hours each week, which can be reinvested in differentiation, feedback, and professional development.
A practical next step for school leaders
The evidence from the EEF trial is clear: AI can significantly reduce lesson planning time when teachers receive proper support. School leaders looking to achieve similar or better results should explore dedicated course generation platforms. Discourse AI provides a ready-made solution that combines the time savings of AI with the structure of a proper learning management system. It removes the need for teachers to craft complex prompts and ensures consistency across subjects and year groups.
For a school that wants to replicate the 31% saving and go further, adopting an AI course generation platform is the logical next step. The technology exists today, and the research supports its use. Teachers no longer have to choose between quality lesson plans and their own wellbeing. With the right AI tool, they can have both.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the EEF trial tell us about AI in schools?
The EEF trial involved 259 teachers from 68 secondary schools in England, all teaching Year 7 and 8 science. Teachers who used ChatGPT with a guide saved 31% of their lesson planning time, roughly 25 minutes per week. The trial found no significant difference in lesson quality between AI-assisted and traditional resources.
Can AI generate complete courses or only individual lessons?
The EEF trial focused on lesson resources, not entire courses. However, platforms like Discourse AI are designed to generate full courses with learning paths, assessments, and tracking. This extends the time-saving benefit beyond single lessons and supports long-term curriculum planning.
Is AI lesson planning suitable for all subjects and key stages?
The EEF trial covered secondary science, but tools like Oak National Academy’s Aila and Discourse AI can be adapted for other subjects and age groups. Oak’s Aila allows personalisation for literacy level and geographic context. Discourse AI’s course generation platform works across multiple subjects and key stages.
How can a UK school start using AI for lesson planning?
Schools can begin by training staff on structured prompting with general AI tools like ChatGPT, following the approach used in the EEF trial. For faster and more consistent results, adopting a dedicated platform such as Discourse AI provides curriculum-aligned course generation, tracking, and certification. Book a demo to see how it works.
The evidence is in. UK schools can cut lesson planning time with AI, and the right platform makes that saving even bigger. Explore the features of Discourse AI to see how automated course generation can transform your school’s workload. For a tailored walkthrough, book a demo and learn how your teachers can reclaim their time.
Try The Discourse AI to turn these insights into practical outcomes for your learners and team.