EEF trial finds Aila cuts lesson planning time by 24%
Primary teachers given Oak National Academy's AI assistant spent about 49 fewer minutes a week on planning. Quality did not fall. Use dropped during the trial and views were mixed.
A trial of Oak National Academy's AI lesson assistant cut primary teachers' planning time by 24%, according to findings published on 6 October 2026.
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) commissioned the study and the National Foundation for Educational Research ran it. Tes reported that it involved 464 primary teachers in 108 schools. One group was encouraged to use the tool, called Aila. The other was told not to use it but could use other AI tools.
Teachers given Aila spent an average of two and a half hours a week on planning and resources, Tes said. The other group spent three hours and 19 minutes. Oak said in a blog post that this saved an average of 49 minutes a week. EdTech Innovation Hub reported that independent assessors found the Aila group's materials were no worse in quality.
Use was low. The same report said 81% of the Aila group tried it at least once, but it was used for about 7% of lessons in an average week. Fewer than one in five teachers told researchers it had meaningfully influenced their teaching and planning, according to Tes. Many preferred easier AI tools.
For teachers, the main saving went to those early in their careers or less sure of their subject, Tes said. The EEF cautioned that saved time does not automatically mean better teaching, EdTech Innovation Hub reported. It said teachers must still check AI materials for accuracy.
Schools Week reported on 5 November that the Publishers' Association has written to Oak asking it to suspend Aila until it can show the tool works without members' materials. Oak said the association had not identified any specific materials where copyright was infringed, according to the report.
The trial data dates from autumn 2025, so it does not show how the tool performs now. Tes and EdTech Innovation Hub give no pupil results. It is not known whether Oak will suspend Aila.
Sources
- Tes Oak's AI tool cuts planning time but mixed views on effectiveness, study finds
- EdTech Innovation Hub Oak's Aila saves primary teachers 49 minutes a week on lesson planning, EEF trial finds
- Oak National Academy You're likely already using AI. Here's where we fit in
- Schools Week Row over claims Oak used copyrighted resources to build AI tool