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Opinion12th January 2026

Why digital transformation must be a priority for schools in 2026

Chris Thackray

Digital technology and AI are reshaping almost every aspect of our lives, fundamentally changing our world and how we work, communicate, shop and even think.

Digital

This articleÌýwas originally published inÌýÌýon Saturday 10 January 2026.

Education cannot afford to be left behind. Technology has the potential to improve pupil outcomes, reduce staff workload and prepare all our young people to be safe and confident in this evolving digital world.

The question is no longer whether schools should integrate digitally, but how quickly and how equitably we can make it happen.

Picture a school day where teachers begin with clear data-driven insights into how each pupil is progressing.

A world where well-designed intelligent tools streamline lesson planning, so teachers are free to focus on their students. And where classrooms buzz with young people confidently using digital resources to enhance their learning.

The good news is this is no longer a dream. Much of the underlying technology we need to make it a reality already exists – the challenge now is bringing it all together and making it usable.

Digital equity

Right now, the benefits of digital transformation aren’t distributed equally across the education sector.

Private schools and those serving wealthier demographics have moved faster, benefiting from bigger budgets and more staff capacity and training.

For too many schools serving less privileged communities, the pace of change has been slower, as leaders are forced to choose between essential frontline services and the initial investment required to modernise.

If we are serious about levelling up, we must ensure that digital advantage does not become another marker of socio‑economic privilege.

In my experience, there are three main barriers to digital progress in schools…

1. School capacity: With stretched budgets, schools often lack the time and expertise to find, develop and test new tools. AtÌýºÚÁÏÉçÇø, we’re fortunate to be able to provide network-wide support.
2. Access to devices: It’s very hard to use digital tools well – and cost effectively – if pupils don’t have access to a device. At ºÚÁÏÉçÇø, we’ve invested in giving every student their own Chromebook from year 3. That consistency means that when a digital tool or approach proves effective, we can quickly and fairly roll it out across our whole network.
3. Staff capability: All school staff need an understanding of digital technologies. We’re providing foundational training for our colleagues.

An evidence-based approach

ºÚÁÏÉçÇø’s approach is always evidence‑led. We want to fully understand where digital can demonstrate improvement.

To begin with, we’ve identified teacher workload, SEND and cost savings as areas where digital tools can make a real difference to our children, staff, and parents.

And we’re testing new tools and approaches in each of these fields:

1. Marking and assessment: We are piloting four different marking and assessment tools to see which approaches work best.
2. Support for SEND: We’re testing tools that transcribe exams – where previously students had to dictate to a scribe. This improves engagement and outcomes for students with SEND while reducing costs.
3. Reducing the cost of supply through digital learning: Rather than using supply teachers, we’re rolling out a model where students instead undertake personalised learning on their Chromebooks, in a larger supervised group.

Where next?

We’re reworking our curricula to ensure students leave school able to use digital tools safely and effectively. School leavers should be creators and critical thinkers – not passive consumers of whatever technology arrives next.

Top of our ‘to-do’ list is expanding our current AI pilots, co‑developing new tools with our partners, and harnessing big data and automation to make operations smarter – from timetabling and attendance analytics to safeguarding workflows.

No single trust or school can deliver digital transformation alone. We need to work together to build a sector where every school – regardless of postcode and demographics – has the capacity, tools and confidence to use digital well, so that no child misses out.

If we seize this opportunity, digital can help us build a much fairer, more effective education system. But if we hesitate, we risk entrenching inequality for yet another generation.