The Edtech Podcast

#307 AI, Wellbeing, and Inclusion at Bett UK 2026

Jan 23, 2026
Lord Jim Knight, a former education minister and advocate for inclusive education, addresses the moral panic over technology in schools and how AI can transform assessment. Jez and John, co-founders of UHQ, share their journey of creating a wellbeing platform that aids nearly 200 schools, highlighting its role in identifying struggling students. Paddy from Everway discusses his company's accessibility tools, ensuring continuous support for neurodiverse learners from schools to workplaces, advocating for inclusion at every stage.
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INSIGHT

AI Disrupts Yet Unlocks Personalisation

  • Jim Knight warns that generative AI disrupts older, more reliable machine-learning systems and shifts the conversation in schools.
  • He believes AI can personalise learning and help teachers understand every individual learner more deeply.
ADVICE

Include Children And Tech Controls, Not Bans

  • Do involve children when shaping smartphone and social media policy so you understand harms and mitigate isolation.
  • Use technical tools (geofencing, lockdown apps) and ask Apple/Google for school/parent controls rather than default bans.
INSIGHT

Vivas And Virtual Assistants For Fairer Assessment

  • Jim Knight sees AI-enabled vivas and virtual teaching assistants as realistic ways to scale meaningful assessment.
  • He argues this would move education from standardised testing toward wrapping learning around individual learners.
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