From AI to cybersecurity: a year of EdTech unpacked

As the New Year kickstarted with the annual BETT conference (attended by some of our own consultants here at Novatia), world-class speakers explored the topics that have been shaping the past year of EdTech and beyond.

2024 brought us some unforgettable moments - the Paris Olympics, Labour’s landslide election win and news of a long-awaited Oasis reunion to name a few.

But what trends and events made waves in the world of education?

From the continued development of educational AI to using data-driven insights to help tackle poor mental health, technology has continued to transform learning experiences across the country.

Read on to revisit what the past 12 months brought to the world of EdTech - and a glimpse of what the rest of 2025 may hold.

The steady rise of AI in education

2024 made it adamant that regardless of whether you love it, hate it, or simply can’t wrap your head around it, AI is here to stay. 

The percentage of 13-18 year olds who said they had used generative AI increased from 2 in 5 (37.1%) in 2023 to 3 in 4 (77.1%) in 2024, while the percentage of teachers who had used generative AI increased from 3 in 10 (31.0%) in 2023 to 1 in 2 (47.7%) in 2024. 

Despite the potential pitfalls of automation, many school leaders chose to embrace the opportunity to unleash newfound creativity and help relieve teachers of cumbersome administrative responsibilities. From ChatGPT to Microsoft Copilot, common AI tools used within education in 2024 emphasised personal learning recommendations, remote access and assistance with exam preparation.

When it comes to the meteoric rise in AI and education, it’s important to maintain perspective. Through efficient application, it can become a tool for teachers and students to generate outlines for work to guide their content creation - rather than relying on it to produce the finished product. Viewing it as a help rather than a hindrance to the education process can ensure tools such as ChatGPT are used most effectively. 

This January, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson's address to the Bett delegation outlined her plans to modernise education through the power of technology - with a particular emphasis on AI. Describing AI as a ‘positive, radical, modernising force for good in the lives of working people’, she spoke of plans to increase its utilisation in education and announced £1 million of funding awarded to 16 developers to help teachers with marking and tailored feedback for students.

With a recent DfE report encouraging targeted efforts to ‘ensure GenAI adoption in education is safe, effective, and aligns with good pedagogy’, it’s likely that while AI application in education will continue to increase, so will efforts to regulate its appropriate use. Going into 2025, schools should have a clear AI strategy to guarantee its best use across schools and MATs.

Cybersecurity: a prevalent issue

Cybercrime remains a pressing issue in the education sector, with 2024 witnessing cybersecurity incidents increasing in frequency and severity of impact. Many of these virtual attacks involved data breaches - one cyber attack, identified by the BBC in the south-west of England at the start of last year, saw hackers steal and publish several highly confidential documents, including information about children with special educational needs, child passport scans and staff contract details. Ransomware attacks have also remained a common occurrence - in September schools across the Fylde Coast Academy Trust were hit by a major cyber attack, which infected the organisation's IT infrastructure and resulted in limited accessibility to systems.

In response to growing cybersecurity concerns, DfE cyber security standards for schools and colleges were updated updated to address tasks that should be completed by both the senior leadership team (SLT) and IT support - emphasising cyber security is not something that IT teams can carry out alone, it is a shared responsibility between multiple roles and teams. This makes it all the more important for your school or MAT to have a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy - something we can assist you with here at Novatia.

Supporting SEND students

2024 saw the SEND system reach breaking point, with many families struggling to access help for their children as both demands and costs soared.

The past year has continued to showcase the important partnership between technology and the educational experience of SEND students. EdTech can help support children with special needs and provide greater accessibility in many ways:

• Personalised learning experiences - every child has a distinct learning style and pace, and digital tools are adept at adapting to these individual needs. For instance, students with visual impairments can benefit from text-to-speech software, such as Speechify, or braille displays, enabling them to access educational content with ease. 
• Assistive technologies - for students who struggle with writing, speech recognition software serves as a valuable tool, allowing them to articulate their thoughts verbally and have them transcribed into written form. Novatia is now a proud member of the British Assistive Technology Association.
• Increased accessibility - EdTech plays a crucial role in breaking down geographical and logistical barriers, ensuring that all students have equal opportunities to learn and participate in classroom activities. For example, through VR headsets and augmented reality students with mobility issues can experience the thrill of climbing Mount Everest in a virtual environment. Integrating tech solutions like this into schools’ digital strategies is a vital step towards promoting digital accessibility and inclusion for all students.

Data-driven decision making

In 2024, data-driven decision-making continued to play a crucial role in shaping school performance and MAT growth. 

Rather than relying on spreadsheets on outdated software prone to human error, schools are choosing to switch to cloud-based systems to access data analytics. Supplying in-depth observations on academic performance, absence rates and budgeting details across schools, these analytics provide limitless opportunities to promote growth and maximise school success. With information such as economic deprivation levels, language barriers and special educational needs readily available, schools can help students who may need a little extra support. 

Data analysis is also crucial when it comes to growing multi-academy trusts - on a micro level, using MIS allows educators to study individual student progression and monitor attainment or behaviour. On a wider scale, data insights are used to highlight overall school performance and can determine the position of a school or MAT in national league tables.

This cements the requirement of schools and MATs to have a robust data strategy - a necessity all educational institutions should be considering this year. At Novatia, we provide comprehensive data audits and strategies to ensure your school or MAT makes confident evidence-based decisions. 

Reaching net zero

With the DfE Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy setting out a roadmap for achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the past year has seen schools increasingly use technology to integrate sustainability into everyday life:

• Energy efficient features - DfE’s “Let’s Go Zero” initiative aims to eliminate inefficient buildings and outdated technology, which currently results in schools spending approximately £630 million annually on energy expenses. This has reinforced the necessity of schools to invest in features such as smart energy & lighting technology, as well as modern hardware and infrastructure to accommodate ever-evolving ICT requirements. 
• Cloud-based software - considering the fact that reducing paper usage by one ton annually can save around 24 mature trees, it’s no brainer for schools to switch to cloud-based LMS that additionally offers increased accessibility.
• Data-driven energy tracking - digital analytics tools, enabled by AI, can monitor factors across schools such as energy and water usage, waste management and overall carbon footprints. The data derived from these analytics can then be used to help develop sustainable energy strategies.

Working towards sustainability in education is something we’re passionate about at Novatia - we have extensive experience helping schools integrate sustainability into their ICT approach. Whether you need assistance with building greener ICT infrastructure or procuring energy-efficient hardware, we’re on hand to help.

Using tech to tackle poor mental health

From cyber bullying to skyrocketing screen times, the widespread use of digital devices has frequently been blamed for impacting youth wellbeing. However, the past year has actually seen tech increasingly used within school environments to help tackle poor mental health. 

Recent statistics highlight a growing mental health crisis within the UK education sector:

• More than 500 children a day in England are being referred to mental health services for anxiety.
• A quarter of a million (270,300) children and young people were still waiting for mental health support at the end of the year, after being referred to Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS) in 2022-23. 
• Waiting times proved to be a persistent issue for many children, with nearly 40,000 experiencing waits of over two years. 

Amid a funding crisis, there has been an ongoing dialogue concerning how to better support children in educational environments - including how tech can alleviate some of the pressure. 

When it comes to mental health, preventive measures and early intervention is key - a crucial benefit of strengthening schools’ digital strategies. For example, when schools invest in quality data-storing software that balance privacy and safeguarding with automated tech that can analyse trends, identify areas for improvement and measure the impact of interventions, teachers can keep track of student data easily and follow-up when concerning patterns in behaviour or attendance are observed. 

As mentioned earlier, EdTech can also help reduce the strains of school life on teachers and education support staff as well as students. With the Teacher Wellbeing Index showing 77% of all school staff experience symptoms of poor mental health due to work, the need to relieve administrative strain on teachers has never been greater. This is where AI-assistive technology comes into play. Whether it’s longform essays or standardised tests, grading assessments is one of the most time-consuming aspects of teaching - AI tools will be able to automatically grade multiple-choice, true/false, and even some types of short-answer or essay questions, helping teachers to focus on providing more detailed feedback on critical thinking tasks. AI can also recommend teaching resources, such as videos, articles, or activities, tailored to a specific topic or student need, which can save time in lessons and allow teachers to allocate their time to students who may need additional support.

At Novatia, we’re constantly thinking of ways to future-proof your institution’s ICT strategy. We take our passion, knowledge, and experience of ICT to make a real difference to learning outcomes in education. From ICT procurement to audits and strategy, we supply the correct solutions for your organisation’s needs both inside and outside the classroom. 

For more information on our services, please get in touch with us today.