What’s on the horizon in 2025/26?
As the summer sun begins to fade and we prepare to open our school gates again, the 2025/26 academic year comes into view – not just as a date in the diary, but as a critical juncture for education.
This coming year, we will have to navigate a shifting policy landscape, as well as evolving societal expectations, and persistent operational pressures.
For governors and trustees, school leaders, and teachers and staff, the key to success is not merely to respond, but to anticipate.
Indeed, strategic vision has never been more crucial. In a climate marked by constant change, those with foresight will be best placed to lead with clarity and conviction.
As such, this series of short blogs aims not just to summarise existing changes but to predict what’s yet to come. It’s a framework for professional curiosity; a panoramic view of the key themes likely to define the year ahead.
In this blog, we will explore…
4 Digital strategy and EdTech
AI is no longer on the horizon; it is in the classroom. From automated marking to personalised learning pathways, its potential is vast. The key question is whether we lead this transformation or let it lead us.
Beyond ICT: Building true digital literacy
In a 21st-century curriculum, “digital skills” mean far more than basic proficiency with Word or Excel. Pupils and staff alike need:
- AI awareness – Understanding how AI works, its limitations, and the ethical considerations of bias, privacy, and consent.
- Data ethics – Recognising the value and vulnerability of personal data, from safeguarding concerns to GDPR compliance.
- Platform fluency – Navigating a variety of digital tools with confidence, selecting the right platform for the right purpose.
Practical solutions:
- Run “critical AI” workshops for staff and pupils, where they explore both benefits and pitfalls of generative AI through real classroom scenarios.
- Create a school digital code of conduct, co-written with pupils, to set expectations for online behaviour, plagiarism, and AI-assisted work.
- Build AI literacy into PSHE/RSHE units, linking to online safety, misinformation, and civic responsibility.
Avoiding fragmentation: The case for a digital roadmap
Without a strategic plan, digital tools risk becoming a patchwork—one teacher’s Padlet here, another’s Kahoot there—with no coherent link to curriculum aims.
A digital roadmap should:
- Align with curriculum goals – Technology should enhance, not distract from, learning objectives.
- Identify priority tools – Agree on core platforms for assessment, communication, and resource sharing to reduce cognitive overload for staff and pupils.
- Link to CPD – Every digital tool introduced must be paired with training and follow-up support.
- Factor in sustainability – Plan for subscription renewals, device refresh cycles, and ongoing maintenance.
Practical solutions:
- Map your current digital ecosystem: list all tools currently in use, their purpose, and their impact. Eliminate duplication.
- Develop a 3-year digital investment plan, linking purchases directly to school improvement priorities.
- Establish a “digital champions” network – staff members who trial tools, gather feedback, and support peers.
Equity and access: Closing the digital divide
A shiny new platform is useless if pupils can’t access it at home, or if staff confidence varies wildly. Digital strategy must address:
- Device access – Loan schemes, BYOD policies, or community partnerships to ensure no pupil is excluded.
- Connectivity – Support families with subsidised data packages or offline access options.
- Staff competence – Baseline digital confidence audits to target training where it’s needed most.
Practical moves:
- Include “digital inclusion” as a standing agenda item for governors.
- Audit home access at least annually to spot and address gaps.
- Develop low-tech or no-tech alternatives for key tasks to ensure accessibility.
Monitoring and measuring impact
Technology is an investment – its success should be measured like any other.
- Set baseline measures – e.g., time saved on marking, improved turnaround for feedback, or pupil progress rates.
- Review termly – Involve both staff and pupils in evaluating whether tools genuinely improve learning.
- Be prepared to stop – Retire tools that don’t deliver impact, regardless of sunk costs.
Practical solutions:
- Use quick, anonymous pulse surveys after each half term to gather feedback on digital tools’ usefulness.
- Build a “what works” case study bank for internal sharing.
Ultimately, the goal is not to be the school with the most technology, but the school where technology makes the most difference.
bee | Bromley Education Enterprises Limited 