Why 2025 Is the Tipping Point for AI-Powered Coaching in Education
- Adam Sturdee
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
In 2025, the UK market for AI-driven coaching tools in education is set to expand, with projections showing strong growth over the next five years. The message is clear: AI is no longer a distant prospect for schools — it’s here, it’s viable, and it’s solving problems that have existed for decades.
For too long, high-quality coaching in schools has been difficult to scale. Senior leaders have been trapped between two opposing forces: the need to give teachers specific, timely, actionable, and regular feedback — and the reality of limited time, inconsistent observation opportunities, and ever-increasing workloads.
The adoption trend is undeniable. In 2024, almost half of UK teachers (47.7%) used generative AI in some form. This figure is only expected to grow as AI tools become more accurate, more accessible, and better aligned to the real needs of classrooms. What’s driving this surge? Simple: teachers are looking for feedback they can trust, that is easy to access, and that doesn’t add hours to their working week.
This is where AI-powered audio coaching changes the equation. By analysing lesson recordings, platforms like Starlight can deliver actionable insights in minutes — not weeks — without the need for senior leaders to be in the room. It means teachers get consistent, objective feedback they can act on straight away, and leaders gain a richer, data-driven picture of teaching across the school.
Of course, adoption must be matched by trust. That’s why robust GDPR compliance, secure data handling, and transparency about how recordings are used are essential. Without them, the conversation stops before it starts.
With the market maturing, technology advancing rapidly, and adoption accelerating, 2025 is the year schools will decide whether they lead this transformation or follow it. AI coaching is no longer about if — it’s about how well.
Get in touch:
X / Twitter: @star21starlight
📧 Email: info@starlightmentor.com
The Insight Engine is written by Adam Sturdee, co-founder of Starlight — the UK’s first AI-powered coaching platform — and Assistant Headteacher at St Augustine’s Catholic College. This blog is part of a wider mission to support educators through meaningful reflection, not performance metrics. It documents the journey of building Starlight from the ground up, and explores how AI, when shaped with care, can reduce workload, surface insight, and help teachers think more deeply about their practice. Rooted in the belief that growth should be private, professional, and purposeful, The Insight Engine offers ideas and stories that put insight — not judgment — at the centre of development.
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