Further education colleges across Wales are beginning to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can support teaching, learning and organisational efficiency, according to a new Estyn report, Exploring the Potential: Artificial Intelligence in Further Education.

The report finds that while the sector is still at an early stage of adopting AI, there is growing momentum among staff and learners to use the technology to support learning, planning and feedback. In the strongest examples, colleges are beginning to integrate AI into their strategic planning, linking it to teaching, inclusion and improving services for learners.

Learners reported using AI tools to help summarise information, structure written work and support their understanding of complex topics. Many learners, including those with additional learning needs, said that AI tools can help them build confidence and manage their coursework more effectively. Staff are also beginning to explore how AI can support lesson planning, resource creation and formative feedback, although practice varies widely across curriculum areas.

However, the report also highlights several challenges. In many colleges, learners receive mixed messages about what constitutes acceptable use of AI, particularly when completing assessed work. Guidance is often provided at induction but not revisited regularly, leaving some learners uncertain or anxious about using AI tools even when they could support learning.

The report also notes that while ethical, safety and safeguarding considerations are increasingly recognised by colleges, these are not yet consistently embedded in the learner experience. Opportunities for learners to develop critical understanding of AI, including issues such as bias and over-reliance on technology, remain limited in many cases.

Owen Evans, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector at Estyn, said:

“Artificial intelligence is already beginning to influence how learners study and how staff plan and deliver learning in further education colleges across Wales. Our findings show encouraging early practice, with learners and staff exploring how AI can support learning, confidence and efficiency.

“However, colleges will need to ensure that learners receive clear and consistent guidance about how AI can be used appropriately. Developing learners’ understanding of the ethical and responsible use of AI will also be important as the technology continues to evolve.”

The report highlights the importance of strong leadership, clear communication with learners and continued dialogue across the sector to ensure that AI supports high-quality learning and equitable access to opportunities.

Join us for our next Estyn Live webinar at 4:00pm on 26 March 2026 for a discussion around Interim Visits and what they mean in practice.

The discussion session will break down everything you need to know ahead of an Interim Visit – making it an essential session for school leaders, staff, and governors who want to find out more about the process.

We recently sought the views of stakeholders as part of our annual independent stakeholder perceptions research. This work aims to help us understand how stakeholders across Wales view our work, who we are, what we do and the impact we have. One of our ambitions is that everyone we interact with understands and values our contribution to the sector and to learners in Wales. 

This is the second year of running this work which includes an open online survey and more in-depth telephone interviews. The findings help us to gain a deeper understanding of the working relationships we have with our stakeholders – to assess our reputation, assess the impact and usefulness of our key reports, publications and campaigns and to understand stakeholders’ preferred methods of communicating and engaging with us. 

Estyn will use the findings to inform ongoing work to improve consistency, reduce apprehension, and strengthen engagement and communications—particularly with staff in non-senior roles. 

Owen Evans, Chief Inspector, says,

“It is encouraging that those who have experienced inspections in recent years are reporting more positive views, highlighting the importance of changes introduced under the new inspection framework and our clear focus on professional dialogue and collaboration. 

“This research gives us a valuable and timely insight into how Estyn is perceived by a wide range of stakeholders across Wales. I am particularly pleased that this year we heard from many more middle leaders and staff working outside senior roles, whose voices are essential if we are to understand the full impact of our work.  

“We take these findings seriously. They reinforce the need for us to continue improving consistency, transparency and communication, and to ensure our work is understood not just by senior leaders but by staff at all levels. Reducing unnecessary apprehension, strengthening engagement with middle leaders and teachers, and sharing best practice more effectively will remain key priorities for us. Listening to feedback like this is central to our commitment to learning, improving and building trust across the education system.” 

We will continue to run this exercise annually to enable us to benchmark and measure progress in our work as we listen and respond. 

Read more here: Estyn Stakeholder Perceptions Research 2025

Join us for our Estyn Live webinar at 4:00pm on 12 February 2026 for a discussion around the key findings from HMCI’s annual report, which will be published on 11 February 2026.

Hear directly from Owen Evans HMCI as well as the report authors about what’s going well and what needs to improve across education sectors in Wales.

Join us for our Estyn Live webinar at 4:00pm on 11 December 2025 for a discussion around improving teaching and leadership in mathematics education

The report author, Nicola Thomas HMI will be joined by representatives from Ysgol Cwm Banwy and Bishop of Llandaff High School to share their experiences.

From September 2026, we will launch a three-year enhanced focus on reading. We know that many learners are not fluent, advanced readers by the time they leave school or further education and want to be part of the solution that breaks this cycle. Our aim is to support every education provider — from non-maintained nursery settings to schools, colleges and adult learning services — to improve literacy levels for all learners in Wales. We will focus our inspection work and develop a range of resources to help drive standards across Wales; to give all learners the best chance to succeed. 

Reading fluently is essential for learning, well-being and life chances and research shows that low literacy is strongly linked to underachievement, poverty and crime. Those with poor literacy are twice as likely to be unemployed, earn on average 60% less, and over half of the adult prison population have reading skills below those of an 11-year-old. We want to ensure that learners are able to make better progress across all areas of the curriculum and have better life chances.

Chief Inspector, Owen Evans said:

“Reading holds the key to so much. There is no foundation more important and whilst there is excellent practice in the teaching of reading across Wales, not all providers focus enough on improving learners’ reading. We want to be part of the solution which will help break the cycle between low literacy and poverty. 

“Through our inspection and engagement visits, we will gain a better understanding of how well providers develop a strong culture of reading and evaluate the effectiveness of the systems supporting learners as they move through different stages of reading development. Our inspectors will consider whether providers use structured, evidence-informed approaches suited to learners’ needs, and with a cross-sector focus on reading, we will identify what’s working well and will share findings to support improvement across the education system. 

“Reading is a lifelong skill that opens doors to future opportunities and through this targeted approach, we aim to better support learners to make progress across all areas of the curriculum and have better life chances.

“A collaborative effort to drive standards in reading is what our learners deserve and we will work with Welsh Government, Welsh local authorities, Dysgu, Adnodd, Care Inspectorate Wales, and Qualifications Wales to ensure our efforts are aligned.”

Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle said:

“Reading is the cornerstone of learning and a fundamental skill that shapes life chances. Improving literacy levels is a top priority and I welcome Estyn’s enhanced focus on reading and their commitment to working collaboratively across the education system to drive up standards. By ensuring every learner in Wales develops strong literacy skills, we’re not just improving educational outcomes — we’re opening doors to employment, tackling inequality and giving our young people the tools they need to thrive. I look forward to seeing the impact it will have on learners across Wales.”

Estyn will continue to develop a programme over the coming months which integrates a clear focus on reading into all inspection and engagement work. This will look slightly different in each sector and will be supported by a comprehensive training programme for all inspection staff ahead of launch in September 2026. In addition to this, Estyn will host a programme of live and virtual events to share best practice with education providers.