A software developer from Hampshire has pulled her 13-year-old daughter out of school and replaced traditional lessons with a bespoke artificial intelligence platform she built herself. Kate Bell said she noticed the 'light fading' from her daughter Niyah under the conventional education system, which she felt stifled the teenager's creativity and entrepreneurial spirit.
Niyah now follows a personalised curriculum designed 'backwards' from the skills Kate wants her to have as an adult, focusing on entrepreneurship, critical thinking, and technology. The AI sets four daily tasks and a long-term project, such as designing meals for the family on a budget to teach nutrition and maths. 'It's an AI platform that adapts to her needs and meets her where she is every day,' Kate explained.
The move reflects a growing trend, with 175,900 children in England now home-educated, a 15 per cent increase driven by concerns over mental health, school dissatisfaction, and lifestyle preferences. Kate says she wants Niyah to understand AI and problem-solving, rather than simply following the national curriculum. 'It's not the school I have a problem with, it's what's being taught,' she said.
However, the use of AI in education remains controversial. Retired headteacher and former government adviser Chris McGovern warned that over-reliance on AI risks 'dehumanising the process of learning' and neglecting interpersonal skills. His comments followed the launch of the UK's first 'teacherless' GCSE class at a private London school using AI and virtual reality.
