AI and Augmented Reality for Enhancing Teacher and Learner Support in the UK Educational System

Schools, colleges, and universities across the United Kingdom are now confronted with a convergence of pressures—deepening attainment inequalities, overstretched SEND provision, and a persistent recruitment crisis among teaching staff—that has sharpened the professional and policy interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR) as instructional technologies. This chapter provides a critical and evidence-grounded examination of how AI and AR function within UK educational settings, drawing on published evaluations, case studies, and policy analyses from primary, secondary, further, and higher education. The discussion spans adaptive learning systems and intelligent tutoring, AR-mediated immersive environments, teacher-facing analytics and assessment tools, and the deployment of simulation for professional development. Equity, data governance, and the risk of teacher de-professionalisation receive sustained attention. The chapter closes by advancing a four-phase implementation framework and identifying productive directions for further empirical inquiry.