Oak National Academy evaluation shows widespread adoption and workload impact across England

An independent evaluation of Oak National Academy shows the platform is now used in nearly three quarters of schools in England, with strong evidence of workload reduction and higher usage in disadvantaged communities, as the Department for Education prepares to expand its role in national curriculum delivery.

Oak National Academy has published the results of its latest independent evaluation, showing significant growth in teacher usage, widespread adoption across England, and measurable impact on workload.

The findings come as the Department for Education asks Oak to support the rollout of the revised National Curriculum, placing the publicly funded EdTech platform at the center of curriculum, AI, and digital resource strategy.

Scale of use across schools and teachers

According to the evaluation, Oak is now used in nearly three in four schools across England, with almost 200,000 teachers actively using the platform. The data shows that Oak’s resources are accessed more frequently in schools serving disadvantaged communities, with usage 36 percent higher in areas of high deprivation.

The report also highlights growth following Oak’s refreshed curriculum, with 37 percent of users identified as new since the update. As of autumn 2025, Oak completed publication of what it describes as the first fully resourced, open-license model of a national curriculum, covering a broad range of subjects and key stages.

In a LinkedIn post responding to the findings, John Roberts, chief executive officer at Oak National Academy, wrote: “Today is a big milestone for Oak National Academy, and the teachers we support.” He added, “I’m incredibly proud to see that our work continues to be a widely valued source of support for schools across the country.”

Reported impact on workload and teaching practice

The evaluation finds that 85 percent of teachers using Oak report a positive impact on workload, with a median saving of four hours per week per teacher. The report also notes high satisfaction with curriculum quality, with four in five teachers rating Oak’s curriculum sequences and lesson materials positively.

Cumulative platform data shows more than 1.63 million resources downloaded, alongside a growing number of teachers using Oak’s AI-supported tools, including Aila, its AI lesson assistant.

Roberts pointed to workload reduction as a core outcome of the platform’s design, saying: “By making high-quality curricula and lesson resources freely available, we’ve created a launchpad for great teaching and a foundation for responsible innovation that can drive even better learning in every classroom.”

Origins in pandemic response

Oak National Academy was established in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, initially created to support remote learning when schools across England were forced to close. Backed by the Department for Education, the platform provided free, centrally produced lessons to help ensure continuity of education during periods of national disruption.

What began as an emergency response has since evolved into a permanent, publicly funded organization with a broader remit. Oak transitioned from short-term remote provision into curriculum design, teacher support, and digital infrastructure, positioning itself as a long-term component of England’s education system rather than a crisis-only intervention.

The evaluation reflects this shift, capturing how Oak’s role has moved from immediate access to lessons toward sustained use in classroom planning, workload management, and curriculum coherence.

Role in national curriculum reform

The evaluation is published as Oak’s remit expands. The Department for Education has asked Oak to support the rollout of the revised National Curriculum, including updated materials for reception, ahead of the planned 2028 implementation.

Roberts said Oak will continue refining its resources in response, stating: “With the Department for Education asking Oak to support the rollout of the revised National Curriculum, we’ll continue to refine our resources, including updated materials for reception, well ahead of 2028.”

He also noteed early adoption of Oak’s refreshed curriculum by multi-academy trusts, including Ormiston Academies Trust, Lift Schools, and The Blue Kite Academy Trust.

Signals for EdTech, AI, and public infrastructure

For EdTech providers and policymakers, the evaluation positions Oak as a large-scale example of publicly funded digital infrastructure operating alongside commercial platforms. The combination of open licensing, national reach, and growing use of AI-supported tools highlights how government-backed EdTech is evolving beyond content delivery into curriculum design, workload support, and responsible AI deployment.

Roberts closed his post by acknowledging the broader ecosystem involved in Oak’s development, saying: “Thank you to every teacher, school and partner who has helped shape this work. It’s fantastic to see so many benefiting from this crucial public resource.”