When I asked Key Stage 2 pupils “What is AI?”, most had no idea. Yet AI already shapes their daily lives. If we don’t teach AI literacy in primary schools now, we risk raising a generation who can use AI tools but cannot truly understand them.

Too often, schools treat AI as something to sprinkle across lessons, hoping pupils will "pick it up" along the way. But just like with reading and writing, AI needs structured, explicit teaching.

If you’re a school leader, teacher, or curriculum designer, this one’s for you. It’s time for a serious rethink.