Research School Network: Why teachers are embracing No More Marking’s AI tool By Alexa Davies, Associate Deputy Headteacher (Secondary), The Charter Trust

Marking essays has always been one of the most time-consuming tasks for teachers. Hours spent assessing, writing feedback, and ensuring fairness often come at the expense of planning engaging lessons or supporting students individually – not to mention work-life balance.

But what if technology could change that? Enter No More Marking’s AI tool, a solution transforming how teachers approach assessment. No More Marking, known for pioneering comparative judgment, ran an AI assessment project called CJ Lightning in January 2025 and a Year 7 History pilot in October. Their headline finding? AI is highly effective at judging student writing and offers a viable, time-saving alternative for many forms of school assessment.

After speaking with four teachers in our Trust, one thing is clear: AI marking isn’t just about saving time — it’s about improving feedback, reducing bias, and creating space for better teaching.

Ease of use: Simpler than expected

One of the biggest fears around adopting new technology is complexity. However, teachers found the AI tool surprisingly intuitive. Chris Rodden, Head of Humanities at Charter Bermondsey, shared:

​“It was easier than I thought. Populating data from SIMS, uploading scanned files — it all worked smoothly.”

The system automatically flagged absences and generated percentages on data sheets that teachers could send directly to data officers, saving time on admin. Clear instructions for students — such as not writing names or below designated lines — helped ensure accuracy.

Time efficiency: A game-changer

Traditional essay marking can take hours. Chris explained that assessing 100 essays would normally require at least four hours just to assign scores — without writing feedback. With AI, this workload was dramatically reduced, even eliminated when teachers opted for 100% AI marking. Teachers were impressed with both individual feedback for students and whole-class summaries, which allowed them to design targeted ​“closing the gap” activities for the next lesson — something previously impossible within tight schedules.

George Towers, Subject Leader of History at The Charter School East Dulwich, highlighted the transformative potential:

​“I can see a scenario where A‑level students write essays weekly and get feedback in their next lesson. This is way more marking and feedback than I could provide using traditional methods.”

Imagine the impact on student progress when feedback becomes immediate and actionable.

Accuracy and fairness: Eliminating handwriting bias

Accuracy matters. Trials revealed that AI marking was more consistent than human judgment, with agreement rates between 80 – 85% for AI and 85 – 90% for teachers in English trials. Interestingly, the biggest errors came from human bias — particularly handwriting. AI transcription eliminates this issue, ensuring students are judged on content, not penmanship.

In the history trial, Daisy Christodoulou noted:

​“The AI agreed with the human decisions 77% of the time. This is slightly lower than the 85% we typically get for writing assessments, but it’s still not bad.”

Moderation checks confirmed reliability across ability levels, and teachers agreed the results ​“made sense.”

Feedback quality: Beyond scores

One fear among educators is that automation might reduce the richness of feedback. In reality, the opposite is true. The AI tool generates detailed reports for teachers and simplified versions for students, highlighting misconceptions and suggesting next steps. Each pupil received an individualised multiple-choice question set after their History essay to help close gaps. Teacher feedback documents guided lesson planning.

Victoria Begley, from Dulwich Hamlet Junior School, appreciated the whole-class feedback feature, which allowed her to address common issues efficiently while still giving individual comments.


Impact on workload and well-being

Every teacher interviewed agreed: the reduction in workload is a ​“no brainer.” Less time spent marking means more time for planning engaging lessons, supporting students, and maintaining work-life balance. For many, this shift could be key to retaining talented educators.

Victoria summed it up perfectly:

​“I support anything that decreases workload for teachers.”

And when that solution also improves feedback quality, it’s hard to argue against.

Addressing concerns: Safeguarding and transparency

No innovation comes without challenges. Safeguarding and data security were raised as concerns, but No More Marking clearly explains how they manage and protect student data. Transparency in how AI judgments are made is another priority — teachers want to understand the rationale behind marks, especially in nuanced cases.

Recommendations for the future

Based on these interviews, here are practical steps to maximise the benefits of AI marking:

● Integrate Feedback into Lesson Planning
AI reports should feed directly into teaching strategies, ensuring insights translate into improved learning.


● Track Progress Over Time
Future versions could analyse multiple pieces of work to build a holistic picture of student development.


● Expand to Secondary and Beyond
Trials in primary schools and Year 7 History show promise — scaling up to KS3, KS4, and A‑level could revolutionise essay-based subjects.


● Maintain Human Oversight
A 90/10 split (AI/​human) ensures quality control while preserving teacher judgment for complex cases. However, two teachers in our Trust opted for 100% AI marking — and were satisfied.


The bigger picture: A win for teachers and students

The story of No More Marking’s AI tool is not just about saving time — it’s about transforming feedback into a powerful learning tool. When students receive timely, targeted advice, their progress accelerates. When teachers reclaim hours from marking, they can focus on what truly matters: inspiring and supporting learners.

As one teacher envisioned:

​“Imagine weekly essays with next-lesson feedback.”

That future is within reach — and it’s a future where technology empowers educators rather than replaces them.

Reducing workload, improving fairness, and enhancing learning outcomes — this is the promise of AI in education. And with thoughtful implementation, it’s a promise we can deliver.