Claude, made by Anthropic, is a general AI assistant like ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini. Teachers who try it often say it writes in a more natural, careful tone. Here is what it is good for in a UK school, what to watch out for, and how to use it within your school's rules.
What is Claude?
Claude is a general-purpose AI assistant from Anthropic. You can use it on the web, on desktop and on mobile. It handles long documents well, writes in a clear and measured style, and is good at following detailed instructions — useful qualities for school work.
There is a free plan with usage limits and paid plans for heavier use. Anthropic also offers education and business plans with organisation-level controls. Check Anthropic's website for current plans and prices.
What teachers use Claude for
- Drafting communications — letters, newsletters and tricky parent emails. See AI prompts for difficult parent emails.
- Adapting texts — rewriting a passage at a lower reading age or adding scaffolds.
- Working with long documents — summarising a policy, guidance document or report.
- Planning support — generating ideas, examples, model answers and questions.
- Homework design — see using Claude or ChatGPT to create adaptive homework.
Claude vs ChatGPT for teachers
Both are strong. In practice, the right choice is usually the one your school has approved, not the one that scores slightly better on a given task. Differences teachers notice:
- Tone. Many find Claude's writing less "salesy" and closer to how a teacher would write.
- Long documents. Claude is well suited to working through long guidance or policy documents.
- Features. ChatGPT has a wider set of built-in extras, such as image generation.
For the wider comparison, see is there an AI better than ChatGPT for schools?
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Using Claude safely in a UK school
The same rules apply to Claude as to any AI assistant:
- Check it is approved. Your school's AI policy should list which tools staff can use. If Claude is not on it, ask before using it for school work.
- No identifiable pupil data on personal accounts. A personal account is not covered by a school data processing agreement. See why uploading pupil names is a data breach risk.
- Check your privacy settings. On consumer plans, review whether your conversations can be used to improve Anthropic's models, and set it to match your school's rules.
- Check the output. Claude can still be wrong, especially on recent guidance, dates and figures.
Can pupils use Claude?
Anthropic's consumer app is for adults, with a minimum age of 18. For pupil-facing AI, schools should use tools designed and approved for children — see safe AI for school students.
Prompts that work well in Claude
Adapting a text
"Rewrite this passage for a Year 5 pupil reading at around a Year 3 level. Keep all key facts, use short sentences, and add a five-word glossary at the end: [passage]."
Summarising guidance
"Summarise this guidance for primary teachers in five bullet points, then list three actions a school should take: [paste guidance]."
A difficult email
"Draft a calm, professional reply to this parent email. Acknowledge their concern, explain the school's position in plain English, and suggest a meeting: [anonymised email]."
What to double-check
- Recent guidance and dates. Like any AI, Claude may not know the latest updates — check KCSIE and DfE guidance on GOV.UK.
- Curriculum specifics. Check objectives against the national curriculum and your scheme.
- Tone for your community. Adjust language to suit your families.
If your school wants to adopt Claude
A school considering Claude for staff should look at Anthropic's organisation plans, which offer central management and business data terms, and complete a DPIA. Many schools find it simpler to start with the Copilot or Gemini access included in their existing licences — see is Copilot free for teachers?
Frequently asked questions
Is Claude free for teachers?
Claude has a free plan with usage limits, plus paid plans. Anthropic also offers education and organisation plans. Check its website for current options.
Is Claude better than ChatGPT for teachers?
Both are strong. Many teachers find Claude's writing more natural and good with long documents; ChatGPT has more built-in extras. Use whichever your school has approved.
Can I put pupil information into Claude?
Not on a personal account. Identifiable pupil data should only go into AI tools your school has approved and covered with a data protection impact assessment.
Can pupils use Claude?
Anthropic's consumer Claude app has a minimum age of 18, so it is not suitable for pupils. Use tools designed and approved for children.
Does Claude use my chats for training?
On consumer plans this depends on your privacy settings. Review them and follow your school's AI policy.