AI features in AcornCloud

Overview & availability

AcornCloud's AI tools are available to Managers on your account. Staff and parent app users do not see these features. There's nothing to enable - if you're a Manager, the AI buttons will appear automatically in the relevant areas of the app.

These features are currently available in three areas: Broadcasts, Lesson Plans, and Messaging. More areas of the app will be added in future updates.

AI in broadcasts

Broadcasts are messages sent to parents or groups. The AI tools here help you write a full broadcast from scratch - or refine one you've already started.

Magic write: Generate

Type a subject line (e.g. "Fancy dress competition this Friday") and click the Magic Write button. The AI will generate a complete, well-structured broadcast for you — including placeholders for dates or other details you want to personalise. You can keep it as-is, edit it, or use it as a starting point.

Note: The Magic Write button only becomes active once you've typed a subject. Without a subject, it will remain greyed out.

Improve: Refine

Already have content? Select any portion of your broadcast text, then click Improve to access a range of refinement options:

• Change tone - make it more friendly, professional, or casual

• Make it longer - expand on the selected text with more detail

• Make it shorter - condense the selected text

• Continue writing - add new sentences that follow naturally from where you left off

Tip: Use Magic Write to generate a first draft quickly, then use Improve to fine-tune the tone or length to match your voice.

AI in lesson plans

Writing lesson plans from scratch takes time. The AI tool in this area generates a complete, structured lesson plan based on the name you give it - following the format AcornCloud recommends for early years planning.

Magic write for lesson plans: Generate

1. Enter a lesson plan name (e.g."Learning to play with blocks")

2. Click Magic Write

3. If the editor already contains content, you'll see a confirmation prompt - confirm to replace it with the AI-generated plan

4. The generated plan will follow the standard structure including: environment setup, activities, learning intentions, and role of the educator

5. Review, edit, and save as normal

Heads up: Clicking Magic Write when an existing lesson plan is in the editor will replace all existing content after confirmation. This action cannot be undone — copy anything you want to keep before proceeding.

AI in messaging

The messaging AI tool helps managers respond to parent messages faster by generating a suggested reply based on recent conversation context.

Smart reply: Generate

When viewing a message thread, click the AI reply button to generate a suggested response. The AI reads the last 5 messages in the thread for context and drafts a relevant reply.

Important: The AI only uses the most recent 5 messages - it does not have access to your full message history. This is by design, to keep the feature fast and focused.

Tip: Always review the generated reply before sending. The AI provides a starting point — you remain in full control of what gets sent to parents.

Pricing & what's coming next

The current AI tools: Magic Write, Improve, and Smart Reply - are included in your AcornCloud subscription at no additional cost.

These are Phase 1 features. We are continuing to develop more advanced AI capabilities which will be made available as an optional add-on in a future release. We'll communicate pricing and details when they are ready.

More areas of the app will gain AI tools over time. Watch this space for updates.

FAQs

Who can use the AI features?
AI features are available to users with the Manager role only. Staff accounts do not have access in this phase.

Who can use the AI features?
AI features are available to users with the Manager role only. Staff accounts do not have access in this phase.

Do I need to pay extra?
No. All current AI features are included in your existing AcornCloud subscription at no extra cost.

Can the AI read all my messages or past lesson plans?
No. The messaging AI reads only the last 5 messages in a thread. It does not access your full history, other conversations, or any other content in your account.

Is the AI-generated content always accurate?
The AI generates a draft for you to review and edit. It will not always be perfect - treat it as a starting point, not a finished product. Always review before sending or saving.

Will more features be added?
Yes. The current release covers Broadcasts, Lesson Plans, and Messaging. More areas of the app will be updated with AI tools over time.