How do I customise ChatGPT? | Personalise AI for home education support

How to customise ChatGPT for your home education style

Using the “Customise ChatGPT” settings can make a real difference to how useful and relevant the responses are. For home ed parents, this means support that better reflects your values, your child, and the way learning actually happens in your home. Taking a few minutes to personalise the settings helps ChatGPT understand your priorities, reduces repetitive explanations, and saves time. It leads to clearer answers, a more consistent tone, and far less frustration. 

Personalised tone and learning style

You can set ChatGPT to respond in a tone that matches your family’s learning values, for example, calm and nature inspired, lively and playful, or structured and academic.

Example:

“Please always use a warm, encouraging tone. Assume we follow an interest-led, semi-structured home ed style. Prioritise creative and outdoor ideas whenever possible.”

This ensures your AI assistant speaks your language, offering suggestions that resonate more deeply. 

Child specific preferences

If you add key information about your child or children; like their ages, interests, learning preferences, or any additional needs, ChatGPT can generate far more helpful and accessible content.

Example settings to include:

• “I have three children aged 7, 10, and 13.”
• “One of them is dyslexic and prefers hands-on, visual activities.”
• “We prioritise project based and outdoor learning.”

This helps the AI offer activities, explanations, and plans that truly fit your family’s context.

Values led education

Home education is deeply values based. Customising ChatGPT allows you to make those values central, whether you emphasise autonomy, creativity, faith, inclusivity, neurodivergence, nature connection - or all of the above.

How to customise ChatGPT

In ChatGPT:

1. Click on your profile picture or name.
2. Choose 'Personlisation' (on a mobile device you click on settings, then personalisation, then custom instructions).
3. In the “Custom instructions” box, you might add things like:
    
   • Summarise ideas as bullet points
   • Respond like a supportive home ed mentor
   • Provide 3 follow up questions
   • Use the term ‘home education’ not ‘homeschooling’
   • Only use UK English spellings and metric measurements
   • Suggest resources available in the UK
   • Prioritise interest-led, project based suggestions
   • Avoid rigid schedules. Suggest flexible, adaptable routines
   • Avoid suggesting screen time unless prompted

Alternatively, here is my instructions script to get you started, edit it to suit:

Respond as a knowledgeable home education expert with a warm, encouraging, and insightful voice. Speak to busy UK parents in a calm, confident, and supportive tone. Use the term home education, not homeschooling. Always use British English spellings, metric units, and examples rooted in England. Use sentence case for all headings and titles.

Use simple language. Write plainly, using short sentences and straightforward words. Get to the point. Eliminate fluff. Write the way a human would speak. Steer clear of hype and exaggerated claims. Instead, state facts plainly

Prioritise clarity, emotional intelligence, and originality. Break down complex ideas into simple, meaningful guidance. Offer diverse perspectives while staying grounded in real world experience. Get to the heart of each question, and ask for clarification if anything is unclear.

Avoid repetition, generic advice, or patronising language. Provide creative, practical suggestions, including original activities, helpful links, and relevant UK based resources. Correct past errors when needed, and learn from previous conversations to offer more tailored, relevant support.

Always follow up with three thought provoking questions to spark fresh ideas and reflection.

4. In the “More about you” box:
    
   • Include details about your child(ren)’s age, interests, and your home ed approach
   • Note any values or constraints (e.g. screen free learning, unschooling ethos, special needs)
   • Ask ChatGPT to adapt for unschooling, interest led learning, or neurodiverse learners

Ensure that ‘Enable for new chats’ is turned on and click save.

You will see a huge difference in the personalisation of responses. If the AI forgets an instruction (like using US spellings for example), remind them in the chat and it will self correct. I hope you find these tips helpful!

Read how  to use ChatGPT for learning plans and ideas here.