Nature INDEPENDENT SCHOOL PARENT
nurture
NEW SCHOOL TOOLS How your child is using AI
GCSE S Is it time to ditch them?
WIN a weekend’s stay in the Highlands
Space to thrive
From lessons and sport to extracurricular fun, Katie Hughes looks at how rural schools are making the most of their abundant grounds to get students to abandon their screens for the great outdoors
Recent research¹ shows that independent schools give pupils, on average, access to 10 times more outdoor space than their state-educated peers. So, how are schools using this green space and why is it so important?
Evidence from environmental psychologists shows that green space can reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance cognitive function for children –boosting attention span, problem-solving abilities and academic performance. And independent senior schools are welltuned into these findings.
Schools aren’t just ensuring that pupils have plenty of exposure to green space, they’re also providing a huge range of outdoor learning opportunities, with farreaching benefits.
Space for sport
At Millfield School in Somerset, pupils can take their pick from 11 full-size football pitches, numerous cricket squares, a 400m athletics track, an outdoor equestrian arena and much more. And having space for facilities like these doesn’t just encourage students of all sporting abilities and inclinations, it also provides green views at every turn.
Students at Lingfield College are able to enjoy the green splendour of the charming wellbeing gardens
FINDING A BALANCE
Tom Wade, Assistant Head, Digital Strategy and Learning at Haileybury, shares how the school is embracing AI platforms to enhance learning
Artificial Intelligence, also known as AI, has been a hot topic over the last year but isn’t always fully understood. AI essentially refers to a collection of technologies that allow computers to perform tasks that are similar to human intelligence, such as problem-solving, decision-making, data analysis and creativity.
Still in its infancy in education, AI is being used to varying degrees in schools across the UK. While there’s been interest in how it can support teacher workload, there have been concerns about the risks to learning. Subsequently, some schools are banning AI, while others are using it.
At Haileybury, we believe AI is here to stay, with young people already using it in their everyday lives, from Siri reminders to Spotify recommendations. Therefore, rather than ignoring it, we’re proactively embracing it and ensuring that we understand how it can be harnessed effectively, as well as the possible pitfalls. We can then teach pupils how to use it successfully, responsibly and safely to bolster independent thought, enhance learning and support critical thinking to equip them for successful careers.
We undertook extensive research, speaking to schools and experts internationally who are using AI; launched staff and pupil working groups; trained our teachers and they experimented with different tools to find the best solutions for subjects; and created a school-wide strategy.
As part of the strategy, we wanted to bring our parents onboard. We held webinar training for families to support their understanding of AI, answer questions and showcase the positive power of AI, giving practical demonstrations of
how it’ll be used in learning. Additionally, we explained our AI policy and sought parental permissions, crucial when using AI tools for pupils aged 13 to 18, so parents knew we were keeping their children safe. For example, we ensure that no pupil data is entered into AI platforms.
We continue to keep parents updated through fortnightly AI newsletters, which include training videos and information about what we cover in digital innovation lessons. We also host workshops to educate parents and pupils on the ethical implications of AI, discussing the importance of not plagiarising, understanding bias in AI systems, and using AI to complement, but vitally not replace, their own thinking. We also introduced a yearnine AI course to further educate pupils on the ethical debate and develop their digital and analytical skills. Our
Training webinars help engage parents with the AI programme
approach is ‘process vs product’ so pupils can use AI as part of their process, but the ultimate final product must be entirely their own work.
We distilled down the five AI apps that we felt would best aid learning through our working groups. These were Perplexity for AI-assisted research, Canva for design, ChatGPT for text interaction, PI for verbal interaction and support, and MagicSchool for safely distributing AI tools to pupils and teachers. We trained pupils in using these applications in assemblies and videos and our pupil digital leads provide regular feedback on AI tools, highlighting emerging trends or issues. We’re also actively engaged with educational companies in trialling AI apps and providing feedback on their development. Our pupils and staff have a
RATHER THAN IGNORING IT, WE’RE proactively embracing it and ensuring that we understand how it can be harnessed effectively, AS WELL AS POSSIBLE PITFALLS s
Year-nine students are encouraged to use AI as part of their study process, as long as their final work is their own
SPORTING CHANCE
Keith Metcalfe explores how independent schools’ fee assistance programmes, such as scholarships can ensure that talented sportspeople of the future are given all the resources and training needed to succeed
Mavern College’s 1st XV rugby team receive dedicated support and coaching alongside their academic commitments
As the sporting world went crazy for the summer Olympics, we were all reminded how the goal of ‘stronger, higher, faster’ can create a massively positive energy among young people from every background and nation across the globe.
Countries and organisations within the UK, such as Sport England, have worked hard to promote and source funding initiatives to ensure that sport is available to all. As an educator and leader of a school that truly promotes an holistic approach to education,
where we look for every opportunity to develop positive attitudes to learning, personal growth and impact on society, I’ve particularly loved hearing the back stories to the various sportsmen and women who have almost always talked about the coach, teacher or mentor who inspired them to follow their dream, set their targets and achieve their goals.
All educators want to encourage commitment and support the hard work required to develop talents, while also ensuring nancial status isn’t a barrier to achieving success.
at’s across the board, regardless of
whether you work within the state or independent sector and, for those who have the ability to support others to achieve that aim, it is something which is a privilege to do.
Support system
Scholarships and bursaries for an independent school are a very e ective means of doing this, and these vital initiatives have helped generations of pupils from all backgrounds to access rst-class education and greater opportunities in sports, the arts and in academia. It’s long been an accepted
Cricket is popular with girls at Malvern College, including star player Lauren Atkinson
Since England’s lionesses’ Women’s Euros win, girls’ football has become a priority in school sports departments
BETWEEN 17 AND 20 PER CENT OF UK sixth formers now attend independent school for THE FINAL TWO YEARS OF THEIR FORMAL EDUCATION
At NLCS, girls are given new responsibilities alongside the structure that teenagers still need
PREPARE TO LAUNCH
Sixth form provision at an independent school isn’t all about academics: it’s a bespoke all-round experience. Here, Roedean in East Sussex and North London Collegiate in Edgware give an insight into their unique offerings
Between 17 per cent and 20 per cent of UK sixth formers now attend independent school for the final two years of their formal education, according to research1
Until recently, families made the decision to remain in the independent sector or jump in from the state sector simply because they were following stats showing brighter academic outcomes. It was, to be frank, all about the A*s.
A
nurturing approach
But then Covid-19 came along, raising the profile of the importance of good mental health and wellbeing, particularly in the young. And this has played a part in the shifting sixth-form landscape, so that now the best 16+ providers are just as concerned with the all-round wellbeing of their teens as they are their grades. This holistic approach has mushroomed across the offering in the independent sector, so that schools s
From training as a superyacht cadet on the open seas to soaking up centuries of art history across Venice, Florence and Rome on a gap year, there are many inspiring courses that today’s teens can take to enrich their futures ▲
HELLO, WORLD
