Congratulations to our Head of Classics, Mrs Olivia Adams for securing the post of Vice Principal, Educational Excellence & Innovation. For the past 5 years, she has been Head of Classics; a high-performing department that has enjoyed consistent, excellent results and increasing numbers.
Prior to this, alongside her busy teaching commitments, Olivia spent a number of years as Assistant Head of Oxbridge, where she helped develop the longer-term strategy of the successful Oxbridge Programme within School. Olivia has also been an OCR A-level examiner in Classics and enjoys contributing to the broader life of the School.
Since graduating in Classics from Cambridge University, Olivia has worked in a range of independent settings, including girls’ boarding, mixed independent day schools and, of course, all-girls schools. Combined with her own Leeds-based state education, Olivia has developed a broad understanding of the strengths of independent schools and challenges they face in today’s ever-changing social and financial landscape.
When she is not ferrying her two young sons to football matches, Olivia enjoys reading, pottery and cooking.
What do you like about working in education?
I love working with children who are curious, driven and passionate about their education. No two days are the same in a school and it is that variety that means you are constantly learning, reflecting and challenging yourself.
What are you most looking forward to?
I’m eager to engage more actively in classrooms, experiencing and contributing to the exceptional learning and teaching at Surbiton High School. The school’s dedication to going above and beyond for its pupils is inspiring, and I’m excited to further advance this ethos. Supporting pupils in discovering their potential and building on our strong principles of learning and teaching is a challenge I’m looking forward to embracing.
What are the educational challenges we are facing for young people today?
I believe that there are more challenges facing young people today, than in prior generations. Maintaining good mental health, academic pressure and high-stakes testing, curriculum relevance and the potential skills gap in employment, the continued rise of social media and AI all combine to make education a potentially very challenging time for young people. Surbiton High School delivers a fully-rounded education for our pupils which tackles lots of these challenges and ensures they are ready for the working world they will enter.
What does educational excellence look like to you?
Without a doubt, high academic standards are at the heart of educational excellence. However, this is not limited to examination success; I see individualised learning, a focus on character development, a strong, inclusive community and a growth of skills relevant to the world beyond school to be key foundation stones to educational excellence.
What excites you most about the future of education, and how do you see Surbiton High School leading the way?
Surbiton High School has been an innovative leader in education for many years now, with iPads introduced over eight years ago. The world continues to change at pace, and Surbiton High School is changing with it. I see our School as leading the way in the adoption of learning and teaching strategies that are forward thinking and help close the increasing skills gap between education and employment. This includes a digital strategy that allows space for the changing world of AI and digital literacy and learning and teaching practice that not only develops examination skills but also the social and analytical skills critical in the wider world.
What specific strategies would you implement to foster a culture of innovation and creativity within the School?
The Surbiton High School community is reflective and driven. I want to look at implementing strategies that are forward-focused, in terms of skills development, incorporating the use of cutting-edge digital tools alongside our already excellent holistic approach to learning. Developing pupils’ abilities to be creative and innovative in their own outcomes will enable them to become reflective young people who are ready for the challenges of a fast-paced world once they no longer have the safety net of our caring School environment.
How do you plan to balance the traditional aspects of education with the demands of a rapidly changing technological landscape?
The most developed LLM AI companies are still trying to perfect their ability to act as Socratic tutors. Even 21st century tech is attempting to facilitate a mode of questioning made famous 2500 years ago. Traditional aspects of education are still paramount in ensuring that our pupils experience academic rigour and develop their own knowledge and identities through high order questioning rather than asking a bot for an opinion. I want to shift the negative headlines associated with AI from a machine giving an answer to being seen as a machine helping a pupil to master a skill set.
How will you ensure that technology is used effectively to enhance teaching and learning, without overwhelming pupils and staff?
That is part of what my role will guard against. Spending time behind the scenes, researching, testing and piloting various technologies, I will ensure that both pupils and staff are trained in the most effective technology relevant to their areas of specialism and focus. By building mastery of these skills into the learning and teaching practice of the School, we will mitigate the opportunity for ‘overwhelm’ and create a dynamic school experience where pupil and staff expertise is consistently improving.
Categories: Academic Senior School Staff Information