Using Artificial Intelligence at Surbiton High School; preparing our pupils for a world shaped by technology
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a distant concept; it’s a tool our children use daily and it has far-reaching implications beyond what we can currently predict. At Surbiton High School, we see this as an epochal moment in education, and a moment that brings both opportunity and responsibility.
Our approach centres on three principles:
- Human-centred approach to AI
- Ethical and responsible AI use
- Empowerment through skills for the future
Through our Digital Tapestry strategy, we deliver age-appropriate AI education, train staff in the latest tools and involve pupils in shaping policy. Our goal is simple; to ensure every pupil uses AI as a tool for creativity and growth, not as a shortcut.
Context
In a world where one in four young people believe they can have a meaningful relationship with an Large-language Model (LLM), Surbiton High School centres human intelligence at the core of what we do, supported by AI, and with clear boundaries between them. The teacher-student relationship remains fundamental to progress and personal growth. We are using that relationship to have meaningful conversations with pupils on all the facets of what AI is, how we use it everyday, the challenges of it and its opportunities. Our ‘Charter for Well-being’ cites positive relationships as a key factor in developing healthy and happy young people; where AI is concerned, this means harnessing human relationships to empower pupil relationships with technology.
The detail: Surbiton High School’s Digital Tapestry
Within our Digital Tapestry, Surbiton’s bespoke digital strategy, we see pupil skills and staff training as paramount to achieving our aim to empower pupils to use AI thoughtfully, ethically and efficiently both at School and beyond the final bell. We have partnered with AI Edify to deliver School-wide, age-specific, tutor-led sessions on AI and its guises, teaching pupils about the power of the algorithm and teaching the critical thinking skills needed to decipher real from fake.
In addition, by focusing on staff training to improve the technological side of teaching and learning, we have been working hard to mitigate the perpetually-tempting nature of using generative AI to passively seek answers. Staff have been trained in the latest AI-powered Microsoft apps, such as Speaker Coach and Search Coach to help pupils upskill and set themselves apart from other young people. Google’s ‘AI overview’ for example is something we have very quickly learned to accept and often use. After all, do you need to click on a link and read something for yourself, if AI can do it for you? These are the questions we are addressing with our pupils and the innovative use of Microsoft applications is just one part of that development of understanding. These apps help our pupils develop real-world communication and critical evaluation skills so important for life.
Our AI Working Party has been delving into the labyrinth of ethics which AI poses for our pupils, and this is something we take very seriously. We are currently working with our pupils to help them write their own pupil-centred AI policy. By adopting a bottom-up approach, we hope to educate our pupils on the importance of agency, instinct and that tacit knowledge grounded in empathy and human experience.
GDPR and Safeguarding
We remain committed to data protection with all staff trained regularly to ensure that our pupils’ data is kept safe. In School, we have a comprehensive filtering system, which helps keep our pupils safe. As LLMs like Chat GPT) become widely available for progressively younger children, we will respond to equip them with the proper skills to deal with the complexities they throw up.
As part of our Digital Tapestry, we will continue to innovate responsibly, ensuring every strand works together to prepare our young people for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century workplace.