Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends,
I have the pleasure of delivering our assemblies this week all on the theme of AI. Last year when I delivered an assembly on the same topic, our knowledge and use of AI was very different than it is today. That is why we have created our approach to AI which will give students guidance on the best ways to think about AI however rapidly the technology is changing. This guidance has been created as a collaborative effort from of our AI working party, a group of staff who take an interest in how AI can improve teaching and learning in school.
Firstly, we want our students to be aware of the tools that AI is already integrated within, to make sure they know it is something that they are using. There are great possibilities in the ways that AI can be used as a study tool and how they use it will be a skill which they develop over time. As we begin to navigate using AI as teachers, we will also be able to teach these skills to students where it may be relevant or necessary. Thirdly, misinformation on the internet is not a new challenge, but the ability to detect whether information is accurate, or images and videos have been created by AI is becoming more difficult, so it is important that there is intelligent use of AI. The skill is not the ability to spot AI, as this could be impossible, but is instead for students to question information, think critically about what they are seeing and then complete further research. Next, the range of capabilities of AI is ever expanding and sometimes this can cross into where we consider that human skill sets are the best for the job for example asking for support or advice on friendship so AI is not for everything. And finally, as the technology progresses so does the boundaries that it pushes. JCQ who provide rules and guidelines about examination have explicit guidelines about using AI so it is crucial that students know the rules. For students in who are not yet at the stages of formal examinations the parameters that teachers set around the use (or not) of AI will be the important ones to follow. We want to use AI in a productive, efficient and useful way.
We know that not everyone has the same knowledge and expertise about using AI. I certainly had only tried out using chat GPT once or twice before I went to my first training course about using AI within schools. So here are some questions that you could use to start a conversation with your daughter about AI that might help you SHARE some knowledge.
S- SHOW
Show me something that you’ve used AI to create for school this week.
H- HOW
How do you normally use AI on a day to day basis? Which tools do you use?
A- ACCURACY
How do you know the information that is creating is accurate? How do you check?
R- RECOGNISE
How can you recognise when you should/shouldn’t use AI?
E- Employment
Are there careers in the future using AI you might find interesting?
In other news this week, we were delighted to welcome a range of employers to our Year 13 interview day. Interviewers from a range of professions including engineering, drama, STEM, politics, IT, law and many more. All Year 13 students took part in a mock interview where we matched students to the careers which they are interested in pursuing. We are very grateful for the time that the interviewers gave to meet with our students and for the positive and constructive feedback that they gave them to support them in the future interview experiences. Many students found meeting someone in the career they would like to have and having the opportunity to ask them questions invaluable.
The next interview day is coming up for our Year 12 students on the 26th February and we are always looking for willing volunteers! If you would like to support us in interviewing on this day please do get in touch with our careers assistant Miss Johnson d.johnson@holt.wokingham.sch.uk
We also celebrated our current Year 12 students this week as we held our annual GCSE certificate event where they reminisced over the fond memories from their tutors last year and they received their hard earned GCSE certificates. We also have two special awards that are awarded each year. Firstly, The Holt Association’s Endeavour Award which is given to a girl who shows great determination and perseverance, this was awarded to Grace and the Charlotte Evans Community Award was awarded to Alolika as a recognition of service to the school.
We also invite ex Holt students as our guest speaker to give their words of wisdom. This year Molly Collins who left The Holt in 2017 shared her experiences of her A-levels, her psychology degree and masters as well insight into her careers in the NHS and Berkshire MIND. Molly was inspiring speaker for the students, and she gave great insight into her academic journey.
And finally, there is a new service that we would like to raise awareness of called the ChatHealth service. It is a free confidential texting service where students and parents can seek advice on a range of issues such as low mood, sleep, stress, health eating and many more. Details of the service are below.
Emma Salamut-Ward
Assistant Headteacher
Head of Sixth Form