Good Schools Guide
Developing Digital Fluency
In our Early Years classes children engage in the fundamentals of programming and directional language through an exciting robot programming application and, by Year 1 and 2, pupils are using spreadsheets as well as coding in weekly IT lessons.
From the beginning of Pre-Prep individual laptops enhance the curriculum and allow pupils to explore interactive phonics, play number games, and learn basic computer coding skills. Augmented reality headsets allow investigation, from ancient Egypt in history to atomic structures in Science.
By year 4, a laptop – alongside traditional text and exercise books – accompanies pupils from lesson to lesson, serving as a transformational learning aid.
From solving mathematical problems using spreadsheets, building and coding robots to solve real world problems and creating bespoke design solutions with 3D printers, our older pupils are well prepared to innovate and excel. Examples of outcomes include:
Scientific Exploration: Using data loggers in Science to access real-time feedback on experiments, enabling pupils to draw evidence-based conclusions from investigations.
Digital Literacy and Ethics: Developing a critical understanding of concepts such as accuracy, bias, and ethics within digital landscapes.
Immersive Learning: Employing virtual reality headsets and holo-cubes in Humanities, Maths and Science to explore 3D models. These help pupils to grasp complex concepts, ranging from recreations of historical buildings to detailed visualisations of human organs or the structure of the atom.
Creative Presentations: Providing each pupil with a personal laptop and the skills to create presentations in English and Humanities.
Online Safety: Ensuring pupils have a practical understanding of online risks, including personal data privacy and how to navigate platforms and the web responsibly.
AI for good and “Bridewell AI”
Our older pupils and teachers have joined forces with the ‘AI for Good’ research teams at the University of Surrey and Royal Holloway, University of London to co-design our own safe, ethical and inclusive human-in-the-loop ‘Bridewell AI’ and to accelerate pupils’ critical thinking, study skills and knowledge. Our closed-system AI is a secure tool for learning and a clear scaffold for improvement, with our teachers steering the course throughout.
Our University-level collaborations have enabled our older pupils to present their work to a range of audiences, highlighting their capacity to tackle challenging curriculum material using AI as an accelerant for critical thinking and study skills. As AI continues to develop exponentially, Barrow Hills pupils will remain at the heart of these developments, allowing further opportunities to apply their voice to develop their future thinking and capabilities.
VIDEO – CLICK TO PLAY
Take a look at our older children developing our Bridewell AI with the Universities of Surrey and Royal Holloway in 2025
Join us to experience everyday school life here at Barrow Hills
Personal visits usually last around 90-minutes including a meeting with our Head, Mr John Towers, and opportunities to meet the children and tour the beautiful school.
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