In a recent viral video LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman predicted that by 2034, 9-5 jobs will be a thing of the past. Hoffman is known for his astute insight: in 1997 he said that social networks would change the world (LinkedIn sold for $26B), he foresaw the sharing economy (he was an early Airbnb investor), and he also predicted the AI revolution years before ChatGPT.
There’s no doubt that new technologies, economic shifts, and social challenges are changing the job market at a rapid pace. Traditional education models, which focus on rote learning and the acquisition of knowledge, no longer prepare young people for life after school. To equip pupils for the future, schools must help them to become passionate learners and global citizens.
The King Alfred School, in Golders Green in North West London is adopting a deeper learning approach that fosters not only knowledge and understanding – but also focuses on the development of character and transferable skills. This holistic approach to education helps to cultivate well-rounded individuals, who are resilient, adaptable, and capable of thriving in a complex world. Read on to find out why it’s essential that educators (like The King Alfred School) embrace deeper learning.
What is deeper learning?
Deeper learning is a departure from the traditional memorisation of facts and figures. It encourages pupils to engage with the content they are learning at a profound level. Shaping life-long learners, it fosters critical thinking, problem solving, and challenges pupils to apply knowledge in new and unfamiliar contexts.
This approach is not about tearing up the traditional curriculum though. Rather, it enhances it by integrating opportunities for pupils to explore, question, and connect what they learn to the real world.
An emphasis on character development
Academic success is no longer sufficient in today’s ever-changing job market. Deeper learning puts an emphasis on character development – helping young people to develop resilience, empathy, and integrity.
Increasingly, employers and higher education institutions want to see individuals with a strong moral compass, social responsibility, and the emotional intelligence needed to navigate the challenges of life and work.
Robert Lobatto, Head of The King Alfred School, says: “What many employers tell us is that young people are often coming into the workplace with good grades but not really able to function effectively in the more complex, open-ended environment they find there. What we’re seeking to do with deeper learning, is ensure young people are well-prepared for life beyond education, equipped with the skills they need to be successful.”
Transferable skills and adaptability
In addition to character development, deeper learning focuses on the cultivation of transferable skills. Communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking are becoming vital in a world where we’re constantly adapting to change. These skills can be applied across various disciplines and career paths, making young people more employable.
The ability to work well within a team, to communicate ideas clearly, and to think creatively prepare pupils for whatever career they want to pursue. By embedding these skills within the curriculum, schools future-proof their pupils and ensure they are well-equipped for a lifetime of learning and growth.
Fostering lifelong learners
At the core of deeper learning is the idea that educators need to equip pupils with the metacognitive abilities to understand how they learn best. This self-awareness enables pupils to take ownership of their educational journey.
By reflecting on the learning process, young people are able to adapt to new challenges, continuously improving and expanding their skill sets.
Karen Thomas, Head of Lower School at The King Alfred School, believes this is true even for the youngest pupils: “We have the responsibility and privilege to ensure each child’s school experience goes deeper than the acquisition of facts and figures — to foster joy and understanding of the learning process and to equip them with strategies to navigate the future.”
The role of educators
For the deeper learning approach to work, teachers must adapt and change too. No longer just the transmitters of knowledge, they must become facilitators of learning experiences. This shift requires a more personalised approach, where the individual needs and strengths of each pupil are recognised and nurtured.
In deeper learning, the classroom environment encourages inquiry, collaboration, and the exploration of complex real-world problems.
Al McConville, Deputy Head of The King Alfred School, explains: “In Years 6 to 8 we foster deeper learning through ‘Explorations’. These projects bring together different subjects and use cross-curricular learning activities to answer overarching questions such as ‘How do we feed an overpopulated world?’ and ‘Should we fear or embrace AI?’. This approach requires students to apply skills and knowledge learnt in one discipline to the context of another and to self-assess their work in order to identify areas for improvement. This helps them develop into curious, reflective and self-reliant learners.”
Final thoughts
As we look to the future, it is clear that the demands placed on our education system are changing. The traditional focus on knowledge acquisition alone is no longer sufficient to prepare young people for life after school. By embracing deeper learning, educators can future-proof their pupils, equipping them with the character and transferable skills needed to thrive in an unpredictable and fast-paced world.
This is a sponsored post created in collaboration with The King Alfred School an informal, co-educational independent day school in Hampstead for students from reception to sixth form.
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