The team at North Bridge House. (NBH), a family of six London schools, believe that technology’s rise means human skills and strengths are even more critical
With a technology focused future, both science and the arts are more important than ever in developing the workforce of tomorrow. While technical skills will facilitate the continued development of our digital landscape, soft skills such as communication, creativity, and problem-solving are becoming increasingly hard for employers to find. Indeed, companies and universities are now using software to detect whether applications and assessments have been written by AI systems such as ChatGPT.
“Young adults need to understand technology – using it to complement human skill rather than replace it – and continue to develop the leadership, adaptability, and artistic qualities that we focus on here at North Bridge House,” says Headteacher of NBH Senior School in Hampstead, Christopher Jones. Over 54 per cent of employers find that graduates lack communication skills and 64 per cent finish university with below-par critical thinking skills, according to a Cengage / Morning Consult 2018 survey. “AI may be a force to be reckoned with but the real robot takeover that we, as educators, need to fear, is the takeover of generation alpha if they are not being adequately equipped with the soft skills needed for our future economy to thrive,” adds Christopher Jones.
NBH’s six schools – educating children from 2 to 18 – are focused on preparing pupils for the world into which they will graduate and believes the integration and promotion of technology needs to be carefully balanced with their personal development. Every pupil is encouraged to find what the school refers to as their ‘True North’ – a direction in life determined by their character traits, interests and talent. “There are certain skills which our students need to develop in order to navigate their futures in this digital age and develop the strength of character that will see them succeed,” adds Christopher Jones.
This philosophy is central to the NBH group’s approach – all the way from Nursery. Advancements in tech are at their best when those responsible for them have the empathy and understanding to appreciate the effect they’ll have on the world, producing human-centred design. Combining technical knowledge with a philosophical approach – which is introduced as early as Reception with the Pre-Prep School’s Philosophy for Children programme – is achieved via a broad curriculum and holistic approach.
“The people in technology companies that code algorithms control increasingly more of our reality and, as the algorithms reflect the biases of those that create them, awareness of inclusion and diversity is more important than ever in STEM subjects,” says, Michelle Blaber, Head of School at NBH Pre-Prep.
“The real robot takeover we need to fear, is the takeover of generation alpha if they are not equipped with the soft skills needed for our future economy”
NBH pupils are given their own device from Year 3; use of technology is then integrated into lessons in the same way that it facilitates the day-to-day actions of many careers. A genuine love of learning is maximised, with information seeking beyond the curriculum more easily facilitated in the moment, and multimedia study tools creating a dynamic learning environment. “Anyone can use a device and a search engine to develop their knowledge of a subject; we are here to deliver that content in a far more engaging way than any app or website ever could and to therefore inspire not just the academically gifted, self-starter minority, but the teenage student majority. We are here to show them how to be human,” says Headteacher at NHB Senior School in Canonbury, Islington, Charlotte Tassell-Dent.
Though coding and computer science are subjects that open doors to the industries of tomorrow (and indeed today), NBH Prep School focuses on developing the soft skills that will see their pupils actually gain a job offer. Good manners, for example, not only make an excellent first impression, but a lasting one. “Pupils are confident when meeting new people because of the positive relationships that we foster within the North Bridge House community,” says NBH Prep School Head, Tom Le Tissier. “Our children are confident when speaking about their weekends with teachers or asking for help in solving a problem, both of which model core communication skills so that they’re able to converse effectively with people other than their immediate peers.”
There is no replacement for human-to-human connection, which is why languages are an important skill of the next generation, too. The ability to build relationships across cultures and continents might be aided by apps and translation tools, but personal understanding cannot be replaced. At NBH, specialist teaching in languages begins at Nursery, with lessons in French and Italian founding the broader range of modern foreign languages – including Spanish, German and Mandarin – delivered at prep and senior level.
A real-world focus involves pupils taking ownership over the part they have to play in the future of the planet, a sentiment that’s central to NBH Senior Canonbury’s ‘Plants, People and the Planet’ enrichment club and to the Prep School’s Environmental Council. Fostering appreciation for the natural world develops responsible, global thinkers, with mindsets rooted in the bigger picture. Extracurricular opportunities further develop the leadership, adaptability and soft skills needed to produce change-makers of the future. “AI is only as powerful as the input it receives,” adds NBH Prep’s Tom Le Tissier.
“We cannot underestimate the power of being human when preparing our students for tomorrow’s job market,” says Brendan Pavey, Executive Headteacher at North Bridge House Schools. “We integrate technology into an increasingly wide-ranging, dynamic and creative learning experience, which promotes the soft skills that will prove just as central to students’ happiness and success as fulfilling their academic potential.”
North Bridge House northbridgehouse.com
Further reading: Teaching tomorrow’s skills
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