NHP’s Teacher Training on AI: Building Digital Literacy and Innovation
NHP’s Teacher Training on AI: Building Digital Literacy and Innovation
Last night our AI and Metacognition thinking school adventure began. This term, our teachers are delving deep into the understanding and integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the school curriculum. The goal is to equip both staff and pupils with the skills needed to navigate the digital world responsibly and effectively. We are using our 6 thinking hats inspired by Edward de Bono to make sure we are looking at this field from a range of perspectives.
We have started with the white hat for facts and have explored the following areas:
- What AI is and What it Can Do: Teachers explored the basics of AI, focusing on its ability to understand and generate language (NLP), recognise images, and learn from interactions. While AI is powerful, it still has limitations, such as a lack of long-term memory and occasional “hallucinations” (generating incorrect or unrelated outputs).
- AI in Education: Discussions emphasised how AI can enhance teaching by offering personalised learning experiences and helping teacher workload.
- Challenges and Considerations: AI isn’t without its challenges. Teachers reflected on ethical concerns, such as data privacy, and the importance of clear policies to guide its use in education. AI is not yet capable of understanding context or emotions, and its outputs depend on the quality of the data it was trained on.
- Practical Integration: Teachers were introduced to AI tools like ChatGPT, with a focus on “starting small”. They are encouraged to use AI for specific tasks and reflect on its impact. The training encourages collaboration among staff and pupils to find meaningful ways to incorporate AI into everyday learning.
This training is part of NHP’s broader mission to ensure that digital literacy is embedded across all aspects of the curriculum, making learning more innovative and inclusive for all pupils. But, we are very much taking a human centric approach to the use of AI in education.
Next up is the Blue Hat, where we will be looking at how digital literacy works at NHP, whilst also exploring the pros and cons of the various platforms out there.
We are excited to see how these advancements will enhance both teaching and learning at NHP!
Miss Chute, Ms Kirkland and the Drive Team.
Read MorePupil Voice
The lower school had an assembly this week explaining the exciting changes the School Council instigated last year. Voting for this year’s Reps will be happening in classrooms next week!
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Gareth P. Jones delights the OB
On Tuesday, we were thrilled to welcome the talented children’s author Gareth P. Jones to Notting Hill School, where he spent a magical morning with our Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 pupils. Gareth, known for his books The Dragon Detective Agency, Fairy Tales for the Fearless, and Solve Your Own Mystery, captivated our young readers with his lively storytelling, musical talents, and endless creativity. The children were spellbound as Gareth brought his characters to life with his engaging voice and infectious energy.
Throughout the session, Gareth encouraged the children to let their imaginations soar, reminding them, “Don’t be afraid to let your thoughts run wild!” The students were left giggling and wide-eyed as they listened and sung along, inspired to create their own stories and adventures.
We’re so grateful for the opportunity to host such a joyful event, and the children are still buzzing with excitement, carrying Gareth’s message that stories are everywhere, just waiting to be discovered. I can see his books flying out of the library going forwards!
If you would like to order a copy of any of Gareth’s books, please follow the link below.
https://uk.bookshop.org/search?keywords=Gareth+P+Jones
Miss Chute
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Opening of the new OB
Last Thursday was the official opening of the new OB! Over the summer, the reception area and classrooms were completely refurbished into new, modern spaces. We were delighted to welcome Aatif Hassan, chairman of Dukes Education, to cut the ribbon, confidently supported by his reception helpers in front of our parent reps!
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Year 8 Trip to Cornwall
Last week, Year 8 travelled to sunny Newquay in Cornwall. They had a fantastic time on the beach, enjoying late-night swimming, free play, and some relaxed moments together.
They also completed a sunny bike ride into Padstow and spent some time exploring the town. One particular highlight of the week was when they took to the waves for some exhilarating bodyboarding, followed by conquering the zip lines at the Eden Project. However, on Thursday the weather turned for the worse, and they had to think flexibly. Despite the challenges, the morning was spent braving the sea with some thrilling activities. When the rain set in during the afternoon, they sought refuge and fun at the cinema! There was a touch of sadness as the trip drew to a close, but the teachers couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out. Every child was nothing short of amazing – leading by example and taking everything in their stride. Thank you to Mr Hayes for organising this special trip and to the members of staff who accompanied Year 8.
Year 6 Trip to Normandie
Year 6 had a wonderful week at the resplendent Château de Chantereine in Normandie, France. On the first day, they visited Le Treport to see the funicular from 1908 and learn a little local history. They then travelled a little further along the coast to the Cayeux-sur-Mer market and took part in a market mission: pupils had €5 each, browsed the colourful stalls, and put together their own delicious lunch. They also tried ‘crisps of the sea’ (little seaweed leaves that taste like salty crisps) at the stunning Baie de Somme.
They started the next day with a bread-making workshop, resulting in some highly artistic creations! Throughout the workshop, pupils honed both their French speaking and listening skills in order to make their loaves. That afternoon, they made a trip to a dairy farm, where they learned about how the animals are looked after and how the farm operates. The pupils loved meeting the cows and most were brave enough to try their hand at milking, too! A trip to a dairy farm wouldn’t be complete without trying their wares: they were lucky to sample some delicious milk and cheese before heading back to the chateau.
On Thursday, they travelled to the city of Amiens – the capital of the Somme département and home to the largest Gothic cathedral in France. The children were lucky to be able to visit this beautiful and imposing building, which boasts wonderfully intricate stained glass windows. After a quick art history lesson from Madame Levell, the pupils entered respectfully and calmly, eager to see if they could find symbolism in the cathedral’s artwork. They ended their last full day with a ‘discoteque’, showing off their best dance moves!
Throughout the trip, the children demonstrated the NHP habits and their teachers couldn’t be prouder. Thank you to the staff who accompanied the children and particular thanks must go to Madame Levell for organising a truly ‘magnifique‘ trip!
Read MoreYear 7 Trip to Plas Y Brenin
Year 7 had a blast last week at the beautiful setting of Plas Y Brenin in Wales. They enjoyed lots of different activities, including orienteering, kayaking and mountain walking, which reached its climax with Mr Palmer getting his foot caught in a crag and demanding oxygen at the summit! The fun didn’t stop there and over the next few days, they abseiled from a 10m tower, took part in team building and problem solving on the low ropes course and enjoyed the infamous gorge scrambling. Decked out in full waterproofs and ready for action, they tackled the elements as they moved through the waters, climbed rocks and slid into the plunge pool. Evenings were spent relaxing and playing card games in the common room to unwind before bed.
Thank you to the following staff members for creating such an incredible and memorable experience for the children: Miss Sweeney, Miss Charlotte (who joined us on a day’s notice), and Mr. Jones. They have been amazing at fostering a supportive environment for your children to push themselves and take on new challenges. A huge thank you must also go to Mr Palmer, for organising such a successful and action-packed trip. The children were very lucky to have them there!
Finally, a thank you to the Year 7 pupils for making this a pleasurable experience, pushing themselves to achieve things they thought they couldn’t, and growing as individuals.
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Year 4 Residential Trip
This week, Year 4 went on their first ever residential trip to Manor Adventure in the beautiful Shropshire countryside. They made the most of being amongst nature by taking part in a range of different outdoor-focused activities, including canoeing, archery, abseiling and crate stacking. The children demonstrated many of the NHP habits, as well as excellent teamwork skills, all whilst, most importantly, having fun! They were even joined by some of the local sheep and cows on a relaxing evening walk, a great way to end the day! Overall, a great time was had by all and the children returned back to NHP safely and full of wonderful stories and memories.
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Adventure Weekend to Mendip Hills
Last weekend we took a group of 40 children from Y4-8 to the Mendip Hills for our summer term adventure trip. We were exceptionally lucky with beautiful sunshine all weekend which really allowed the children to make the most of the stunning camp site and being free to explore the Somerset countryside.
Over the 2 days, the children engaged in a variety of activities such as axe throwing, archery, caving and bushcraft which brought out the competitive side in all of us! The highlight of the weekend, for the staff at least, was seeing the children navigate a challenging assault course through thick mud! The shrieks of laughter and enthusiasm that was shown by all made this a wonderful experience and is something the children will remember for a long time.
The resilience and camaraderie shown by the children during the more demanding segments of the weekend, such as exploring the caves and overcoming obstacles on the muddy assault course, were particularly inspiring. This meant we had many candidates for the “Star of the Day” and it was lovely to hear the children share all the kind acts they had witnessed while sitting round the camp fire in the evening.
Our next adventure weekend will be in the autumn term, so please keep an eye out on the newsletter where we shall be advertising it at some point this term.
A big thank you to Miss Engle and Miss Kerr for organising such a fantastic trip and to Mr Thomas, Miss Engle and Miss Kalis for manning the trip and making it run so smoothly.
Ms Kirby
Read MoreYear 5 Residential
Year 5 had an amazing week at The Wilderness Centre in the Forest of Dean. They started with a safe and comfortable journey on the coach, stopping off to eat packed lunches half way through and have a run around. They spent the week taking part in a range of activities, testing skills such as collaboration and resilience and most importantly, having lots of fun! These activities varied from archery and bushcraft to exploring the grounds on a scavenger hunt and even canoeing! During their free evening time, they made the most of the dry conditions and beautiful grounds by playing football, card games, chess and reading. On Tuesday evening, they were treated to toasting delicious marshmallows on a campfire that they had built together! The children loved spending time together in the countryside. Having the whole estate to themselves meant getting in touch with nature and getting to know some of the animals and wildlife – the children were particularly fond of the free-roaming chickens! They may have returned home a little tired and with a bag full of muddy clothes, but they’ve also brought back some amazing memories and stories.
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