Message from the Headmaster

‘I am fearfully and wonderfully made’

Psalm 139:14

Dear Parents and Carers,

It is obvious to us all that the emergence and increasing sophistication of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making fundamental changes to education and work. As this is far from my personal expertise (I attended primary school in the days of ink wells and blotters), I am delegating to our Head of Digital Learning, Mrs Amanda Pfeffer, the role of providing a briefing to parents and carers as to how this revolution affects Shore and our students. Our position is not to pull up the drawbridge to attempt to keep AI out of Shore. That would neither be helpful nor even possible. Nor is it our position to open the floodgates with no discernment. Rather, we are trying to harness AI for benefit, as our students will need to do in the future of the world of work, while protecting the integrity of our assessment programme.

Specialists in the area have addressed meetings of Headmasters, Headmistresses and Principals. Some assure us that Artificial Intelligence is neither artificial nor intelligent. It is not conscious (despite the way it seems) and is simply the result of algorithms. It is difficult to see that it will ever replace teachers. The human element is critical; as the Psalmist says, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made”. Psalm 139:14.

The following words are those of Mrs Pfeffer.

Regards

Dr John Collier
Headmaster

Two years into our 1:1 Digital Learning Device Programme, we find ourselves entering a new phase—not one of implementation, but of transformation. The focus is no longer just on giving students access to devices, but on using those tools to deepen, challenge, and elevate the learning experience.

As we navigate this journey, we see significant opportunities and challenges presented by technology. We strive to maintain a thoughtful balance between screen-based and traditional modes of learning; teaching students the technical and thinking skills they need to navigate the changing world, while preserving foundational skills and competencies. We continue to explore how 1:1 devices can support dynamic and engaging classroom experiences, while also recognising the dual nature of technology—as a powerful learning tool, but also an easy path to bypassing the necessary struggle required for learning, or worse, distraction and disengagement.

Less than three years since the launch of ChatGPT, the nature of work and learning has already changed significantly, and students leaving school and university today are increasingly expected to be confident in their use of AI. Not preparing our students with this knowledge leaves them at risk of starting on an unequal playing field and ill-equipped to compete for the dwindling number of entry-level positions across so many industries.

There is a growing consensus that the most resilient and successful professionals will not be those who avoid AI, but those who know how to use it well. As Karl Treacher, Adjunct Associate Professor at Griffith Business School, noted during his virtual masterclass earlier this year, “The reason 70% of AI projects fail isn’t technical, it’s cultural. We’re trying to implement 21st century technology with 20th century mindsets.” Our role as educators is to ensure our students develop the critical skills and adaptive mindsets they’ll need to thrive in a world where AI is a fixture. This doesn’t mean sidelining foundational skills like writing, analysing, and evaluating—but rather, reinforcing them as essential to navigating and applying AI tools meaningfully and ethically.

Preserving foundational skills remains crucial—not only because they are essential in their own right, but also because they help students avoid the passive use of AI. AI has the potential to remove the very friction that often leads to deep thinking and meaningful learning. It is entirely possible for a student to delegate every stage of a task to AI: to ask for research, request a written response, generate edits, and even prompt feedback. However, research at all levels of education is highlighting the need for a shift in mindset from “AI wrote this” to “AI helped me write this.” In modern professional environments, the expectation has always been that individuals make the most of the tools at their disposal. AI has become one of those tools. Simply outsourcing the thinking does not lead to understanding.

We’ve been here before. When Google became ubiquitous, there were similar concerns about students bypassing thinking. But we adapted, teaching students to research critically, evaluate sources, and synthesise ideas. The same is now needed with AI. Rather than seeing it as a threat to academic integrity, we can help students build a healthy relationship with it—recognising both its power and its pitfalls.

An analogy may help: using AI is like walking into a restaurant with an overwhelming menu. Ordering everything isn’t just unnecessary—it would diminish the experience. Instead, we want students to approach the options with intention and purpose. What do they need? What do they already know? What skill are they trying to develop? This kind of deliberate thinking is what transforms AI from a shortcut into a genuine learning aid.

In this way, they become thoughtful users of AI—curious, ethical, and aware.

Assessment is one area where this shift is already visible. While early reactions to AI centred on plagiarism concerns, these are just one part of a much larger picture. Education isn’t just about what students know, but how they apply their knowledge in authentic ways.

Tertiary institutions are adapting quickly. The University of Sydney, for example, has introduced a “Two Lane” model for assessment. Tasks are now either “secured” (in-class, supervised, closed-book) or “unsecured” (research-based, take-home, or creative). In the latter, students are explicitly taught how to use AI tools to support their process—brainstorming, drafting, editing, and reflecting. The message is clear: AI fluency is not optional. It’s becoming central to how we learn and work.

As a School, we’re embracing this moment. Our aim is not just to prepare students with strong knowledge, but to equip them to apply it in a fast-changing world. Those who learn to work with AI—rather than around it—will be more adaptable, more creative, more efficient and more prepared. Those who don’t risk being left behind.

The future of learning isn’t about resisting change. It’s about shaping it—with purpose, with integrity, and with a clear focus on what matters most. This article was written with the assistance of AI.

Mrs Amanda Pfeffer
Head of Digital Learning