Teaching AI with Integrity: Epsom’s Transformative Approach

This August, we are launching a new AI Literacy initiative across the Prep and Senior School. It marks one of the most ambitious and forward-thinking steps in our curriculum, equipping students with the critical, human-centred thinking skills they need to use artificial intelligence responsibly and effectively.

In developing this initiative, we have drawn inspiration from leading global frameworks, including UNESCO’s human-centred approach to AI and the OECD’s vision for transformative competencies. While these provide a valuable foundation, our team at Epsom has gone further by developing an original, school-wide framework that brings these ideas to life in the classroom.

At the heart of this framework are five core domains: computational thinking, design thinking, systems thinking, responsible innovation, and metacognition.

Within these domains, students learn to break down problems, recognise patterns, and use logic to design solutions (Computational Thinking). They practise empathy and creativity by designing and testing ideas that meet real needs (Design Thinking). They begin to see how systems connect, understanding cause and effect and how small changes can lead to big outcomes (Systems Thinking). They explore fairness, bias, and the social impact of technology (Responsible Innovation). And throughout, they are encouraged to reflect, set goals, and improve how they think and learn (Metacognition). These areas help students become thoughtful, capable learners, ready to engage with the role of AI in their lives and the world around them.

To ensure these skills are meaningfully developed, our AI Literacy programme follows a carefully structured model. Students engage with core concepts through three complementary pathways: integration into subject lessons, dedicated sessions focused on specific skills, and immersive learning experiences beyond the classroom. Through consistent exposure to these ideas, students deepen their understanding and learn to apply their thinking across a range of subjects and settings.

Each of these experiences is part of a carefully sequenced progression that grows with the student. For example, while younger students may explore fairness through simple rule-based games, older students will examine bias in real-world datasets or news algorithms. Prompt engineering begins with guided templates and progresses to student-led refinement and critical evaluation. Skills in reflection and ethical reasoning are developed year by year, supported by clear competencies in each of the five domains. Teachers track student development through observation, self-assessment, and digital portfolios, allowing learning to be personalised and responsive.

At Epsom, we believe that education should prepare students not just for exams, but for the world they will help shape. This initiative is about more than technology. It is about nurturing curiosity, responsibility, and ambition in every learner. As the programme unfolds, we look forward to sharing how our students grow as confident, ethical thinkers who can lead with kindness and integrity in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

Throughout the term, we will share updates on this work, including student projects and opportunities for parents to experience the curriculum in action.