Building the future, grounded in the past

While Sherborne Schools have thrived in our honey-coloured buildings for 1,300 years, we have always felt slightly ahead of the curve, happily steering away from any short-term, educational fads. We have educated tens of thousands of forward-thinking pupils, from actors, generals and musicians, to scientists, business leaders and global figures, male and female.

But we are especially proud this year to be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the arrival at Sherborne of Alan Turing, who, thanks to his pioneering work in computing, did as much as anyone to influence the world in which we live. To honour him and to further Sherborne Schools Group’s reputation as a first mover in education, we are launching an initiative in Turing’s name to nurture the next generation of technologists. Rather than be scared of artificial intelligence, or AI, we aim to embrace its potential for improving lives. We want to provide an education in AI not just to every pupil in Sherborne Schools but also for residents of the town, local businesses and people well beyond Dorset, teaching its power, limitations and pitfalls.

We are building an AI-powered ‘Turing tutor’ to help us all to learn better and faster, tailoring our education to our idiosyncratic knowledge and set of skills. It will provide a step change in how we learn and how well we learn, helping to keep us engaged and develop our learning at the pace which is ideal for us. No AI engine, though, will ever replicate the human side of education, nor do away with the importance of a good teacher. The ‘Turing tutor’ will work alongside our schools’ focus on Character Education, with its wraparound pastoral care and impressive co-curricular education.

Not many schools can claim to have a former cathedral as their chapel. Our ancient buildings will always be special, but they will never be allowed to become fusty. We are creating new spaces and refashioning old ones: think robotics labs, media suites and breakout pods. We are also creating innovation spaces where pupils can nurture ideas, be free to imagine the future and learn from the experience of others. We want pupils to pitch ideas for businesses, with seed capital available to help them realise and grow their enterprises. All pupils will be taught a grounding in entrepreneurship, finance and commerce, and those that are up for the challenge can leave Sherborne having gained invaluable experience setting up their own real-life business.

In collaboration with the town’s Alan Turing Focus Group, we are launching an annual tech conference this September, and there are also plans for an immersive visitor attraction, a full-time university presence and a business incubator in the centre of the town. A century after Alan Turing first sat in a maths class at Sherborne, his legacy will continue to influence and enrich all those who study here or even just visit us for the day.