HEADLINES 17th April 2026
By James
Saunders
THANK YOU AI
Earlier this year I had the privilege of meeting Sir Clive Woodward. He was the coach of the Rugby World Cup winning side of 2003. That was the team with Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio and Jonny Wilkinson. Sir Clive later became the Director of Elite Performance for the British Olympic Association and then went on to be a crucial part of the successful 2012 Olympics. But I don’t want to talk about sports today. I want to talk about my teaching passion - computers.
You see Sir Clive talked to me about the time that he gained some notoriety by giving all the players laptops. You can just picture the front page now as the paparazzi lined up to snap pictures of hulks such as Johnson walking into training with a little laptop under their arm.
This strategy was an essential part of the world winning squad. Sir Clive said that during his business career he learned the phrase “whoever wins at IT tends to win”. As someone with a winning mentality this resonated with him. Every game was recorded and analysed - every player was trained how to use the software - every debrief involved the players presenting on their laptop using the analysis software.
And it worked.
I have always been a fan of computers because they help you to solve problems; they help you to be more efficient - more productive. They help you to win. The world as we know it is computerised and whether we like it or not we are living through a transformational digital age. There used to be a time where people would “not do computers or IT”. It has been the same in teaching - even now in a school that has technology at its heart there will be those of us that “don’t do computers”.
However, with the rapid development of AI I feel that time is behind us. I read an article the other day that
spoke about AI knowledge and understanding being the key to getting any job. Why would you not favour an employee who can do the work of 10. We are often scared into thinking AI will replace our jobs. It won’t - it will simply mean we can be more efficient and more productive.
When I first arrived at Honywood 8 years ago to the day (yesterday) my vision was very much drawn from my time at Google. 10x Thinking, I called it. Or Moonshot thinking. Essentially it’s about thinking big and aiming high. It is very much an anything is possible mindset - basically the mindset of children who have not yet been jaded by societal conformity. However, a mindset is one thing but in a landscape of ever decreasing funding (in the last eight years I have had to make cuts yearly) how does one find the resources to match such ambitions.
Well for the first time I feel that as individuals and collectives we are able to 10x our lives. For the first time I am able to believe that anything that is possible is achievable and all you need is a computer and an internet connection. AI has the potential to be the great leveller of society. The OpenAI CEO recently claimed that the next generation of tech billionaires will be one-person companies that are powered by AI. However, those that get left behind by the new digital divide will be at a greater disadvantage than ever compared to those 10x’ing everything.
AI is no longer something you can chat to intelligently or that can do all those cool things that you may have been doing with documents and research using the likes of Chat GPT or Gemini. AI can now be your personal assistant - it can help you to do your job and create your own productivity tools. AI can turn us all into Computer Scientists and render a Computer Science degree irrelevant. I can work for you while you sleep.
The programming language of the future will simply be - English.
Why am I choosing to extol the virtues of AI this week? Well. I have been speaking with quite a few learners recently to gauge an understanding of their use of AI and how aware they are and, other than a few admitting they used it to complete homework, there was little understanding of the real power it can wield. Those conversations have been echoed with staff too. So this is my call to arms, my hard sell on the power of embracing and winning at IT to become a winner. AI is going to feature as part of our development next year in some shape - it is too useful for us to ignore.
So if you are at a loose end this weekend. Think 10x. Think moonshot. And see if you can AI your way to it. If anything you will experience a huge dopamine hit of satisfaction when you create your first app overnight that solves one of your problems - anything is truly possible now. I am looking forward to sharing the Honywood AI journey with you all.
Have a warm weekend.
James Saunders
GCSE Exams
Top tips to survive the exam season
Getting ready for exams can bring out many emotions, ranging from excitement to apprehension, and elation to exhaustion. However you feel, these top tips will help you to approach the exams in a positive manner.
1. Manage your time
Don’t leave it until the last minute. It’s widely accepted that this is not the best way to approach an exam. To help sort out your time management, set up a timetable for your study. Write down how many exams you have and the days on which you have to sit them. Then organise your study accordingly. You may want to give some exams more study time than others, so find a balance that you feel comfortable with.
2. Organise your study space
Make sure you have enough space to spread your textbooks and notes out. Have you got enough light? Is your chair comfortable? Are your computer games out of sight? Try and get rid of all distractions, and make sure you feel as comfortable and able to focus as much as possible. For some learners, this may mean almost complete silence, for others, background music helps. Some of us need everything completely tidy and organised in order to concentrate, while others thrive in a more cluttered environment. Think about what works for you, and take the time to get it right.
3. Use flow charts and diagrams
Visual aids can be really helpful when revising. At the start of a topic, challenge yourself to write down everything you already know about a topic - and then highlight where the gaps lie. Closer to the exam, condense your revision notes into onepage diagrams. Getting your ideas down in this brief format can then help you to quickly recall everything you need to know during the exam. Flash cards are useful for learning the relationship between two pieces of information - write a question or key term on the front and then the answer or definition on the back.
4. Practice past papers
One of the most effective ways to prepare for exams is to practice taking past papers. This helps you get used to the format of the questions, and - if you time yourself - can also be good practice for making sure you spend the right amount of time on each section.
5. Organise study groups with friends
Get together with friends for a study session. You may have questions that they have the answers to and vice versa. As long as you make sure you stay focused on the topic for an agreed amount of time, this can be one of the most effective ways to challenge yourself. Explain an answer to a question to them. That will help you to get it clear in your head, and also to highlight any areas where you need more work.
6. Take regular breaks
Studies have shown that for longterm retention of knowledge, taking regular breaks really helps. Everyone’s different, so develop a study routine that works for you. If you study better in the morning, start early before taking a break at lunchtime. Or, if you’re more productive later in the day, take a larger break earlier on so you’re ready to settle down come evening.
Remember that being well hydrated is essential for your brain to work at its best. Make sure you keep drinking plenty of water throughout your revision, and also on the exam day.
7. Get plenty of sleep
Getting enough sleep is vital to feeling and performing your best. A good night of sleep will help you feel more energetic, alert, focused and upbeat.
13th April - 27th April
Dates for the Diary
C10 Mock Exams continue
Mon 4th May Bank Holiday
7th May to 19th June
C11 GCSE Exams commencew
Wed 13th May Hyde Hall visit - School Council
Wed 20th May
C9 Computer Science to Science Museum
Thurs 21st May Belgium pre-trip parent meeting - 6pm
Fri 22nd May
25th May - 29th May
C11 last day celebrations - study leave commences
Half term holidays