In this blog, Jane Basnett, Director of Digital Learning at Downe House, shares how the school’s purposeful approach to innovation has earned national recognition. As Downe House is named a finalist in the 2025 Talk Education Awards for Innovation, Jane reflects on the journey so far — from fostering AI literacy and student-led digital initiatives to creating a culture where technology supports and strengthens learning.

We are proud to announce that Downe House has been named a finalist in the 2025 Talk Education Awards for Innovation. This national recognition highlights the bold steps we are taking to ensure our pupils are not only well prepared academically, but also future-ready in a fast-changing digital landscape. 

While we did not take home the award this year, being shortlisted is an achievement in itself. It places Downe House alongside some of the UK’s most forward-thinking schools and underlines our commitment to developing purposeful innovation that genuinely enhances teaching and learning. 

Innovation That Matters 

At Downe House, innovation is always grounded in purpose.  Pedagogy comes first, and innovation follows as a way to deepen, extend and enrich learning. This philosophy underpins our digital strategy, from every pupil having access to a Surface Pro device through to the extensive use of Microsoft 365 tools such as OneNote, Teams, Microsoft Whiteboard and Forms to promote collaboration, critical thinking and independence. 

Our E-Champions programme sits at the heart of this journey. This remarkable group of students, drawn from across all year groups, work together to lead, experiment and support the wider school community. They have recently embarked on creating a new Student Hub, a long-standing ambition among pupils that only gained momentum after they saw the staff homepage—a recent but highly effective addition to our digital toolkit—and recognised how powerful a similar platform could be in supporting their own learning. The Student Hub will provide a centralised space for resources, guidance and inspiration—created by students, for students—and will also include tutorials on key systems, helping every pupil to make the most of the digital tools available to them. 

The E-Champions have also run assemblies introducing younger pupils to ways of using AI as a revision tool and “critical friend”, and last year they hosted a mini residency in the Murray Centre for Safer Internet Day, making online safety both visible and engaging. Their collaborative spirit is one of the clearest examples of innovation in action at Downe House. 

Embracing Artificial Intelligence 

Downe House has taken significant steps in building an AI-literate community. The E-Champions were integral to the creation of our first AI guidelines, ensuring that student perspectives shaped how we approach this technology. Last year also saw the launch of a series of AI workshops for the Lower Sixth, which will continue this year, giving pupils the chance to reflect critically on opportunities and challenges. The programme culminated in a talk from current parents and a Downe House alumna, who shared how AI is influencing their professional and academic lives—one with a particular focus on ethics. Alongside this, a truly inspiring Medley Lecture on AI encouraged the whole community to see AI in a different light, sparking fresh ideas and conversations across year groups and staff teams alike. 

Staff, too, are embracing AI, using it to support lesson planning, streamline administration and enhance classroom practice. Ongoing training ensures colleagues feel confident and informed, and many are now beginning to design their own AI agents to assist pupils—providing subject-specific revision support, interactive Q&A tools, and even acting as extra online tutors to guide independent study. This dual emphasis—on student agency and staff confidence—makes our approach distinctive, creating a culture of curiosity and responsibility as these technologies evolve. 

Looking ahead, an AI Promptathon is on the agenda for this year, along with a dedicated AI Awareness Day for Year 9, continuing our whole-school journey in this area. 

Beyond AI: Augmented Reality 

Innovation at Downe House is not limited to AI. Last year, the History of Art Elective Module staged its first Augmented Reality exhibition, created entirely by students. By using AR to re-imagine traditional artworks, pupils invited the community to view and engage with art in fresh, interactive ways. This pioneering project demonstrated the powerful blend of tradition and innovation that defines a Downe House education. 

A Collaborative Culture 

Being named a finalist is also recognition of our collaborative culture. Teachers across departments are embedding digital tools into lessons, modelling the adaptability and creativity our pupils will need for their futures. Students, too, are taking the lead: from the E-Champions’ assemblies on AI and their work on our first AI guidelines, to the launch of a student-led coding club that brings together pupils interested in programming and problem-solving. The cross-curricular projects we have seen—from the AR exhibition in History of Art to digital leadership initiatives—show that innovation thrives when it is shared. 

Looking Forward 

We are immensely proud of this nomination. It confirms that our approach—to lead with curiosity, to build with purpose, and to always place our pupils at the centre—is the right one. Innovation at Downe House is not about chasing trends; it is about equipping young people to think critically, act ethically, and embrace change with confidence. 

Tiffany (Upper Sixth/ Year 13) also tell us what it means to be an E-Champion.

As an E-Champion, we are the voice of the student body at Downe House. Contributing opinions and constructive feedback regarding all things digital – from small issues like not knowing how to use OneNote, to larger decisions like changing technology rules. We have been involved in many projects, including teaching students how to identify phishing emails through a game, as well as starting a student hub where useful links, important dates, and tutorial videos are available for students in the school to access all in one place. 

In a growing digital world, I think that it is important for everyone to adapt and learn to use technology responsibly – this is where we, as E-Champions, come into play, helping to bridge the gap between old habits and the possibilities of new technologies such as AI, assisting everyone to feel more confident and capable in a digital world.