We are delighted to confirm that Tom Wade has been appointed as Director of Digital Innovation and Enterprise at Haileybury.

This is a new role at the School and will see Tom becoming a member of the Executive Leadership Team. Tom will be responsible for the strategic evolution of Haileybury’s digital landscape and will play a central role in the development of the School’s Programme of Leadership and Enterprise.

Tom has led Haileybury’s digital strategy to its current maturity, with his vision being to ensure that the School not only reacts to technological shifts but actively shapes the educational landscape.

Tom is a pioneer in integrating AI into core strategy, achieving the Gold AI Quality Mark from the Good Future Foundation, an accreditation held by only three schools worldwide. Haileybury has also achieved Google Reference school status and is now an Apple Distinguished school. He has positioned Haileybury as a founding member of the Pedtech Partnership and has spoken at conferences such as ISTE in Texas and BETT in London. Tom is committed to anchoring innovation in rigorous safeguarding while equipping pupils with critical skills in ethical discernment, innovation and enterprise.

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It was a fantastic day for our VEX Robotics teams on Friday, with pupils competing at two regional events.

Our Metals teams headed to Stowe School, while two Plastics teams travelled to Colchester to take on strong opposition.

The two teams at Stowe dominated much of the day, remaining unbeaten through numerous rounds. Both progressed to the elimination stages with the Middles boys, Demitrios, Poyraz, James, Jasper, Seb and Freddy, delivering an exceptional performance to reach the final, narrowly losing to the top-ranked side. Their consistent progress suggests that it is only a matter of time before they secure their first tournament win.

Meanwhile in Colchester, the teams showcased their newly upgraded designs. Despite a few early challenges, the Removes team, Xander, Cariana, Grace and Tori, delivered an outstanding performance, remaining unbeaten to win the regional competition and qualify for the National Championships in March. A brilliant achievement and hopefully the first of many teams to reach this prestigious stage.

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Haileybury proudly hosted its first VEX IQ Regional Competition last Friday, transforming Big School into a buzzing hub of innovation, teamwork and engineering excellence.

The event welcomed 23 teams from primary, prep and secondary schools across the region, along with two international teams who travelled from Turkey to join a full day of exciting challenges in teamwork, driving skills and autonomous coding.

After a day of intense competition, teams from Watford Grammar, Rokeby School and Habs Girls’ School took home the main awards and secured their places at the National Championships in February. Haileybury’s own teams also impressed, with two of the four finishing in the top ten and Team Lumina achieving an outstanding fourth place in the skills competition.

Building on the success of this inaugural event, Haileybury looks forward to hosting another VEX tournament in collaboration with TeaTime Robotics in SciTech on 14 December.

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This week, Tom Wade, Assistant Head Digital Strategy and Learning, had the honour of speaking at the House of Lords in the Attlee Room on the topic “How can education respond and lead in an AI-infused world?”

The event marked the launch of a new research piece by Goodnotes on AI and Education, and draws on the innovative digital learning work taking place here at Haileybury. During the talk, Tom shared his excitement at speaking in the historic Attlee Room and reflected on Haileybury’s own connection to Clement Attlee.

It was a privilege to represent Haileybury at such a significant international event. This contribution highlights the School’s forward-thinking approach to digital pedagogy and our ongoing commitment to preparing students for the future.

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We are delighted to announce that Haileybury has been recognised as an Apple Distinguished School for the period 2025–2028.

This prestigious, three-year designation is awarded to schools for inspiring, imagining, and impacting teaching and learning through continuous innovation, and we are proud to be part of this global community.

At Haileybury, Apple technology plays a central role in enhancing the learning experience. From sparking creativity in the classroom to supporting collaboration and imagination, iPads empower our pupils and teachers to explore new ways of thinking and learning. This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to equipping pupils with the tools and skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

As we look ahead, we are excited to continue building on this achievement, learning from other Apple Distinguished Schools worldwide, and sharing our own journey of educational innovation.

Alongside this announcement, we are pleased to share a special video showing how technology is used across the School to inspire and support pupils every day.

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Haileybury Power Surge made school history by competing in our first-ever Vex World Championships in Dallas, Texas.

Five talented Lower School 2 pupils travelled to the USA, proudly flying the Haileybury flag as they competed in the thrilling Spirit Division.

Over three action-packed days, our team showcased incredible determination, teamwork and technical skill, navigating the highs and lows of international competition to achieve a commendable mid-table finish. It was a proud moment as all five team members were present and had an unforgettable experience representing the UK at the vibrant opening ceremony. A special shoutout to Charlie (LS2), who had the amazing honour of carrying the UK flag – what a moment to remember!

The team also attended the closing ceremony and witnessed the exciting announcement of the 2025/26 game of Mix and Match.

Looking ahead, the future of robotics at Haileybury is brighter than ever. Next season, we will expand to four competitive teams, plus two new Middles teams preparing to take on Push Back and the V5 metals challenges. The Haileybury VEX programme is going from strength to strength!

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20 November 2024

Haileybury, one of the UK’s leading co-educational independent boarding and day schools, has launched a space programme – and is aiming to become the first school in Europe to launch a satellite. The space mission, led by pupils at Haileybury, has been set up in an exciting partnership with British multinational aerospace company, BAE Systems. 

The programme’s aim is to launch a mini satellite, known as CubeSat, into space. The pupils have chosen to install an optical camera inside, which will gather essential data from high above Earth on the impacts of global warming, including deforestation and wildfires. The intention is for this information to contribute to the worldwide efforts to protect the planet from climate change. 

Many schools have tried to launch a satellite into orbit since the 1990s, but none have succeeded to date. If Haileybury becomes the first to achieve this, its pupils will be placed at the forefront of space education in Europe. It will also create a model that schools around the world can use to provide similar opportunities for their pupils. 

There are more than 30 Haileybury pupils aged 12 to 18 involved in the project. It is not only enhancing their knowledge and application of subjects such as engineering and physics but more widely in project management. For example, pupils have established a management structure with committees focused on areas like finance, technical support, and communications to help ensure the programme’s success.

BAE Systems Digital Intelligence division has come on board to advise pupils. The organisation’s specialists will deliver insightful lectures at the School once a month and teach pupils about the technical aspects of the mission, from how to power their CubeSat using solar energy to providing guidance on satellite computing.

BAE Systems, through this work, hopes to inspire and cultivate the next generation of aerospace engineers and encourage more young people to enter a career in aerospace and associated fields.

So far, Haileybury pupils have created a 3D model, developed plans for the main build, and presented it to industry experts including representatives from the UK Space Agency. They are now working with BAE to bring their vision to life and secure a rocket to launch their CubeSat.

Eugene du Toit, Master of Haileybury, said:

“At Haileybury, we are committed to providing our pupils with extraordinary opportunities such as this space mission. This project is an example of how our pupils work with our dedicated team of staff to achieve remarkable outcomes. Whenever possible, we want our pupils to enrich their learning through research that has real-world impact and connects them with experts in the field. We want our pupils’ learning to inspire them and support them in developing skills which will see them thriving in their future careers.

We look forward to seeing the CubeSat programme developing as we work with BAE Systems and the UK Space Agency during the year ahead.”

Pupils, partners and VIPs gathered at the 20 November CubeSat launch event.

Markos Trichas, Head of Secure Space at BAE Systems, said:

 “The space sector is on a steep upwards trajectory. But in order for the UK to remain at the forefront of space innovation, we must start engaging with the generations that will shape the future of our industry as early as possible to build a pipeline of future talent. We’re proud to be supporting the next generation of space experts at Haileybury College helping to develop the right skills and encouraging them to shoot for the stars.”

The commitment to groundbreaking research is embedded in Haileybury’s ethos. Alongside the CubeSat mission, the School has built a new Research Centre which is home to other international and pioneering research that pupils are a part of, including the prestigious Stan-X project. This partnership with scientists from Stanford University in the US involves a revolutionary study of genetics using fruit flies, contributing to efforts to find cures for diseases such as diabetes and pancreatic cancer. 

For more information on Haileybury and the CubeSat mission, please visit: www.haileybury.com/scitech-latest-news/ 

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The lecture focused on Professor Kim’s work with Drosophila Melanogaster, commonly known as the fruit fly. This humble insect has been the subject of over 100,000 academic papers and has contributed to five Nobel Prizes. Professor Kim explained how his laboratory is utilising fruit flies to make remarkable advances in Type I diabetes research.

His research is also at the core of the Stan-X Programme at Haileybury, which sees a select group of Sixth Form pupils contribute to Professor Kim’s world class scientific inquiry. Evidence collected in Haileybury’s dedicated Stan-X laboratory contributes to the investigation of diseases being completed by a global community of researchers. Research findings co-authored by pupils and teachers are published in peer-reviewed science journals and presented at international meetings, as has been the case in past programmes.

At last evening’s lecture, our pupils were particularly inspired by Professor Kim’s account of his own academic journey, which provided a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs of a career in scientific research. The intimate setting of our STEM Twilight Series within Haileybury’s new SciTech Building allowed for extensive Q&A, giving pupils the chance to engage directly with a world-class researcher.

The event exemplified the enriching learning opportunities our partnerships provide. Pupils relished the chance to network with a Stanford professor, gaining valuable insights into the world of cutting-edge STEM research. We look forward to welcoming more prominent academics and industry professionals in future lectures, continuing to inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators.

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Briony Marshall, an Oxford biochemistry graduate and Royal Society of Sculptors member, is known for artworks investigating scientific ideas and processes. Her public art makes complex concepts accessible to non-scientists while celebrating understanding for subject experts.

During her residency at Haileybury, she will be embedded in our science and technology department two days a week. With her workspace overlooking the new SciTech courtyard, pupils and staff will be encouraged to witness her creative process as she develops artworks for the state-of-the-art facilities. Marshall is already engaging Haileyburians in developing public art proposals, providing unique hands-on learning opportunities. Marshall’s artistic vision will be inspired by pioneering Haileybury research, including the Stan-X genetics research and cutting-edge curriculum.

“I’m thrilled as the Haileybury STEM artist in residence,” said Marshall. “The breadth of scientific research going on at this secondary school is both impressive and challenging. The prospect of working in this wonderful new building, being fully embedded in both the culture of the school and the aesthetics of the spaces, will enable me to develop works that really complement the activities and ambitions of science and technology at Haileybury.”

Marshall aims to complete her artworks by the Autumn term and we look forward to celebrating the unveiling and installation with our community next academic year.

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The launch events for Haileybury’s SciTech Centre were not only marked by ceremonial proceedings but also by engaging activities that brought special guests and supporters closer to its purpose. Pupils took the lead in conducting experiments and guiding tours, showcasing the facility’s capabilities and fostering a hands-on learning experience for all attendees. Additionally, cocktail-style events provided a relaxed atmosphere for networking and celebration, allowing donors, Governors and guests to mingle and share in the excitement of the occasion. The personalised touch of seeing supporters’ names represented on signage throughout the building added a sense of pride and recognition, acknowledging their contributions to the project.

Our SciTech building represents a major advancement in science and technology education, featuring cutting-edge laboratories for natural sciences, computer science, robotics, VR, AI and design technology. The modern facility aims to enhance pupil learning by providing access to the latest technology and fostering a culture of scientific exploration. The building also hosts world class provision through our Stan-X programme, focusing on genetics research using fruit flies to combat diseases like diabetes and pancreatic cancer. Moreover, the construction of these innovative spaces prioritises sustainability, with features such as solar panels, green roofs, and eco-friendly materials like cross-laminated timber.

The launch of Haileybury’s SciTech Centre heralds a new era of innovation for current and future Haileyburians. We express our sincere gratitude to all donors, special guests, and contributors who made this vision a reality. Whose support will help foster curiosity and drive discovery at Haileybury.

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In a recent interview, Tom Wade, Assistant Head (Digital Strategy and Learning) shared Haileybury’s approach to AI and what led to our School’s decision to promote the guided use of emerging tools in academic investigation. In his conversation with Deputy Master, Simon Heard, he uncovers that while other schools were restricting use, Haileybury struck a dedicated Digital Strategy Committee to determine how best to integrate AI in the classroom, engage parents and train staff.

“AI features extensively throughout the Computer Science curriculum. We offer a pioneering and highly innovative Advanced AI Removes pathway, examining the sophisticated use of AI in such areas as machine learning, natural language processing, automatic image generation and large language models…GCSE, A level and IB students also use AI tools as part of their course specifications, and the aim at Haileybury is to teach students how to embrace and navigate through this innovative technology, in an ethical and safe manner.”

Mr Stephen Trask, Head of Computer Science & Director of Data and Business Process

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Named one of ten recipients by The National Trust and Blue Diamond Garden Centres, our School proudly accepted a young tree spawned from that which led to one of the world’s most significant scientific discoveries. The ten saplings were propagated from the 400-year-old Flower of Kent apple tree that remains a protected feature of Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire, the birthplace and family dwelling of the English polymath.

Simon Heard Deputy Master arranged the gift made possible thanks to the generosity of a number of parents. “We have just finished building a brand-new Science, Technology and Research Centre, where we hope pupils will learn about modern research as well as the great scientific discoveries, deductions, theories and advancements, which have taken place over the years, not least the theory of gravity,” he shared.

Although the SciTech Building is due to open in early November 2023, the precious sapling will remain under the care of Haileybury’s arborists until it can be planted in a dedication ceremony this upcoming spring. It will become a focal point and inspiration for generations of pupils to come.

Our donation to The National Trust and Blue Diamond Garden Centres goes towards supporting conservation efforts by both organisations. These initiatives align with Haileybury’s ongoing commitment to sustainability.

Listen to Deputy Master, Simon Heard’s BBC Three Counties Radio interview with Roberto Perrone (Haileybury interview from 1:15:35)

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