Surrey school launches 'pioneering' AI qualification
The course is the equivalent to a GCSE
Last updated 4 hours ago
A "pioneering" qualification has been launched by a Surrey school, aiming to prepare students for workplaces led by artificial intelligence.
Caterham School say their GCSE-equivalent "EDGE" course will bridge the divide between traditional subjects and what employers say is the "growing technology skills gap".
Pupils in Years 10 and 11 will also be taught how to use AI ethically and how to open real-life start-ups.
Students will have the chance to develop and launch their own social projects, guided by business mentors and industry experts.
The course promotes tech skills, to address the skills gap identified between academic studies and workplace needs.
Developed with Nottingham University Business School and Enactus UK, the course emphasises solutions that make a social impact.
Headmaster Ceri Jones says young people want to make a difference:
"This is not just about building businesses. It's about building businesses with social impact, that is a really important message behind this curriculum.
"It isn't about just building businesses for the sake of it, it's actually about building businesses that will improve the world."
He added that some students are already making money:
"We already have pupils in the school building their own businesses, using emerging technology. It seems the sensible thing not to dissuade that but to actually teach them how to do this themselves"
Recognised by UCAS, the first students will start in September 2026.
Caterham School hopes to share the EDGE curriculum with other schools across the UK to help bridge the skills gap faced by young people.