Charterhouse Partners with Researchers at Cambridge University to Launch New Accredited AI Literacy Course
6 January 2026
charterhouse news
Charterhouse is proud to announce a ground-breaking collaboration with AIME Education and researchers with the Faculty of Education at Cambridge University, placing our pupils at the forefront of the artificial intelligence revolution.
In an era where technology evolves faster than ever, we believe in preparing our pupils, not just to navigate the future, but to shape it. We are delighted to introduce a pioneering AI Literacy course in the Removes (Yr 10) and First Year Specialists (Yr 12), delivered as part of a national pilot programme that positions Charterhouse pupils among the very first in the UK to experience this level of forward-thinking curriculum.
A Prestigious Academic Partnership
This isn't just a new course; it is a unique academic alliance. By partnering with researchers from Cambridge University, one of the world’s leading academic institutions, Charterhouse is offering our pupils an unparalleled educational opportunity.
This collaboration ensures that our pupils are receiving instruction grounded in the latest pedagogical research and technological insights. Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be awarded a Certificate in AI from Cambridge’s Digital Education Futures Initiative (DEFI) - a valuable and prestigious recognition of their achievement that will stand out on any future academic portfolio.
Understanding the Intelligence of Tomorrow
The programme is designed to move beyond the buzzwords, giving our pupils a robust, foundational understanding of what Artificial Intelligence actually is and how it is reshaping our global landscape.
The comprehensive curriculum covers five critical modules:
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The Origins of AI: Tracing the history and evolution of machine intelligence.
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AI Fundamentals: How the technology actually works under the hood.
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AI in Practice: Real-world applications and current use-cases.
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AI Risks and Ethics: Navigating the moral complexities and safety challenges of powerful tech.
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AI and the Future of Work: Preparing for a career landscape transformed by automation.
We are thrilled to support our pupils as they engage with this cutting-edge material. By combining Charterhouse’s commitment to academic excellence with the research power of Cambridge University, we are ensuring our pupils are not merely spectators of the AI age, but informed, ethical, and capable leaders within it.
Vanessa North-Panting, head of digital innovation
Preparing for a Digital Future
This exciting new AI literacy course forms a part of The Charterhouse Intelligence Passport (ChIP) - our whole-school AI & innovation programme designed to help shape our pupils’ modern intellectual development - how they think, reason and lead in an AI-shaped world.
We do not provide an education in dependence on AI, focusing instead on independent thinking with AI.
Learning takes place in varied ways, to ensure coherence, progression and intellectual rigour:
- Across everyday classroom practice, as AI-aware thinking is modelled and reinforced in subject teaching
- Through dedicated programmes and lessons, where pupils engage explicitly with AI literacy, application, development and ethics
- Through co-curricular activities and leadership pathways, allowing pupils to apply learning in authentic contexts.
Leading the Way in Educational Research
Charterhouse is not just a participant in this course; we are an active partner in refining it. As a national pilot, this initiative includes a vital research element led by Cambridge University researchers. To this end, our participating pupils will contribute to the wider future of AI education, providing insights that help shape how Artificial Intelligence is taught to young people across the country in years to come.
