It is true to say that not everything of value can be weighed, calibrated or measured. Since time immemorial, a core purpose of schools has been to transmit knowledge to pupils, with children then assessed on how well they have retained and applied such knowledge. It is easy to conclude that a child who displays a good memory is intelligent but the development of the internet and in particular AI has changed our relationship with knowledge, which is impacting on jobs involving writing, research and communication. It is said that the number one job at risk over the next five years is that of a translator and interpreter. Graphic designers, at an entry level at least, aren’t too far behind. Tasks that follow a predictable pattern are the easiest to automate. At the same time there are many roles that AI will not be able to replace, especially those that require creativity, emotional intelligence and complex decision-making.

Leadership positions will also continue to be dominated by human beings. This is because leadership demands strategic thinking, a willingness to innovate and team building, as well as a moral purpose. Pupils at St Anthony’s are given plenty of opportunity to develop their leadership skills. From the earliest age, children are encouraged to express themselves, to posit and defend ideas and to work alongside their peers on various projects. Music and drama emphasise the importance of discipline – learning lines, practising scales – so that something of meaning and beauty can be produced and enjoyed by all. Education, in its broadest sense, ought to be transformative, which is especially apposite given Pentecost is almost upon us. Wider still and wider, Shall thy bounds be set, the words of AC Benson, Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, is relevant today less for its links with imperial Britain but more about a mindset that is open to growth, challenge and purpose. This speaks to the power of the human spirit, the animus which is within each of us and from which flows love, integrity and compassion. Of such things are great men made.