Will Van Reyk is an experienced teacher, historian and school leader with a particular interest in artificial intelligence in education. After developing the Leading with AI course at St Paul’s Girls’ School, he spent more than a year working with Angus Griffin and Aatish Thakerar to turn the internal programme into something that could be used by schools more widely.
The result is Pedagogue, a professional learning programme consisting of six modules and two pathways, designed to help whole staff bodies engage confidently and responsibly with AI. Will has now joined Pedagogue as Co-founder and Chief Academic Officer while continuing part-time as Director of Innovation at St Paul’s Girls’ School.
His move reflects a growing concern that schools need to play a much stronger role in deciding what good AI practice looks like. He believes teachers, leaders and support staff all need the confidence to understand and use AI, rather than leaving its direction to technology companies or a small number of enthusiasts.
In this interview, Will discusses his journey from studying history to teaching and school leadership, what schools currently misunderstand about AI, and why subject knowledge and teacher expertise remain so important. He also shares his hope that AI might ultimately make education more human by encouraging schools to place even greater value on curiosity, creativity and communication.
Question 1
What first inspired you to become a teacher?
I was one of those students who always loved my classes at school. After my undergraduate degree, I went on to do postgraduate research and then worked as a tutor at Oxford for a couple of years. I really enjoyed not only the process of research and writing, but also sharing ideas with others and, especially, helping students to develop their thinking. Full-time teaching was an obvious next step.
Question 2
How has your background as a historian shaped the way you think about education?
It has shaped every aspect! I’m not sure I properly appreciated it until later in life, but learning about the past opens up the present in all sorts of ways. I think it is actually my training as a historian that has led me to become so interested in AI, and I am a huge advocate for ensuring that all subjects engage with it.
“Learning about the past opens up the present in all sorts of ways.”
Question 3
What have you learned from your time working in leading schools?
The most inspiring leaders I have had the privilege of working alongside have had one thing in common: a clear and simple vision for education that they have lived, breathed and communicated well. As well as having a vision, I think leadership is about action, and the way you get things done is by being brave and bold too.
Question 4
You are making a significant move from school leadership into Pedagogue. Why did now feel like the right time?
AI is such an important issue for schools to get right. Three years on from the launch of ChatGPT, not enough has been done to support teachers and students with AI. I feel that, while I have been able to make a difference at school level, there is a pressing need to do something at a sector-wide level. If we don’t act now, big tech will define what education looks like for the next generation.
“If we don’t act now, big tech will define what education looks like for the next generation.”
Question 5
What particularly excited you about becoming Co-founder and Chief Academic Officer at Pedagogue?
I got to know my two co-founders over the course of the past year through my work at St Paul’s. We were totally aligned on the mission to put pedagogy first. For me, Pedagogue is a way to shape the approach to AI in schools across the sector and set a standard for best practice.
Question 6
For teachers who have not come across Pedagogue before, what problem are you hoping it can solve?
There has been so much technological change over the past few years. Not only can teachers not keep up, but nobody has defined what best practice looks like.
Question 7
AI is clearly a real passion for you. What first convinced you that it could have a major impact on education?
I can still remember being shown ChatGPT the Christmas it came out, and I immediately thought that this was an exciting technological change, incomparable to anything seen to date. Early on, I realised that, with very little prompting, it could write an A* essay. The implications of that are huge.
Question 8
What do you think schools currently misunderstand most about artificial intelligence?
It’s hard to make sweeping generalisations, as I think schools vary considerably in their AI adoption journeys. However, I don’t think many schools have fully got to grips with how it needs to be integrated into every single subject.
Question 9
Where do you think AI can make the biggest positive difference to teachers?
I don’t really buy the “AI will give you loads of free time to do the interesting stuff” line. I think it can, when used correctly, enhance our work and be a spur to doing things even better. I think access to vast amounts of information at a desktop, while daunting, is also not to be underestimated.
“AI can, when used correctly, enhance our work and be a spur to doing things even better.”
Question 10
Are there areas of teaching and learning where you think we should be much more cautious about using AI?
Lots! AI must not replace the core functions of a teacher, and it needs to be integrated in a subject-sensitive way. I don’t personally see much place for AI in marking. I also think it would be terrible to use AI as a major part of UCAS references and reports. All of these things damage the student–teacher relationship.
“AI must not replace the core functions of a teacher.”
Question 11
How can schools use AI to reduce workload without weakening teacher expertise?
I think this is where it is important for school teachers and leaders to exercise judgement over what is and isn’t appropriate to delegate to AI. One of the most important things going forward for all of us is recognising that AI is likely to be able to do a vast amount of our work. However, the organisations and individuals who thrive will make judgements about where AI genuinely brings efficiency gains and where human skills, aptitudes, and relationships are so key that automation would speed something up but to the detriment of the whole activity.
Question 12
What does good AI use by a pupil actually look like?
Students need to be guided by their subject teachers. They also need to be transparent. A good question for students to ask themselves is: “Is this my work, and do I understand it?” If the answer is no, then that is likely to be poor usage.
“Is this my work, and do I understand it?”
Question 13
How can teachers help students become more critical of the answers AI gives them?
Here, I would return to an earlier answer. Teachers need to talk about AI in lessons, teaching students about its opportunities and limitations.
Question 14
Do you think subject knowledge becomes more or less important as AI becomes more powerful?
That’s a tricky one to answer briefly. In essence, I think it remains very important, but how we teach and approach it needs to adapt.
Question 15
You will continue as part-time Director of Innovation at St Paul’s Girls’ School. How important is it for you to remain connected to day-to-day school life?
My whole approach to AI is rooted in the belief that people with practical experience in schools have not, to date, been able to shape the way AI in education is developing. In that respect, remaining connected to day-to-day school life is very important.
Question 16
What advice would you give to a teacher who is interested in AI but does not know where to start?
Experiment and have fun! My top tip is to have AI open on your screen for a whole week. Try every task you do that week with AI and see what you find it helpful for.
Question 17
If we spoke again in five years, what would you hope AI had genuinely improved about education?
You may not be expecting this, but I hope that AI makes education more rooted in what makes us truly human. While I am a huge fan of AI, it is only one dimension of education. My work on AI has convinced me that, as well as teaching about AI, schools must lean even further into promoting skills such as curiosity, creativity and communication.
“I hope that AI makes education more rooted in what makes us truly human.”
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