Protecting Student Wellbeing in Tech

The Quiet Pressure of an ‘Always On’ Generation 

OIC recognises that today’s students belong to the digital age as the most connected, most capable and cognitively stretched generation in history. One of our attributes is to be pioneering and through technology thus we embrace all AI through devices that serve a purpose for learning including mobile phones, laptops and desktops. Our flexible approach means all these devices can be connected to the school licenced Microsoft Co Pilot whilst students are also free to utilise AI of their choosing e.g Claude. With a few taps, they can analyse complex data, draft essays, learn new concepts, and collaborate in global digital spaces. Yet alongside this extraordinary opportunity sits a quieter, more subtle pressure: a sense that they should “always be on” be learning, producing, improving which requires tenacity but also an essential balance to academic studies and recreational time such as using the Oxford University sports facilities a stone’s throw from our London Place campus. 

For international families, especially those supporting highachieving young people far from home, this tension is felt deeply. Parents want their children to benefit from innovation without losing confidence, curiosity or joy. Schools share that responsibility: technology must follow values, not the other way around. 

At Oxford International College, our starting point is simple: wellbeing is the foundation of excellence, and even in the most technologically advanced environments, human centred learning and connection is what enables students to thrive. Another attribute is to be tenacious and part of that is looking after one another and when online. 

What AI Changes in the Student Experience 

AI doesn’t just change how students learn—it changes how school feels. 

1. Pace and Expectations 

AI accelerates the speed of learning. That can be empowering, but it can also create an unrealistic sense of what “good” looks like. When answers come instantly, students may assume excellence should be immediate too. 

2. Comparison and Perfectionism 

Many students describe a new kind of pressure: “If technology can produce perfect work in seconds, why can’t I?” This can lead to imposter syndrome, hesitation to take risks, or fear of falling behind. 

3. Cognitive Load 

AI tools offer help, but they also multiply decisions: Which tool? For what purpose? How much is too much? The constant navigation can quietly drain mental energy and affect mental health. 
Yet the picture is not bleak. Used wisely, AI can lighten emotional and academic load by clarifying next steps, personalising explanations, and giving reassurance when students feel uncertain. The challenge is ensuring that AI remains a scaffold, not something to be relied upon. 

Wellbeing as the Foundation of Achievement 

Behind every top performer lies a predictable pattern: good sleep, strong routines, psychological safety, and meaningful support. These fundamentals matter even in a techenhanced school. 

The Progression Loop 

At our College, we emphasise a “progression loop” built on clarity, confidence, and manageable challenge. This is achieved through regular testing in SCITS at Quarter, Mid and End of terms providing rich progression data on each of our students. AI tools can provide instant feedback, but it is human mentors who help students interpret it, frame it positively, and set realistic goals. We are currently piloting, in Computer Science and Geography, how we integrate AI in the process of assessing SCITS to make it more time efficient so teachers can focus on the process of giving qualitative feedback to provide depth of meaning to the feedback that exam papers typically produce. 

Guidance for Teachers/Tutors/Parents/Guardians: Talking About AI at School/Home 

Instead of asking: 

• “How much did you produce today?” 
  
  Consider: 
• “What did you learn? What felt meaningful? What was challenging?” 

Shift the focus from output quantity to learning quality. This protects selfesteem and teaches students that AI is a learning partner and not a measure of worth. 

The Pastoral Advantage: Emotional Intelligence for an AI World 

If AI is accelerating technical skills, it is emotional intelligence that will set students apart with Nord Anglia research placing a lot of emphasis on the human touch that we can use to compliment AI as a tool not just in education but the workplace. The future currency is communication, empathy, resilience, curiosity and leadership will all be the irreplaceable human advantages in an AI powered world. A student who can self-regulate, reflect, collaborate and navigate ambiguity will always use technology wisely. 

How Schools Build Emotional Intelligence (EI) 

• Coaching conversations that help students articulate emotions and motivations 
  Reflective practice embedded into academic programmes 
• Leadership and teamwork roles that cultivate responsibility
• Conflict resolution training that strengthens empathy and maturity 

Developing emotional intelligence is not just character building, it is protective. Students grounded in self-knowledge and relationship skills are far less likely to misuse AI or feel overwhelmed by it. Another development in Nord Anglia which OIC is proud to be a part of metacognition which is crucial in reflecting on the process of learning and the acknowledgement of AI within this is indeed crucial. 

Healthy Technology/AI Habits: Boundaries, Balance and Belonging 

A healthy academic life in a techadvanced school depends on three commitments: 

1. Purpose Before Tool 

Students should start with: “What am I trying to learn?” and only then: “How might AI support that?” 

2. Clear Time Boundaries 

We encourage digital sunsets, scheduled offline hours, and intentional rest in boarding with OIC recognised by BSA for being sleep champions and the importance of winding down before sleep disconnecting form the blue light a device emits before settling down to a good night’s sleep. Productivity without recovery leads to burnout and AI does not change that. 

3. Community and Belonging 

Nothing protects wellbeing like belonging. When students feel known by teachers, tutors, house parents, boarding mentors and each other they are less likely to withdraw into technology or internalise stress alone. Pastoral care remains the early-warning system for emerging issues. 

Three questions every student should ask before using AI: 

1. What am I trying to learn not just complete? 
2. Which part of this should I do myself? 
3. How will I check and reflect on the output? 

These questions keep learning human led and AI will remain as a tool for meaning not a crutch to be relied upon. 

The Future Is Human Led 

AI can raise academic standards, but only humans raise children, the age-old expression ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ is no more appropriate than here at OIC with a plethora of caring adults around to support each child on their journey towards university and beyond. 

As schools adopt increasingly advanced technologies, it becomes even more essential to keep wellbeing, identity and emotional growth at the centre. At Oxford International College, our vision is ambitious yet simple: pioneering innovation with values such as compassion, exceptional achievement with balance, and tenacity only achieved by caring for each and everyone in the OIC community. 

We look forward to continuing this conversation at OIC and within the family of Nord Anglia Schools, continuously championing a future where young people are not just high achievers, but healthy, grounded and ready for the world they will lead.