Rob Bashforth
head of Computer Science, Salendine Nook High School Academy

Rob Bashforth is a consultant for transformative technology in education, and is a champion of free speech. He worked in the UK music and recording industries for 20 years, before going on to become a teacher, assistant headteacher and head of department for information and communications technology (ICT) and computer science.

Rob spent many years campaigning for the teaching of computer science in schools, during which time education in ICT was dominated by the teaching of shallow skills based around Microsoft Office products. He argued that computer programmers and software engineers will be needed in future, to build robots in factories and also to develop algorithms, software and other tools so that young people can be creators (rather than consumers) of ICT and multimedia.

Rob has a keen interest in unfolding developments in AI and robotics. He has hosted many debates about related concepts, and has run hands-on workshops with students of all age groups across teaching networks and adult-learning communities. He is also a team leader for the National Citizen Service, which offers young people outdoor challenges and team-building activities to build their resilience and confidence.

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