• 108 students across nine schools in the UAE participated in the Apple Distinguished School’s annual Creativity Festival
• Students used generative AI tools to design game ideas based on solving global environmental challenges

Repton Al Barsha, part of Excella, a leading operator of high-performing K-12 schools, hosted the largest iteration of its annual Creativity Festival on Wednesday, 31 May 2023. 108 students from Years 3 to Year 6 across nine participating schools in the UAE demonstrated innovative gaming ideas, showcasing how technology is changing the world.

In its fourth edition, the annual Creativity Festival was a resounding success as schools across the UAE celebrated students’ creative flare and passion for innovation. Participating schools included Repton Al Barsha, Horizon English School, Hartland International School Dubai, Kings School Al Barsha, Safa British School, Dubai English Speaking College, Bloom World Academy, Repton Dubai, and Repton Abu Dhabi.

Under the theme AI Game Pitch Challenge, students were tasked with creating engaging and creative pitches for unique game ideas using generative AI tools such as Picsart, Songen, Revoice, Keynote, Pages and Clips. Students honed their skills, including creativity, problem solving, teamwork and communication, while learning about the exciting and endless possibilities of generative AI tools.

Gillian Hammond, Principal of Repton Al Barsha said, “As a proud Apple Distinguished School, we aim to provide excellent educational journeys that offer personalised and experiential learning outcomes for each student, and we are committed to encouraging student curiosity in a safe, supportive and nurturing environment. Our innovators of the future creatively showcased their ground-breaking ideas on how technology and innovation is changing the world in which we live.”

Repton Al Barsha teachers also hosted multiple workshops throughout the day where students explored various aspects of the design process, including pitching narrative, art, drama and music. In the AI workshop, students explored how to use AI tools to develop game ideas as well as experiment with new tools and technologies that are rapidly integrating into everyday life.

Students participated in groups of four and recorded their innovative pitches showcasing their creations. These were then submitted digitally for judges in the industry to review and score.

Winners Category List:

• Overall Best Winning Pitch: Repton Al Barsha
• Best music: Hartland International School
• Best drama: Repton School Dubai
• Best art: Kings School Al Barsha

Judges on the day included serial entrepreneur and founder of the world’s fastest growing Edtech application – School Hack.AI, Mr Muhammad Khalid. Dr Jihan Zahran also joined the judging panel; as an educational specialist for Middle East Data Systems UAE, she brings over 20 years of experience as an educational and innovation expert in the field of technology. Anand Ramachandran, Co-Founder of Bigfatphoenix Interactive also engaged in the festival as part of the judging panel, celebrating the students’ creative pitches and shared his expertise on game development concepts.

As an Apple Distinguished School, Repton Al Barsha is committed to engaging with the community of learners across the country and offers nurturing and holistic educational pathways. The Repton Family of Schools in the UAE provides students with a supportive environment to develop confident and resilient students who are well equipped for life after Repton.

For more information on Repton Al Barsha, please visit: https://www.reptonalbarsha.org/