Matt Horvat, Head of the American School in London, on navigating the differences between a British and US education
“We can build bigger walls, but students will just build taller ladders.”
When Matt Horvat took the helm at the American School in London in 2023, he brought with him two decades of leadership experience from some of the most revered schools in the US, from The Overlake School near Seattle to the University of Chicago Lab School and NYC's Collegiate and Browning Schools. Armed too with degrees from both Upenn and Boston University, he now heads up one of London's most international school communities: an institution anchored in American ideals, but alive with a global perspective.
In this H&T episode, Matt reflects on what it means to lead an American school abroad, from cultural nuances to pushing a pedagogy built on curiosity, collaboration and critical thinking. He talks about the balancing act between academic rigour and human connection, and the role that character education can play in preparing young people for an AI-obsessed future. He also covers ASL's decision to go "phone-free from 8 to 3", as well as why schools should be judged by the kind of people they help shape, not just their exam results.