View from the Top: Henry Keighley-Elstub on the importance of critical thinking

The head of Devonshire House Prep School talks about the importance of teaching pupils to think critically. Here, he explains why it’s so vital for children to see past the limited vision of the world portrayed on social media and to take agency in their own lives.

'I am of the generation only moderately interested in social media. My phone apps are made up of one mainstream newspaper and many of my favourite podcasts shows, mainly on history, politics and culture. For me, the podcast is one of the greatest inventions of the 21st century; it allows for long conversations on complex topics and an insight into historical subject matter over multiple episodes I never would have thought of studying. If the podcast format is a salad, social media is the junk food.

We all have WhatsApp; most of my WhatsApp groups are on mute and they certainly don’t ping messages at me. I do have Instagram and that is my only real social media. However, I see both its addiction and the polarising nature of what it feeds me, so I have to restrict my use of it. Mostly, I follow schools, so that’s harmless enough. Luckily, we are old enough to understand the limited vision of the world we see through social media, but would our children understand this toxicity?

That is why I try to teach my own daughters a few key principles as they approach their teens, knowing that at some point or other, they will be exposed to social media content:

Principle 1: the world may seem scary, but it is the safest it has ever been since humans walked the earth and average life expectancy has doubled since pre-industrial times.

Principle 2: the world’s greatest challenges are all highly complex, which is why there are no easy solutions, eg. climate change, never-ending wars, so don't believe anyone who tells you there are simple solutions. If there were, they would have already been solved. All solutions involve trade-offs which are unpalatable to some.

Principle 3: focus on having agency in your own lives and those near to you before worrying about the lives of strangers. If you care about the environment, for example, pick up rubbish in your local woods.

Principle 4: enjoy having debates with people who disagree with you. It’s much more fun than having your own views mirrored by those you mix with. It may help you to re-evaluate your opinions and that’s a good thing. Stay friends; it’s ok to disagree.

Principle 5: on some topics, you may form very certain views but most of us don't have time to gather enough information to be certain about much. Be comfortable with uncertainty and see it as a demonstration of strength and of endless critical thinking.

Principle 6: be careful: narcissism often masquerades as self-declared virtue. Truly virtuous people keep rather quiet and aren't particularly bothered about demonstrating it to others.'


May 2026