About

The person behind AskColin.

AI support for schools works best when it comes from someone who understands schools — not just technology. Here's a bit about me and why I built this.

C

Colin

Founder, AskColin

AI Training Primary Schools West London Berkshire Microsoft 365 Google Workspace
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I started AskColin because I kept seeing the same thing: schools surrounded by technology they weren't confident using, with staff spending evenings on tasks that didn't need to take that long. There had to be a better way.

Why AI training for schools?

The honest answer is that I've always been interested in the gap between what technology promises and what it actually delivers to real people in real workplaces. Schools are one of the most human environments there is — and yet they're under enormous pressure to do more with less, year after year.

When AI tools started genuinely becoming useful — not sci-fi, not hype, but practically useful for writing, drafting, and organising — I realised that primary schools were going to be left behind. Not because headteachers and SBMs aren't smart enough to use them, but because nobody was coming to help schools use them in a way that was safe, practical, and actually stuck.

That's the gap AskColin fills. Not selling software. Not running one-off training days that nobody remembers. Consistent, hands-on support that reduces teacher workload week by week — the kind of help a knowledgeable friend would give, if that friend happened to know a lot about AI and primary schools.

AI should make teachers' lives easier — not add another thing to learn, manage, or worry about. If it's not saving time, it's not working.

How I work with schools

Every school I work with starts the same way — a free, no-obligation site visit where I come to you, spend time understanding your specific picture, and work out where AI could genuinely help. I don't arrive with a predetermined solution. I arrive with questions.

From there, the support is built around what your school actually needs. That might be helping your admin team save hours on weekly communications. It might be giving your teaching staff a toolkit for planning and feedback. It might be supporting you as a headteacher to produce strategic documents faster. Usually it's all three, in different proportions.

What I always bring is consistency. Not a one-off workshop that fades by half term, but regular sessions, a growing shared toolkit, and genuine mentorship as your school builds confidence over time. That's what makes the time savings real and lasting.

What I believe about this

  • 01Safe use isn't optional. No pupil data, human review always, clear boundaries for staff. This is built into everything I do — not added as an afterthought.
  • 02Tools don't solve problems — people do. The best AI toolkit in the world doesn't help if staff aren't confident using it. Confidence comes from training, mentorship, and time.
  • 03Every school is different. I build your toolkit around your school's voice, your systems, and your specific workload picture — not a generic template.
  • 04Consistency matters more than intensity. Regular support over a term beats an intensive two-day course that nobody applies. Real change is gradual.
  • 05Honest about what AI can and can't do. I won't oversell. If something isn't going to save your school meaningful time, I'll tell you that upfront.

Where I work

I'm based in West London and currently work with primary schools across Hounslow, Richmond upon Thames, West London, and Berkshire. In-person sessions are available across all these areas. Online support is available nationally.

If you're not sure whether I cover your area, just get in touch — I'm always happy to have a conversation before anything else.

Come and see what's possible.

The free site visit is genuinely free and genuinely no-obligation. I come to your school, we have an honest conversation, and you'll leave with a clear picture of what AI could do for your team — whether you work with me or not.