Frequently asked.

We spend 45–60 minutes with your leadership team or SBM to understand where staff time is currently going, what tools you use, and where the biggest workload pain points are. You'll leave with a clear picture of what's possible — and a package recommendation. No hard sell, no commitment required. The visit is completely free.

Most schools see measurable time savings within the first 2–3 weeks, particularly in admin and front-office tasks. Wider staff adoption and consistency build over the first term. We track this alongside you from the baseline we take at the start, so the savings are visible and not just anecdotal.

The Online Starter is remote only — four sessions per month, best for schools exploring AI carefully with a limited budget. Blended Support adds two in-person sessions and tailored templates, for schools ready to move faster. In-School Embedded is weekly, fully in-person support — the highest impact option with a staff confidence programme and monthly workflow implementation. The site visit helps us recommend the right one for your school.

Yes. Many schools start with the Online Starter to get a feel for the approach, then move up to Blended or Embedded once they see the results. We make switching straightforward — the toolkit we've built carries across to the next level.

No. Everything we do works within Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace — whatever your school already uses. There's nothing to install, no new platforms to manage, and no extra subscriptions required for the core toolkit. AI tools we use are those already included in or accessible through your existing environment.

Yes to both. We tailor the toolkit and templates to whichever platform your school uses. Whether you're in Google Docs and Classroom, or Microsoft Word and Teams, our approach fits entirely around your existing setup. We don't introduce any new platforms unless you want us to.

We focus on tools already embedded in or compatible with school environments — including Microsoft Copilot (where available), Google Gemini, and tools like ChatGPT used in clearly defined, non-personal-data contexts. We recommend tools based on your existing setup and what's appropriate for your school's risk appetite. We never recommend anything we wouldn't be comfortable explaining to your governors.

Yes — this is central to everything we do. We never use pupil personal data in AI tools, we set clear do/don't boundaries for staff, and every output is reviewed by a human before use. Our approach is designed around the expectations of a UK primary school safeguarding context. We walk through our safe-use framework during the site visit so you can see exactly what we mean.

None that you don't share with us directly during sessions. We don't connect to your systems, we don't hold pupil data, and we don't require admin access to your platforms. The toolkit we build lives in your Microsoft or Google environment — under your control.

We start where staff are, not where we'd like them to be. Sessions are practical and jargon-free — no assumptions about existing knowledge. We address concerns about job security, accuracy, and appropriateness directly and honestly. The most sceptical staff often become the most enthusiastic once they see the tool saving them time on a task they actually do every day.

AskColin focuses on AI adoption training, toolkits, and practical support. We don't provide IT infrastructure, software licensing, or data management services. We also don't handle SEND assessments, safeguarding case management, or sensitive pupil data workflows — and we actively design our approach to stay well clear of those areas.

Most schools commit for a full term initially — this gives enough time to baseline, implement quick wins, run training sessions, and start measuring impact. After the first term, you can continue, pause, change package, or finish. We ask for one term's notice to close an engagement, so you're never tied in long-term.

Yes. We're actively building relationships with MATs and school clusters — there are clear benefits to a shared toolkit and cross-school approach. If you're interested in a multi-school engagement, get in touch and we'll put together a bespoke proposal.