The process

How AskColin works.

Five clear stages from your free site visit to lasting AI adoption — practical, measured, and built around your school.

From first visit to lasting impact.

Every school is different. We start by understanding yours, then build from there — no generic playbooks.

1
Free · No obligation

Baseline check

We visit your school and spend 45–60 minutes with your leadership team, SBM, or office manager. We map where staff time is currently going, what tools you already use, and where the biggest workload pain points are. No preparation needed — just an honest conversation.

  • Time audit across admin, teaching, and leadership
  • Review of your existing Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace setup
  • Package recommendation with honest expected outcomes
2
Weeks 1–2

Quick wins

Before any full training begins, we implement a handful of immediate improvements — the tasks that save time from day one. These are simple, low-risk changes that your admin team or leadership can use within the first week. Momentum matters, and early wins build staff trust.

  • First AI-assisted letter or newsletter template live within session one
  • Simple prompt guide for front-office staff to start immediately
  • Safe-use rules agreed and shared with all relevant staff
3
Month 1

Shared toolkit

We build your school's own AI toolkit — templates, prompt libraries, and a shared set of tone guidelines — all in your voice, stored in your existing Microsoft or Google environment. Nothing lives outside your systems. The toolkit grows with each session.

  • Bespoke prompt library covering your most common writing tasks
  • School tone guide — so outputs always sound like you, not a robot
  • Stored in SharePoint, Teams, or Google Drive — wherever your team already works
4
Ongoing

Training sessions

Structured sessions for all relevant staff — admin teams, class teachers, and leadership. These are practical and jargon-free. We show people how to use AI for the actual tasks they do every day — not theoretical examples. Nervous staff are especially welcome.

  • Separate sessions for admin, teaching staff, and leadership as needed
  • Confidence clinics for those who need extra support
  • All sessions recorded and summarised (In-School Embedded package)
5
Every month

Embed & measure

We track hours saved, monitor adoption, and adjust the toolkit based on how your staff are actually using it. We report back to leadership monthly so savings are visible and decisions are data-led — not guesswork.

  • Monthly impact review against the baseline we set at the start
  • Toolkit refined based on real usage patterns
  • Leadership briefing with clear hours-saved data

Typical outcomes after one term.

Every school is different, but here's what most schools experience within the first 12 weeks.

Admin & front office

Letters, newsletters, and routine parent communication take a fraction of the time. Front-of-house staff report noticeably lower end-of-day fatigue from repetitive writing tasks.

Teaching staff

Planning, feedback drafts, and report writing are significantly faster. Teachers spend more time on the work that matters — not the paperwork around it.

Leadership

Policy drafts, governor communications, and strategic documents are quicker to produce. Headteachers reclaim meaningful time in their week within the first month.

A note on responsibility: Everything AskColin produces — documents, templates, toolkits and content — is a starting point that must be reviewed, personalised and approved by the school before use. We support and advise; professional responsibility always sits with your headteacher and governors. Read our full safe use approach →

Ready to start with a free visit?

We come to your school, understand the picture, and recommend the right level of support.

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