Guide for school leaders
How to choose an AI speaker, consultant or trainer for your school
In brief
Most schools choose AI support on the strength of a demo or a big name. Choose on what lasts instead. The right AI keynote speaker, consultant or training provider for a school builds staff judgement, fits your context and governance, and leaves capability in house. Use the three types and five questions below to compare the options in front of you.
The three types of school AI provider
Most providers fall into one of three types. Each has a place; the question is which one should lead.
| Type | What they offer | When it works | The risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| The tool demonstrator | Live demonstrations of specific apps and features. | When staff already have an approved tool and need to learn how it works. | Skills tied to one product fade when the tool changes, and it can build dependence rather than judgement. |
| The tech futurist | Big-picture talks on where AI is heading. | To open a conference or help an audience grasp the scale of change. | Inspiration without a next step: staff leave excited or anxious but no clearer about Monday morning. |
| The educational practitioner and strategist | An educator who connects AI to teaching, learning, leadership and governance. | When you want lasting change: a shared direction for leaders and practical capability for staff. | It takes more planning up front, because the work is shaped around your context. |
Most schools need something from all three. What matters is who leads. If the goal is lasting change, put a practitioner and strategist in charge and bring in demonstrations and big-picture talks where they serve that plan.
This guide is written by Dan Fitzpatrick, who works as a practitioner and strategist, so weigh it with that in mind.
Five questions to ask before you book AI training or a keynote
- 01
Will this still be useful if the tool changes?
Apply the capability versus dependence test. Ask what your staff will be able to do if a particular product is withdrawn next term. Look for judgement, checking outputs, task design and knowing when not to use AI, not only features and shortcuts.
- 02
Has this person worked in schools?
Ask about their classroom and leadership experience, and for examples from settings like yours: the same phase, size, country and inspection or accountability context.
- 03
How will it fit our policies and governance?
A good provider asks about your AI policy, approved tools, safeguarding, data protection and assessment rules before planning, and works within them. In the UK that means DfE guidance, KCSIE and UK GDPR; in the United States, FERPA, COPPA and state guidance; for international schools, the regulator where you are.
- 04
What happens after the day?
Ask what staff and leaders will do differently the following week, who owns the next steps, and what support is available afterwards, from leadership coaching to a sequenced strategy.
- 05
Who can we talk to, and how quickly?
Ask for named references or testimonials from leaders in similar settings, and notice how quickly the provider replies. Working directly with the person delivering makes briefing and tailoring easier than going through several intermediaries.
Next steps
If you are weighing up AI support for your school, trust or district, these pages explain how Dan works.