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Artificial Intelligence Advisory for the Education Sector

Every school has AI.
Not every school has a plan.

Governed, practical and measurable AI implementation for school leaders who need clarity in the boardroom—and confidence in the classroom.

Book a free Strategic Leadership Consult View Advisory Packages ↓
01 / GovernClear policy.
Responsible use.
02 / EnableCapable staff.
Human judgement.
03 / ImplementUseful practice.
Visible progress.

The leadership question

The question isn't, “Which AI tool should we use?”
It's, “How do we lead AI safely, strategically and responsibly?”

Schools are already navigating uneven staff use, student experimentation, privacy risk and changing expectations. We help leadership teams turn that uncertainty into a shared, values-aligned way of working.

Ways to work together

Our Advisory
Packages

01

AI Readiness Audit

Know where your school stands before deciding what comes next.

A comprehensive review of your school's AI readiness across governance, policy, leadership, staff capability and current practice.

Typical engagement3–5 weeks
Includes
  • Leadership interviews
  • Staff AI readiness survey
  • Governance and policy review
  • Privacy, risk and assessment review
  • AI Readiness Report
  • Prioritised recommendations
Speak with an AI Adviser

Ideal for schools seeking an independent assessment and clear next steps.

02

AI Governance & Leadership Programme

Build the foundations for safe, strategic AI adoption.

Everything in the AI Readiness Audit, plus the governance frameworks, leadership capability and implementation planning required to confidently lead AI across your school.

Typical engagement6–10 weeks
Includes
  • Everything in the AI Readiness Audit
  • AI governance framework
  • Policy development and refinement
  • Leadership workshop
  • Staff capability session
  • Board presentation
  • 90-day implementation roadmap
Speak with an AI Adviser

Ideal for schools ready to move from assessment to action.

03

AI Transformation Partnership

A strategic partnership to embed AI confidently across your school.

Everything in the AI Governance & Leadership Programme, plus ongoing advisory support to help your leadership team implement, review and continuously improve AI practice.

Typical engagement6–12 months
Includes
  • Everything in the Governance & Leadership Programme
  • Ongoing strategic advisory support
  • Executive coaching for leadership
  • Policy and governance updates
  • Implementation reviews
  • Progress reporting
  • Priority access to Education AI Advisory
Speak with an AI Adviser

Ideal for schools wanting an experienced AI adviser alongside their leadership team throughout implementation.

Locally grounded

One strategic standard.
Local context matters.

AU

Australian schools

Advice aligned to the Australian Framework for Generative AI in Schools, with attention to sector and state context, privacy, safety, fairness and accountability.

View the national framework
NZ

Aotearoa New Zealand schools

Advice grounded in Ministry guidance, the Privacy Act, curriculum context, Te Tiriti considerations and responsible approaches to Māori data.

View Ministry guidance

Meet the founder

Sarah Coombes, founder of Education AI Advisory
Founder · Former principal · Education adviser

Sarah
Coombes.

Sarah founded Education AI Advisory to help school leaders navigate AI safely, strategically and responsibly, turning uncertainty into clear leadership and confident decision-making.

With more than 15 years' experience across teaching, governance and school leadership, Sarah understands that successful AI implementation is never just about technology; it depends on the people, culture and realities of each school.

Drawing on her experience as a former principal, Sarah helps leadership teams navigate AI with confidence by aligning governance, staff capability, student outcomes and responsible practice. Her approach focuses on creating clarity through practical frameworks, clear expectations and sustainable systems that enable schools to embrace innovation while keeping human judgement, trust and their community at the centre of every decision.

Work with Sarah

Our approach

“Clear enough for the boardroom. Practical enough for the classroom.”

Education AI Advisory is built around the realities of school leadership. We are independent of AI vendors and start with your students, your staff, your values and your obligations—not with a piece of software.

Education-ledPracticalValues-alignedStaff-centred

Before we begin

Questions school
leaders ask.

Is this AI training?+

It is more than a workshop. The work connects governance, leadership, staff capability and classroom practice so your school has an operating model—not just greater awareness.

Do we need an AI policy first?+

No. We start with your current context and existing policies, then identify what should be updated, created or communicated.

How are privacy and student data handled?+

Privacy, safeguarding and data risk are core audit areas. Recommendations are grounded in local obligations and keep human judgement and student wellbeing at the centre.

Can the board and community be involved?+

Yes. Engagement can include senior leaders, boards, staff, students, parents, caregivers and whānau, depending on the scope.

What happens after the audit?+

You receive a practical 90-day roadmap. We can then support policy foundations, capability building, implementation and board assurance.

Start here

Your school does not
need all the answers.
It needs a clear next step.

Book a 30-minute Strategic Leadership Consult

We’ll discuss your school’s context, current concerns and whether a readiness audit is the right place to begin.Book Free 30-min Strategic Leadership Consult No obligation · Response within two working days