A working day for your school's Diamond Formation
A facilitated working day for school leadership teams ready to move from AI discussion to governed delivery. Bring up to four leaders from your Diamond Formation and leave with strategic direction, clear policy boundaries and a practical implementation plan to support your AI integration across the next academic year.
Facilitated by Mark Orchison & Dan Fitzpatrick
why this format exists
AI governance is not a spectator sport
The Diamond Sprint is built for schools that are ready to do the work in the room. It is not a conference for a hundred. It is a small, intensive, facilitated Sprint where school teams can make decisions, test thinking and turn AI ambition into governed action.
The day combines executive discussion, role-based working sessions, partner-led demonstrations and school-specific planning.
Built for cross-functional school leadership teams — bring your Academic, Technology, Privacy and Safeguarding leads together, up to four per school.
Why attend
Six things every school walks out with
An AI strategy direction
Where AI will make a meaningful difference for your school, and where you will avoid it.
An AI policy position
What is permitted, restricted, prohibited, approved, reviewed and escalated.
A Diamond role map
Who owns governance, academic, technology, safeguarding and privacy responsibilities.
A plan for your academic year
Specific actions, named owners and defined evidence points for your school.
A shortlist of next moves
Training, communication, vendor assessment, policy or technology actions required to move safely.
A view of what is coming
Partner-led demonstrations of emerging AI developments, framed as practical use cases.
who to bring
Bring your full Diamond Formation
AI cannot be governed by one person, one policy or one department. Academic opportunity, technical implementation, data protection and safeguarding risk need to be considered together.
Academic: Ensures technology and AI support teaching, learning, assessment, workload and student agency.
Technology: Assesses implementation, access, configuration, monitoring, filtering, cyber security and operational controls.
Privacy: Reviews personal data, lawful processing, DPIAs, vendor due diligence and data-sharing risks.
Safeguarding: Identifies risks linked to online harms, child protection, digital safety and harmful interactions.
The Sprint at a glance
One day. One team. One plan.
School-specific strategy
Clarify where AI could make a meaningful difference for your school and where it should deliberately be avoided.
Policy direction
Define what is approved, restricted, prohibited, reviewed and escalated across your AI and digital safety landscape.
Plan for the Academic Year
Leave with named owners, specific actions, clear evidence points and the first phase of implementation mapped out.
Strategy and policy
Direction first. Boundaries next.
Strategy sets the direction.
Where AI could matter: 1. Whole-school AI literacy and training 2. Staff productivity and workload 3. Teaching, learning and curriculum 4. Differentiation and inclusion 5. Assessment and academic integrity 6. Safeguarding and digital safety
Policy sets the boundaries.
Where the lines sit: 1. Which tools are approved, restricted or prohibited 2. What data may and may not be entered 3. When DPIA, vendor or safeguarding review is required 4. Human-in-the-loop expectations 5. Disclosure to pupils, parents and governors 5. Incident and exception escalation
Agenda
The working day
Diamond teams find their seats. Partners present, but low-key.
Plenary with Mark and Dan.
Direction, boundaries and draft objectives for your school's plan.
Role-based breakouts covering priorities, tensions and non-negotiables.
Two demonstrations, led by school use cases.
Cross-role empathy mapping to correct assumptions before planning.
School-team working session to define actions, owners and evidence.
Each school names its first 30-day commitment and support needs.
Facilitators
Mark Orchison
Architect of the Diamond Formation framework, facilitating the strategy, policy and governance threads of the Sprint.
Dan Fitzpatrick
A former teacher and senior leader, bestselling author and international speaker who helps schools move from AI uncertainty to confident, ethical action.
The role of the Diamond Formation
Read the full blog to learn more about the Diamond Formation and why schools need a joined-up governance structure for AI.
Venue and travel
Venue9ine offices, Guildford, UK.
By rail and roadGuildford is around 35 minutes from Central London and from Heathrow — straightforward for schools travelling from further afield too.
Accessibility and dietary needsTell us what you need when you apply and we'll confirm arrangements ahead of the day.
Register your interest
FAQs
Good to know before you apply
The Diamond Sprint runs by application rather than open sale. Apply for the waitlist and we'll confirm cost and eligibility for your school as part of your place being reviewed.
Up to four leaders covering your Diamond Formation — Academic, Technology, Privacy and Safeguarding. The Sprint is built around cross-functional teams, not individuals.
Our events team will follow up with availability, cohort details and next steps for your school team.
At 9ine's own offices in Guildford, around 35 minutes from Central London and Heathrow. Full joining instructions are sent once your place is confirmed.
Each cohort is limited to ten schools, so we can't always fit every application straight away. You'll be prioritised for the next cohort, and can join the free Educators' AI Playbook webinar series in the meantime.
The facilitated working day in Guildford. Up to four Diamond Formation delegates. Refreshments, lunch and working materials. 90-day guest access to the full 9ine Platform. Plan uploaded to 9ine's Governance tool. 3 hours of AI and privacy consultancy.