Education & AI Consultant
30 years of senior education experience, a serious grounding in AI, and a direct, practical approach — working with schools, virtual schools, and local authorities who want support that actually makes a difference.
Most education consultants know the system. Very few also understand AI at a practical, applied level. I sit at that intersection — and it is a genuinely useful place to be.
I have spent 30 years working in education, most recently as Head of Education Standards and Achievement at Brighton & Hove City Council. I understand the pressures on school leaders, Virtual School Heads, and local authority teams from the inside — the accountability, the data, and the human complexity that sits behind every decision.
I have invested seriously in understanding AI — completing a rigorous AI for Business programme and, more importantly, applying it daily in my own consultancy practice. I understand what the tools can and can’t do, how to use them within UK GDPR, and how to help education teams build confidence without the hype. Crucially, I bring the education context that most AI trainers simply don’t have.
That combination — sector credibility and genuine AI literacy — is genuinely rare. I work with a small number of clients at a time, so you get focused, senior attention, not a junior consultant with a template.
Grounded, practical AI coaching for education leaders and teams — cutting through the noise to focus on what actually works, used responsibly, within your setting.
Senior, focused support for local authorities, virtual schools, and school leaders navigating improvement, inspection, or significant organisational change.
Space to think clearly, lead with confidence, and make better decisions — especially at points of transition, inspection pressure, or organisational change.
Led the Virtual School and Educational Safeguarding through the 2024 ILACS inspection, contributing to Brighton & Hove City Council’s Outstanding overall Ofsted judgement.
Head of Education Standards and Achievement at Brighton & Hove for eight years — leading 70+ staff, managing a £2M budget, raising attainment above national averages across 60+ schools, and negotiating directly with Ofsted, the DfE, and academy chains.
Designed and led a citywide strategy to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils — including the “Mitigation to Success” programme, enhanced primary–secondary transitions, and literacy and numeracy initiatives — delivering sustained KS4 improvement.
Head of Virtual School at two local authorities. Created and implemented visions that drove significant improvements in outcomes for Children in Care, including nationally recognised GCSE results for that cohort.
BSc (Hons) Physics, PGCE, NPQH (National College of School Leadership). Experienced in building and delivering leadership training in partnership with universities and teaching schools. AI for Business certification in progress.
Whether your question is about AI adoption, inspection readiness, or children’s outcomes — start with a conversation. No sales pitch, no jargon, just a straight talk about what you need.
mark@markstoreyconsultancy.comBased in Brighton & Hove — working nationally — LinkedIn
Bring your challenge. I’ll share an honest view on whether and how I can help — and you’ll leave with something useful regardless.