Sir Mark Grundy

CEO, Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust

Sir Mark Grundy has been the CEO of Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust since 2007, after previously serving as the principal of Shireland Collegiate Academy, the trust’s founding school. He has also held the position of executive principal at both Shireland Collegiate Academy and George Salter Collegiate Academy. Sir Mark has had a distinguished career in education and has been recognised with several prestigious awards and achievements. His career has included serving as an advisor to the West Midlands Regional Schools Commissioner from 2012 to 2022, and being knighted in 2006 for his contributions to education and technology. He was also awarded an honorary Doctorate from Birmingham City University in 2022. Sir Mark gained his Masters qualification from Loughborough University.

Being curious but cautious (AI and new technologies)

1 Workshop series three

Exploring the use of AI agents? Trust leaders share their experience

Room: Connect

AI agents are moving quickly from experimentation to practical operational use. This session explores the early decisions trust leaders face when beginning to work with AI agents, including governance, oversight, testing, training and safe piloting. Speakers will share practical lessons from developing and implementing AI agents to support areas such as HR, finance and policy guidance, reflecting on what has worked, what hasn’t and what they would do differently. Discussion will include data readiness, defining boundaries for AI, deciding what information agents should access, and building confidence before wider deployment, offering practical insights to help trusts explore AI agents thoughtfully.

Building digital capability and capacity

1 Workshop series two

Doing more with data: How trusts are using OEAI to build capacity

Room: Mercian

Open Education AI is a sector led non-profit on a mission to empower the education system to collaborate with data tools and insights. It provides the infrastructure, data tools and community to empower trusts to do more with their data. In this workshop, two trust leaders share different stories about their partnership with OEAI and what it has enabled them to achieve.