Christian Turton is EdTech Lead at Chiltern Learning Trust, where he shapes artificial intelligence and digital strategy across more than twenty schools in Bedfordshire, Luton and Hertfordshire. A teacher by background, his remit runs from device programmes and staff development to the policies that keep both safe and purposeful.

Nationally, he lead the development of the Department for Education's Safe and Effective Use of AI in Education materials, developed with the Chartered College of Teaching and used by schools across England. His work has ranged from supporting trusts to roll out 1:1 programmes to creating EdTech courses for governments taken by over 100,000 teachers. A former NCCE Computing Hub Lead and an Apple Distinguished Educator, he previously co-directed the London Connected Learning Centre and led a 4,000-iPad rollout across a local authority.

Twenty-five years in education have left him pedagogy-first, evidence-informed and cheerfully sceptical about what AI is claimed to do in schools whilst ensuring that adoption of these technologies is outcome-focused and safe. The four pillars of AI adoption at Chiltern Learning Trust have focused on oracy and digital literacy, equity and agency, digital metacognition, and critical thinking.

Christian is also a Chair of Governors. Today he asks how leaders can build a digital strategy that is ambitious, ethical, inclusive and genuinely useful.