Appreciative Inquiry  is a process that aims to enable organisations that seek to change themselves to build on their positive features, rather than identifying and dealing with their negative aspects. Designed by David Cooperidge and Diana Whitby, AI is a 4- step cycle involving Discovery (appreciate what is), Dream (what might be), Design, (what should be) and Destiny (identify what will be).

At the Bishops 2010 conference, the first step involved all the participants meeting in small diverse groups, sharing with each other what features of Bishops they particularly liked, or valued. These were written on cards, and once the exercise was completed, these cards were displayed on sheets on the walls of the Mallett Centre, grouped together to reveal the commonly held aspects of the school which were valued.

In the next step, also in small groups, the participants were invited to dream what their concept of the ideal Bishops would be, aiming for 2010. When the exercise of grouping the cards was completed, there were  eight clearly defined areas of interest: 1) learning and teaching; 2) culture; 3) religious and spiritual; 4) sport; 5) science and technology; 6) pastoral; 7) broad social issues, diversity and the school’s role within the Community; and 8) the financing and economics of independent schooling.  

In the third step, the participants were invited to join one of these target areas according to their main interests, to design or flesh out what should be done to achieve what was dreamed of.

The fourth step was to see to the implementation of the desired outcomes. This was achieved after the Conference through the formation of eight Action Groups, which met independently and came up with action plans for the years up till 2010. There was a 2010 Action Committee which ensured the implementation of the action plans.