Creating a Coaching Environment – Ethos and Process

Coaching in school can be described as a structured, sustained process to embed new knowledge and skills into day-to-day practice. Coaching usually focuses on iterative professional dialogue designed to develop specific professional skills. It is not normally explicitly linked to career progression.

Why use a coaching approach?

• The development of teachers through good quality coaching should lead to rising achievement and a better provision for students. Well-targeted coaching has the most leverage and so well-planned school wide CPD should accelerate school improvement.
• Learning is driven by feedback, challenge and advice all of which are key components of a coaching approach. For this to happen effectively staff need trusting and open relationships.

A sustainable coaching environment requires many things:

• It needs to link to the evolving school improvement priorities, take account of the teaching and learning environment and, most importantly, reflect the development needs of individual teachers.
• Coaches need training and to develop themselves to ensure they have the expertise and capacity to undertake the role.
• Coaching time needs to be built into the school timetable and directed time and finance is necessary for supporting resources.
• It needs to be clear to staff how performance management and coaching are linked and the way they link to career advancement and reward.
• The school needs a method of tracking the process and impact of coaching. Thought needs to be given to the balance between reporting on outcomes and individual privacy to experiment and fail.
• A key component of the leadership and management of coaching is ensuring an individual has oversight of CPD and how it supports the school’s development priorities.