Training teachers to coach

Case study

Hayes Park Primary School developed a school-based programme to train teachers to coach within and outside of the school.

Summary

The headteacher of Hayes Park Primary School developed a school-based training programme to equip teachers with the skills needed to coach their colleagues and pupils, as well as teachers in other schools.

Key learning/outcomes

Coaching has helped individuals to develop personalised action plans based on aspects of the school improvement plan.
Encouraging staff to take personal responsibility for outcomes has contributed to real performance improvement.
A coaching culture supports the sharing of leadership throughout the school.
Coaching has been used to support workforce remodelling and personalisation.
Staff say that coaching has given them a clearer sense of direction, increased success and personal satisfaction and the energy to move forward in a positive and planned way.
Other schools are increasingly asking Hayes Park staff to facilitate coach development programmes for them.

Background

Located in Hayes in Middlesex, Hayes Park Primary School is a primary school with 712 pupils and 79 staff. Hayes Park achieves high results and in 2004 the school was in the top five per cent of schools nationally for value-added performance at Key Stage 2.

Headteacher Neil Huggett completed a six-month programme at The School of Coaching in 2002 and began to coach colleagues inside and outside of the school. He says: “I believe coaching is the most powerful process I have experienced in my 35 years in education".

Key challenges and issues

Maximising performance

Hayes Park wanted to enable teachers to maximise their own performance and saw coaching as an effective approach for doing this.

Solution or approach

Coach development

The deputy headteacher trained in coaching on a six-day programme led by headteacher Neil Suggett in 2003 and then ran school-based training sessions for colleagues in the summer and autumn terms of 2004. The training sessions significantly raised the profile of coaching within the school.

Programme structure

The school’s coaching programme involved six face-to-face sessions with coaching practice and reading taking place between each session. The sessions cover topics including the GROW (goal, reality, options, what) model of coaching, key listening and questioning skills, mentoring and team coaching.

Reflecting on learning

The two school-based programmes produced a number of insights into the coaching process and the school used these to develop and adapt its approach to coaching. Insights included the importance of all staff understanding coaching and how it applies to the work of the school, and the need to develop coaching for, with and by children.

Ensuring effectiveness

The school found that coaching is most effective when the individual being coached wants to grow and develop and when there is a need to design and implement a plan of action. Team coaching has proven to be a very positive way of getting things done while building team identity and capacity.

Qualities for coaching

Hayes Park looks for a number of qualities in its coaches. These include believing in other people’s abilities, understanding when to listen and when to ask questions, and being aware of when to support and when to challenge.

Next steps

Hayes Park plans to continue using a coaching approach with all staff and pupils. It will train adults and children as school-based coaches, with time allocated for them to respond to the coaching needs of others in the school community.

Further information

For further information contact Hayes Park Primary School