Members' library

• Leading schools
  • Developing leadership in your school
    • Coaching and mentoring
      • About coaching
      • What makes a good coach?
      • What are the benefits of coaching?
      • How do I develop coaching in my school or organisation?
      • How can coaching improve teaching and learning?
      • Case studies

What makes a good coach?

It is not the role of the coach to provide answers or to give advice, but to support the development of the thinking and learning of the professional learner – to inspire self-directed change.

Coaching practice in schools is built on four essential qualities:

1. a desire to make a difference to student learning
2. a commitment to professional learning  
3. a belief in the abilities of colleagues
4. a commitment to developing emotional intelligence

Coaching itself is grounded in five key skills:

1. establishing rapport and trust
2. listening for meaning
3. questioning for understanding
4. prompting action, reflection and learning
5. developing confidence and celebrating success

In order to further develop coaching sklills, it is important to become increasingly committed to:

• understanding one's own learning needs
• reflecting on one's own practice
• taking an ever-more active role in one's own learning and the learning of others
• acting on what is learned to improve pupil learning

A more detailed range of the skills required for coaching is described in the National Framework for mentoring and coaching and further reading is available in the publication Leading Coaching in Schools.