Coaching

Safer recruitment includes accurate record keeping on a single central register (SCR) and the ability to accurately cross reference against recruitment files. Peter Senge's model helps us focus on its importance; the five disciplines highlight that SCR checking benefits from personal mastery through careful attention to detail, mental models through questioning assumptions, a shared vision around safeguarding, team learning through collaborative checking, and systems thinking

Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. It is not a single action or a one-off decision, but an ongoing process of noticing, listening and responding. Often, it is the small things, like a change in behaviour, a passing comment, or a feeling that something is not quite right, that matter most. Many schools focus on safeguarding at the start of the year but it should stay in our mind all year. In coaching, we talk about the importance of perspective. The idea is simp

Where a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer from harm, it is important that a referral to local authority children’s social care (and if appropriate the police) is made immediately. Safeguarding children is everyone's responsibility and coaching can support staff to turn professional curiosity into action by clarifying next steps, identifying who needs to be involved, and agreeing a simple plan. Read on for simple steps you can check for requirements regrading liaison

Adaptive Coaching Coaching is central to adaptive teaching , as it enables teachers to continuously diagnose, respond to and refine learning in real time, ensuring that all pupils are supported and challenged appropriately without lowering expectations. As access to knowledge has expanded through technology, the role of the teacher is evolving: rather than acting solely as the instructor who delivers information, teachers increasingly act as facilitators and coaches who guid

What do you notice- apart from all the girls looking the same? Did you notice any risk? What we notice, and what we miss, determines whether risk assessments are meaningful safeguards or just paperwork. With school trips and residentials around the corner, risk assessments are top of mind. Leaders sign them off and teachers write them; both approach the situation with childrens' safety in mind but do hidden commitments prevent them from being done well? Kegan & Lahe y's Immu

As simple as water. You might be focused on school improvement and the bigger picture, but have you taken time to reflect; have you stopped and noticed what is happening in your school or have you washed your hands of the small, everyday details. School improvement is about noticing what is in front of you, and acting on it. Coaching can help with change management. A frog hops out of boiling water, but the parable tells us that the frog adapts to gradual change and enjoys h

Teachers hold immense power- not just through what they teach, but through what they believe. The way teachers view their pupils can shape how those pupils view themselves and, ultimately, how they perform. This dynamic is illustrated through several key psychological principles. The Pygmalion Effect suggests how high expectations from teachers can lead to improved performance in students. When teachers genuinely believe in a pupil’s potential, they may unconsciously offer m

The Learning Skills Trust is a charity supporting inclusivity and the importance of skills in education. I was humbled to have been asked to speak for them for the third time. This time, I spoke on Kotter and the important steps needed for change management. For me, they include creating a vision and building an army. Change cannot happen without a clear, compelling vision that people understand and believe in. A vision alone is not enough- you need people who are willing t

Should there be more of a coaching culture in schools. Simon Sinek advises us to start with the why. Should there be more coaching as it...

What defines success for a school? Is it the same as for any other business? Even when considering the private sector, the main aim of...