Our coaches have enjoyed success with a wide range of people, occupying vastly different roles in schools. Find out about the impact here:

 

Listen to what Emily has to say about her experience with coaching:

 

“The process of coaching has been extremely valuable in my development over the last 8 months. It has given me a consistent space to reflect on and grow my professional practice. The impact of reflecting on certain situations and experiences has been vital to recognising areas of strength, areas of improvement and implementing targets to achieve that improvement.

The 1:1 sessions consistently felt motivational and allowed for a suitable element of challenge – this has come from discovering certain areas in my role where I can do or achieve more. My coach guided me to explore these areas and set my own targets, rather than just simply telling me what I needed to do.

The best way I can describe the coaching process is as a ‘professional and personal eye-opener’. It’s allowed me to grow in confidence, provided me with a range of tools to push further and succeed more. You are suitably challenged, given time to reflect, a consistent space to communicate and motivated to improve.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this process to anyone who wants to further their career and develop as a professional.”

 

-Specialist Learning Support Assistant, Gloucestershire Secondary School

 

 

"In my coaching sessions there is a “loose theme”, but I feel I really drive the content of that coaching session rather than just speaking to someone who clearly has an agenda and needs to be able to tick off on a list that we have discussed X, Y and Z. In some sessions we have discussed a number of issues, whereas in others we haven’t got beyond one; both types of session are equally as productive. In our coaching sessions, I set my own goals, both short and long term, decide how and when I’m going to meet them, and I hold myself accountable for my progress. This is why I feel so comfortable discussing anything and everything I want; there is no hidden agenda, there are no tricks, everything that happens is purely for my own benefit and to drive me forward.

An aspect I have found most interesting is other people’s reactions to me receiving coaching sessions. A number of my closest friends are also teachers and we quite regularly have a moan and a rant on our WhatsApp group. I happened to mention once that I’d hit a bit of a wall energy-wise one week, but that I was really looking forward to my coaching session later that day because I knew it would re-focus my mind and give me a boost…I received responses like, “What’s happened? Why do you need coaching? Are you struggling to cope?”, like this was some sort of intervention that had been put in place and imposed on me, rather than something I had chosen to do. This is quite a common and unfair misconception in our profession and it definitely doesn’t marry up with my own experience, which has been hugely positive and beneficial as, thanks to coaching, I now have a real plan as to where I am going and how I’m going to get there."

-MFL Teacher, Gloucestershire Secondary School

 

 

"Prior to starting coaching with Nikki, I didn’t know what it could offer me. I felt all too content with my position in the school; purely a tool for my department and my department only and didn’t have too much aspiration to change this.

My coaching sessions have drastically widened my view of my own role and my own potential and have put the wheels in motion for me to fully realise this. Coaching has been able to highlight my strengths – ones I didn’t even know I had – and this has been invaluable to me in terms of my confidence. Prior to coaching I perceived myself as the token young staff member, but my coach has helped me to flip that on its head completely and allowed me to see that what I thought were weaknesses, are actually opportunities to add to my department and to the school as a whole.

The coaching programme has enabled me to see the possibilities that my school has to offer myself and my career and I am excited now to see where my time here takes me, and coaching has definitely played a big part in that."

 

-Learning Support Assistant, Gloucestershire Secondary School

 

“My sessions with my coach enabled me to reflect on the aspects of leadership which concerned me and gave me a deeper understanding of my leadership style and my next steps. AS a result of my coaching programme I have improved my communication with staff and empowered others to increase their ownership and impact around the school.”

-Gloucestershire Head Teacher

 

"The process of the L4F coaching has been hugely beneficial, it has taught me to view and handle situations differently than I might have before. Furthermore, having the opportunity to openly discuss a number of different approaches to leading situations has been a real eye opener. Before the coaching process, I was unsure of the concept and the importance of it, I regarded the result as the most important outcome rather than the journey of getting there. The process of coaching has been extremely valuable and changing/adapting my own approaches has resulted in improved results not just for me, but for everyone involved. The impact of consistent feedback has been vital in improving my own methods to ultimately get the best outcome for everyone involved. I now openly seek feedback as I no longer see it as identifying weaknesses, but areas to build on. I have thoroughly enjoyed my 1 to 1 coaching as it has always felt natural and my mentor has guided me to explore a number of different outcomes, rather than just telling me what they were. I would recommend this process to anyone who wants to further their career. "

 

-Specialist Learning Support Assistant, Gloucestershire Secondary School