How we work together

We focus on three areas - mindset, skills and practical application - to close the gap between knowing and doing.

  • Many staff understand coaching at a conceptual level. They know the language and can describe what a good coaching conversation looks like.

    But under pressure, habits take over. Conversations revert to advice, direction, or reassurance. This isn't intentional. It reflects long-standing assumptions about what support looks like.

    Without a shift in mindset, coaching remains confined to designated sessions rather than shaping everyday interactions.

  • Even when mindset is developing, there may be a lack of practical skills:

    •     Making sure the focus and outcome of the conversation are clear

    •     Ensuring enough structure to move forward without taking over

    •     Listening and noticing deeply, rather than moving quickly to solutions

    •     Asking the questions that shift perspective

    •     Doing this within the time that is actually available in schools

    These are not instinctive skills. They need to be learned, practised, and refined in context.

    Research helps explain why this gap persists. Joyce and Showers found that training alone leads to very low transfer into practice - sometimes as little as 10% of participants consistently applying what they learned.

    The investment schools make in professional learning - courses, visiting speakers, external programmes - largely doesn’t translate without something to embed it afterwards.

  • This programme focuses on embedding coaching in the flow of school life. It is not another initiative, but a way of improving the quality of conversations that are already happening.

    Corridor and informal conversations

    Make these everyday moments of reflection and clarification count.

    Conversations with and between students

    Support wellbeing and learning through dialogue that builds reflection, ownership and peer leadership.

    PRD and professional learning conversations

    Structure discussions to support reflection, ownership, and development.

    Team meetings and collaborative groups

    Use coaching structures to shift dialogue from information-sharing to collaborative thinking and problem-solving.

    Follow-up to external courses

    Ensure professional learning is applied and sustained, not lost.

What the evidence says

There is strong evidence behind this approach.

Collective teacher efficacy - identified by John Hattie as a major influence on student outcomes - is built through how staff think and work together, not through isolated initiatives.

Psychological safety, as described by Amy Edmondson, enables teams to speak openly, raise concerns early, and take productive risks. Coaching helps build this through consistent, everyday interactions.

Anthony Grant’s research shows that coaching improves goal attainment, resilience, and wellbeing, and that these effects increase as coaching becomes embedded.

Education-focused research by van Nieuwerburgh and Passmore highlights improvements in teacher confidence, self-efficacy, and willingness to try new approaches where coaching is part of school culture.

Programme Options

All programmes are a starting point and can be adapted to your context

  • An introduction for all staff to build a shared understanding and experience of coaching. The session is based on guided practice, not presentation. Can stand alone or act as a starting point for further work.

    Includes:

    •     2-3 hour interactive session

    •     Pre-session planning conversation

    •     Practical activities based on your context

    •     Follow-up resources

    Outcome: a shared understanding of coaching and practical approaches to apply straight away

  • A deeper programme for teams or cross-school groups who want to develop their coaching practice in context.

    Focus: developing the self-awareness, mindset, skills, and confidence to coach within the realities of school leadership.

    Includes:

    •     5 sessions over two terms

    •     Group sessions with reflection and practice

    •     DISC psychometric profiling

    •     Email support between sessions

    Outcome: leaders who are more confident coaching in real situations and more able to develop others through everyday conversations

  • A programme to develop concrete and transferable leadership skills in young people. Coaching ensures they can support and challenge their peers' thinking rather than simply directing or advising.

    Students who develop coaching skills become more self-aware and more effective in their leadership roles. The programme is designed for secondary age students and can be adapted to suit the group - a prefect team, a student council, or a wider group taking on leadership responsibility.

    Includes:

    • Single session or short programme of 3-4 sessions over a term

    • Interactive sessions built around practice not theory

    • Pre-programme conversation to shape content for your context

    • Follow-up resources for students and staff

    Outcome: student leaders with the skills and confidence to have better conversations - with peers, with staff, and with themselves

  • A focused space for individual leaders to develop their coaching approach in relation to their role.

    Includes:

    •     6 sessions over 4 - 6 months

    •     Pre-programme conversation

    •     DISC psychometric profiling

    •     Email support between sessions

    Outcome: greater clarity and confidence in handling the conversations that matter most in your role

Book an exploratory call

  • "Developing practical strategies that I could apply immediately in my professional practice has helped me feel more confident and better equipped to handle challenges that previously felt daunting."

    —Middle Leader, Aberdeen

  • "The sessions with Claire helped me take my ideas and turn them into concrete goals. The coaching proved invaluable and gave me the confidence to be ambitious with my research project."

    —MFL Teacher, Edinburgh

  • "My time with Claire has surpassed my expectations. She has facilitated growth with warmth and presence, and I am extremely grateful"

    —Faculty Head, Glasgow