Leadership coaching
Quite simply, in any human group the leader has maximal power to sway everyone’s emotions. If people’s emotions are pushed toward the range of enthusiasm, performance can soar; if people are driven to rancour and anxiety they will be thrown off stride.
- Goleman: “New Leaders: Transforming the Art of Leadership
Exceed Academies Trust works in partnership with Improving Impact to bring proven, high-impact leadership coaching to schools and trusts. This partnership represents sustainability and legacy for the 2021-22 Bradford Opportunity Area funded coaching offer and extends the availability of the support to all schools and trust within and beyond Bradford.
You may also be interested in the fully funded Early Headship Coaching Offer.
Introduction
Relationships, mentoring, and coaching play a significant role in school culture and facilitating school improvement, including teacher and leadership development.
Giving colleagues the opportunity to be coached allows educators to think and engage in meaningful, supportive and challenging conversations often about socially complex situations. It leads to a deeper understanding of why things are as they are and a strong commitment to putting in place the actions needed maximise performance.
The vision behind the culture and coaching offers is to contribute to system-wide improvement in education through enhancing coaching and mentoring support and training for schools and Trusts so they can invest in their workforce to grow, recruit, develop and retain the very best teachers, support staff and leaders.
When people make coaching an everyday way of working, they create more FOCUS, more COURAGE and more RESILIENCE. They help others (and themselves) work less hard and have more impact.
The culture and coaching offers are flexible and are intended to be bespoke to the current school improvement challenges, opportunities, and culture in your school or trust. To help understand your setting’s needs we suggest the provider meets you for an initial conversation to look at your specific current challenges and what they can offer in response to this that would ultimately make the biggest difference in improving life chances for your children and young people.
1:1 Leadership Coaching
Leadership coaching is for leaders, or aspiring leaders, with the intention of unlocking their potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping people to learn rather than teaching them and builds on their leadership capabilities and self-awareness. It focuses on an opportunity or challenge where the leader would like a different outcome. It is normally part of a series of 1:1 confidential meetings over a period of time.
Coaching conversations involve:
- working in partnership to listen to and support what is on the leader’s mind
- being reflective and becoming more aware of our impact on others
- providing both support and challenge in an encouraging climate
- encouraging personal responsibility and commitment
- focusing more on the present and the future (then the past).
Group Leadership Coaching
Group Leadership Coaching is very similar in its approach to 1:1 Leadership Coaching but involves listening to more than one voice and viewpoint. Group Leadership Coaching can naturally grow out of 1:1 coaching sessions and are based on good relationships, trust and openness.
A group coaching approach helps teams:
- provide insight through effective listening and questioning
- clarify the outcomes the group want
- explore possible options and strategies whilst considering how these may be perceived by others
- uncover patterns of behaviour that help or hinder performance
- identify the key actions, and time scales, towards their desired outcomes.
The scenarios below may be similar to the current opportunities and challenges in your setting. Expand the scenario to reveal CPD opportunities that will help address them.
Leaders feel overwhelmed by competing demands and have lost sight of what really matters next in their school improvement journey. Leaders are not given quality time through supportive and challenging conversations to reflect and work out why things are as they are in the setting, what the ideal they really want is and a plan of actions and time scales needed to deliver this.
1:1 Leadership Coaching
Leadership coaching is for leaders, or aspiring leaders, with the intention of unlocking their potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping people to learn rather than teaching them and builds on their leadership capabilities and self-awareness. It focuses on an opportunity or challenge where the leader would like a different outcome. It is normally part of a series of 1:1 confidential meetings over a period of time.
Coaching conversations involve:
- working in partnership to listen to and support what is on the leader’s mind
- being reflective and becoming more aware of our impact on others
- providing both support and challenge in an encouraging climate
- encouraging personal responsibility and commitment
- focusing more on the present and the future (then the past).
Time out to stop and reflect in 1:1 leadership coaching has been an incredibly valuable experience. Coaching sessions have helped me to refocus, solve problems and to get the right things done. My coach has listened to the things that have been of concern and helped to guide me in the right direction, without making decisions for me. I would highly recommend the 1:1 leadership coaching model to anyone looking to solve problems that may be holding them back from being the best leader they can be.
- Head of School, 2 form inner-city school
Group Leadership Coaching
Group Leadership Coaching is very similar in its approach to 1:1 Leadership Coaching but involves listening to more than one voice and viewpoint. Group Leadership Coaching can naturally grow out of 1:1 coaching sessions and are based on good relationships, trust and openness.
A group coaching approach helps teams:
- provide insight through effective listening and questioning
- clarify the outcomes the group want
- explore possible options and strategies whilst considering how these may be perceived by others
- uncover patterns of behaviour that help or hinder performance
- identify the key actions, and time scales, towards their desired outcomes.
During several successful group coaching sessions, we set out to strengthen the existing relationships in our senior leadership team; and to make the unmanageable feel much more manageable. Prior to the sessions, individually, we had our own priority areas yet with the coach’s inquisitive, supporting and insightful approach we established collectively our own pathway forward for school improvement. We left these sessions feeling individually and mutually empowered; equipped with a shared clarity and a stronger connection in our team.
- SLT of a 5FE primary
“Say Less, Ask More”
A two-day practical course to develop leadership coaching skills.
“Say less, ask more” gives you quality time to reflect and respond to your current main school improvement challenges, by focussing on what you really want and how to achieve this.
This invaluable two-day coaching course:
- gives you quality thinking time so you can find your best solution to opportunities and challenges in your setting
- focusses on the key principles of coaching, including how adults learn best
- builds in practical sessions to develop your listening and coaching skills, including the quality of questions you ask
- considers how self-limiting beliefs can hold back leadership, teaching and learning
- develops awareness of different forms of resistance and possible ways to respond to these
- shares coaching tools and techniques you can use back in school.
One of the most transformative experiences of my career
- Headteacher
The most thought-provoking and effective CPD I’ve done. It has focussed my thoughts on the most important things and I can see a clear route to achieving them
- Deputy Head
School improvement, including teacher and leader development and system-wide improvement, can remain a cognitive process and does not always consider the leadership behaviours and mindsets needed for socially complex scenarios.
“Every Day I Write the Book”
How to consciously develop your leadership narrative and maximise the best staff culture.
“Leadership is derived from significant relationships- that is, leadership is a function of the social and emotional dynamics of the group.”
- Nicholas & West-Burnham, ‘Understanding Leadership’.
This one-day CPD opportunity gets leaders to consider how their leadership actions and behaviours influence the overall mindset and engagement in your setting.
- how do you create buy-in and energy to drive school improvement forward?
- why are emotional intelligence and relationships vital to developing teaching and leadership?
- who do you create a culture of trust and collaboration?
- why is momentum important in driving your vision forward and how to maintain it?
- how do you know if your values are having impact?
The whole day was very interesting and encouraged me to reflect on my leadership skills and practice. Your presentation and organisation of the day was a good mixture of discussion, imparted knowledge and related to our own experiences as participants.
- Senior Leader
A great day with lots of realistic ideas and thoughts to reflect on. A lot of the concepts can be applied quickly and the outcomes can be easily identified. It was great to have a motivational course that was realistic to the busy lives of middle leaders.
- Middle Leader
“Say Less, Ask More”
A two-day practical course to develop leadership coaching skills.
“Say less, ask more” gives you quality time to reflect and respond to your current main school improvement challenges, by focussing on what you really want and how to achieve this.
This invaluable two-day coaching course:
- gives you quality thinking time so you can find your best solution to opportunities and challenges in your setting
- focusses on the key principles of coaching, including how adults learn best
- builds in practical sessions to develop your listening and coaching skills, including the quality of questions you ask
- considers how self-limiting beliefs can hold back leadership, teaching and learning
- develops awareness of different forms of resistance and possible ways to respond to these
- shares coaching tools and techniques you can use back in school.
One of the most transformative experiences of my career
- Headteacher
The most thought-provoking and effective CPD I’ve done. It has focussed my thoughts on the most important things and I can see a clear route to achieving them
- Deputy Head
Do you think we should put in the dates on the future commercial cohorts here or does it mean the website could become out of date?
A lack of strong, positive relationships can lead to a lack of trust which can undermine the potential impact of teacher and leader development and increase its chance of being less effective.
“Every Day I Write the Book”
How to consciously develop your leadership narrative and maximise the best staff culture
Leadership is derived from significant relationships- that is, leadership is a function of the social and emotional dynamics of the group.
- Nicholas & West-Burnham, ‘Understanding Leadership’.
This one-day CPD opportunity gets leaders to consider how their leadership actions and behaviours influence the overall mindset and engagement in your setting.
- how do you create buy-in and energy to drive school improvement forward?
- why are emotional intelligence and relationships vital to developing teaching and leadership?
- how do you create a culture of trust and collaboration?
- why is momentum important in driving your vision forward and how to maintain it?
- how do you know if your values are having an impact?
The whole day was very interesting and encouraged me to reflect on my leadership skills and practice. Your presentation and organisation of the day was a good mixture of discussion, imparted knowledge and related to our own experiences as participants.
- Senior Leader
A great day with lots of realistic ideas and thoughts to reflect on. A lot of the concepts can be applied quickly and the outcomes can be easily identified. It was great to have a motivational course that was realistic to the busy lives of middle leaders.
- Middle Leader
1:1 Leadership Coaching
Leadership coaching is for leaders, or aspiring leaders, with the intention of unlocking their potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping people to learn rather than teaching them and builds on their leadership capabilities and self-awareness. It focuses on an opportunity or challenge where the leader would like a different outcome. It is normally part of a series of 1:1 confidential meetings over a period of time.
Coaching conversations involve:
- working in partnership to listen to and support what is on the leader’s mind
- being reflective and becoming more aware of our impact on others
- providing both support and challenge in an encouraging climate
- encouraging personal responsibility and commitment
- focusing more on the present and the future (then the past).
Time out to stop and reflect in 1:1 leadership coaching has been an incredibly valuable experience. Coaching sessions have helped me to refocus, solve problems and to get the right things done. My coach has listened to the things that have been of concern and helped to guide me in the right direction, without making decisions for me. I would highly recommend the 1:1 leadership coaching model to anyone looking to solve problems that may be holding them back from being the best leader they can be.
- Head of School, 2 form inner-city school
“Say Less, Ask More”
A two-day practical course to develop leadership coaching skills.
“Say less, ask more” gives you quality time to reflect and respond to your current main school improvement challenges, by focussing on what you really want and how to achieve this.
This invaluable two-day coaching course:
- gives you quality thinking time so you can find your best solution to opportunities and challenges in your setting
- focusses on the key principles of coaching, including how adults learn best
- builds in practical sessions to develop your listening and coaching skills, including the quality of questions you ask
- considers how self-limiting beliefs can hold back leadership, teaching and learning
- develops awareness of different forms of resistance and possible ways to respond to these
- shares coaching tools and techniques you can use back in school.
One of the most transformative experiences of my career
- Headteacher
The most thought-provoking and effective CPD I’ve done. It has focussed my thoughts on the most important things and I can see a clear route to achieving them
- Deputy Head
The ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic means that leaders have focussed more on operational issues than strategic ones; they need to make time to think about how they will re-integrate school improvement priorities to maximise performance including catch up for children and young people who have fallen further behind.
1:1 Leadership Coaching
Leadership coaching is for leaders, or aspiring leaders, with the intention of unlocking their potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping people to learn rather than teaching them and builds on their leadership capabilities and self-awareness. It focuses on an opportunity or challenge where the leader would like a different outcome. It is normally part of a series of 1:1 confidential meetings over a period of time.
Coaching conversations involve:
- working in partnership to listen to and support what is on the leader’s mind
- being reflective and becoming more aware of our impact on others
- providing both support and challenge in an encouraging climate
- encouraging personal responsibility and commitment
- focusing more on the present and the future (then the past).
Time out to stop and reflect in 1:1 leadership coaching has been an incredibly valuable experience. Coaching sessions have helped me to refocus, solve problems and to get the right things done. My coach has listened to the things that have been of concern and helped to guide me in the right direction, without making decisions for me. I would highly recommend the 1:1 leadership coaching model to anyone looking to solve problems that may be holding them back from being the best leader they can be.
- Head of School, 2 form inner-city school
Group Leadership Coaching
Group Leadership Coaching is very similar in its approach to 1:1 Leadership Coaching but involves listening to more than one voice and viewpoint. Group Leadership Coaching can naturally grow out of 1:1 coaching sessions and are based on good relationships, trust and openness.
A group coaching approach helps teams:
- provide insight through effective listening and questioning
- clarify the outcomes the group want
- explore possible options and strategies whilst considering how these may be perceived by others
- uncover patterns of behaviour that help or hinder performance
- identify the key actions, and time scales, towards their desired outcomes.
During several successful group coaching sessions, we set out to strengthen the existing relationships in our senior leadership team; and to make the unmanageable feel much more manageable. Prior to the sessions, individually, we had our own priority areas yet with the coach’s inquisitive, supporting and insightful approach we established collectively our own pathway forward for school improvement. We left these sessions feeling individually and mutually empowered; equipped with a shared clarity and a stronger connection in our team.
- SLT of a 5FE primary
“Say Less, Ask More”
A two-day practical course to develop leadership coaching skills.
“Say less, ask more” gives you quality time to reflect and respond to your current main school improvement challenges, by focussing on what you really want and how to achieve this.
This invaluable two-day coaching course:
- gives you quality thinking time so you can find your best solution to opportunities and challenges in your setting
- focusses on the key principles of coaching, including how adults learn best
- builds in practical sessions to develop your listening and coaching skills, including the quality of questions you ask
- considers how self-limiting beliefs can hold back leadership, teaching and learning
- develops awareness of different forms of resistance and possible ways to respond to these
- shares coaching tools and techniques you can use back in school.
One of the most transformative experiences of my career
- Headteacher
The most thought-provoking and effective CPD I’ve done. It has focussed my thoughts on the most important things and I can see a clear route to achieving them
- Deputy Head
The culture of the school is more about proving (judging and evaluating through quality control) than improving (building autonomous distributed leadership and teaching quality); it has not tapped fully into staff’s values, moral purpose, motivation, and discretionary effort.
Group Leadership Coaching
Group Leadership Coaching is very similar in its approach to 1:1 Leadership Coaching but involves listening to more than one voice and viewpoint. Group Leadership Coaching can naturally grow out of 1:1 coaching sessions and are based on good relationships, trust and openness.
A group coaching approach helps teams:
- provide insight through effective listening and questioning
- clarify the outcomes the group want
- explore possible options and strategies whilst considering how these may be perceived by others
- uncover patterns of behaviour that help or hinder performance
- identify the key actions, and time scales, towards their desired outcomes.
During several successful group coaching sessions, we set out to strengthen the existing relationships in our senior leadership team; and to make the unmanageable feel much more manageable. Prior to the sessions, individually, we had our own priority areas yet with the coach’s inquisitive, supporting and insightful approach we established collectively our own pathway forward for school improvement. We left these sessions feeling individually and mutually empowered; equipped with a shared clarity and a stronger connection in our team.
- SLT of a 5FE primary
“Say Less, Ask More”
A two-day practical course to develop leadership coaching skills.
“Say less, ask more” gives you quality time to reflect and respond to your current main school improvement challenges, by focussing on what you really want and how to achieve this.
This invaluable two-day coaching course:
- gives you quality thinking time so you can find your best solution to opportunities and challenges in your setting
- focusses on the key principles of coaching, including how adults learn best
- builds in practical sessions to develop your listening and coaching skills, including the quality of questions you ask
- considers how self-limiting beliefs can hold back leadership, teaching and learning
- develops awareness of different forms of resistance and possible ways to respond to these
- shares coaching tools and techniques you can use back in school.
One of the most transformative experiences of my career
- Headteacher
“Never Forget”
A whole school training day revisiting your vision and values.
Never Forget is a chance for the staff team in your setting to work together and reflect on the improvement journey so far:
- what have you achieved for your community so far?
- what are the main things that will improve outcomes for your young people?
- what are your expectations and how does this influence mindset and performance?
- what are your settings values and are they reflected in day to day experiences of pupils?
- what are your next strategic priorities in delivering your vision?
A coaching approach is often sporadic in settings which means it is not embedded in the culture of a school or a trust; coaches do not have a support network to consider their impact and ongoing CPD needs.
“Say Even Less, Ask Even More”
This practical two-day course builds on the skills previously introduced in “Say Less, Even More” with a focus on coaching to develop school culture and whole school accountability. Participants will work in small coaching groups to explore the shared set of beliefs and assumptions that were adopted by their staff over time and which lead to consistent patterns of meaning and behaviour.
Culture is the key to organisational excellence and the function of leadership is the creation and management of culture.
- Edgar Schien
“Staying Connected”
“Staying Connected” is a termly half-day network for school-based coaches; it provides ongoing support for schools and trusts who are wanting to build and sustain a coaching culture in their setting and to look at the impact and ongoing CPD needs.
Some staff members in some schools have not developed their professional reflectiveness and deliberate practice because they work in a culture of constantly being told what to do without the thinking that underpins this.
1:1 Leadership Coaching
Leadership coaching is for leaders, or aspiring leaders, with the intention of unlocking their potential to maximise their own performance. It is helping people to learn rather than teaching them and builds on their leadership capabilities and self-awareness. It focuses on an opportunity or challenge where the leader would like a different outcome. It is normally part of a series of 1:1 confidential meetings over a period of time.
Coaching conversations involve:
- working in partnership to listen to and support what is on the leader’s mind
- being reflective and becoming more aware of our impact on others
- providing both support and challenge in an encouraging climate
- encouraging personal responsibility and commitment
- focusing more on the present and the future (then the past).
Time out to stop and reflect in 1:1 leadership coaching has been an incredibly valuable experience. Coaching sessions have helped me to refocus, solve problems and to get the right things done. My coach has listened to the things that have been of concern and helped to guide me in the right direction, without making decisions for me. I would highly recommend the 1:1 leadership coaching model to anyone looking to solve problems that may be holding them back from being the best leader they can be.
- Head of School, 2 form inner-city school