Auchtermuchty Primary School

Jane Holmes, Headteacher, Auchtermuchty Primary School, Fife

From the start of the project my perception was strongly that this was a learning experience for me as a new leader and I aimed to use the opportunity to develop my coaching skills. 

As a new headteacher the experience of being coached and coaching others within my Action Learning Group (ALG) has been powerful. My coaching skills have developed through working with my colleagues in the ALG but, more powerfully, the ALG has provided a 'safe space' where I have the opportunity to discuss issues related to my school and colleagues. 

As a new headteacher this has enabled me to confront a number of leadership challenges and move forward with these challenges. There is an important distinction here between mentoring and coaching.

When I took up my headteacher post I had (relatively) recently completed the Scottish Qualification for Headship and had completed long-term acting headteacher posts, I was therefore fairly confident about the day-to-day managing of a school. Could a mentor provide the support I needed with leadership issues? Possibly, but coaching has certainly been more appropriate for me although I would not rule out mentoring completely.

• I’m clearer about when coaching is appropriate and when a mentoring style is more appropriate.
• I am much clearer about where I am able to support and where a colleague needs to be referred on to more specialised support. 
• When talking with staff I now have coaching as a key skill which I can use to benefit the individual and the school.

(The headteacher has been practising with two volunteer members of staff. Feedback from these colleagues highlight the fact that the headteacher has adopted a facilitative style which encourages others to think more deeply and to own and solve their issues for themselves.)

During planning sessions and Professional Review and Development I am using coaching-type questions to encourage my colleagues to come to their own decision about the action they will take to resolve an issue. This takes time but in the long term is much more effective in ensuring improvement. We have quickly gone over the prepared agenda and then focused quality time on one aspect that my colleague wants to talk about more.

The development of coaching skills will be a central part of our School Improvement Plan (SIP) for next session and we have already organised quality input from a coaching consultant. This will be whole staff as I believe this is the most effective way of ensuring whole-school improvement. The aim of developing coaching with the whole staff is to encourage us to think about how we communicate with other people and how other people communicate with us (‘other people’ being the whole school community - staff, parents, pupils, etc).

Contact:

For more information please email Jane Holmes.