Forres Academy is a secondary school within the Authority of Moray with over 1000 pupils. In 1995 we established a ‘buddy’ system for registration, where trained S6 pupils registered alongside the first year pupils and act as friends and mentors.
During 2005 a small group of S6 pupils approached one of the Depute Heads and requested that the buddy system be expanded to allow them to give more time to some of the problems that the new S1 pupils were experiencing. After further training and discussion a ‘peer coaching’ group was established in the school and this has continued as each new sixth year volunteer to participate.
Coaching is defined as using questioning techniques to enable individuals to decide on actions required to improve matters.
The Solution Oriented School (SOS) principles underpin the peer coaching programme:
A solution oriented model of coaching is used by the peer coaches who have been trained by trainers from Childline UK and with our in-house input on solution oriented principles and techniques.
At Forres Academy we use a very efficient tracking and monitoring system to help give an overview of the progress of our pupils. After several weeks of this year it was noted that pupil A had several loggings for failure to produce homework; for forgetting to bring equipment; for lateness and for failure to follow the school dress code.
During interview with his Guidance tutor it became clear that pupil A really felt that he could not be bothered to change his ways as nobody at home was interested in his progress and that his parents were unconcerned about his behaviour at school. He agreed that coaching with a peer might help him to see things from a different perspective. With parents’ (slightly grudging) permission, a weekly coaching meeting was established with the pupil and an S6 peer coach. The coach took a real interest in his progress and helped pupil A to set some short term goals of zero loggings for one week. This was rewarded with a certificate which the pupil took home. The first week was followed by a second with no loggings and again this was rewarded with a certificate and this time a walk up to the High Street for an ice-cream. The parents of the pupil telephoned his Guidance tutor during week three to comment on the marked change in their son at home and at school and to thank the peer coach. This coaching has continued on a weekly basis over the past twelve weeks, during which time the pupil has only had one logging for lateness. Some of the comments from pupil A during the coaching period include:
‘It was good to speak to someone who really understood my feelings.’
‘It was the first time someone really took an interest in me.’
‘My parents are really proud of me now and things are brilliant at home. I even made a cup of tea for my mum and dad last night (It may have been two cups, we did not ask!).'
Our experience has taught us that it is important to begin from the key principles/values and visions and then to progress to techniques. The intention of the coaching sessions is much more important than the technique or model employed.
Each school year brings a new challenge and different perspective on peer coaching as we welcome new S6 pupils to form the new team. The present team have begun to develop new ways of communication and we hope to use technology such as mobile phones, e-mail and web sites to assist in the programme of peer coaching. We have just begun to train some younger (S2 and S3) pupils as peer mediators to be part of the peer coaching scheme.
For more information please email George Anderson, Primary Teacher, Forres Academy, Moray.
In association with Education Scotland