I provide team coaching for middle leadership teams as well as senior leadership teams. The primary focus of this work is to develop a coherence and common understanding of the work that is to be undertaken by the team. An appreciation of the challenges facing school leaders and how effective team-work can help a school leaders to face those challenges is also high on the agenda. I am passionate about helping to develop school leadership teams where the middle-management are as competent and capable as the senior management. Developing effective leadership teams in schools should be a priority for all schools as the demands of the environment continue to grow. All members of the team should understand their responsibilities and the impact they can and must have in our schools if we are to see our schools grow and develop in what is a fast-paced and fluid environment. We need leadership teams in our schools where the team members are flexible, responsive and willing to lead. A team charter which is developed by the team and focuses on the team values, vision and purpose helps to create a coherent approach to school leadership. All team members are part of the process and can make their mark on the team. This gives them ownership and helps them to identify their own strengths and weaknesses so they can understand themselves better and their own contribution to the team, as well as understanding their colleagues. The team-coaching sessions are powerful sessions that build a sense of purpose and togetherness for the leadership team.

Building leadership capacity in our schools is key to ensuring that we have confident, capable and motivated teachers ready and willing to apply for middle and senior leadership positions in our schools. My coaching an CPD programmes for teachers centre around building their understanding of the role of school leadership and helping them to build the skills and competencies necessary to apply for these roles. The focus of the CPD is on building teacher confidence and helping them to have realistic expectations of the demands of assistant principal roles. The CPD is bespoke and particular to each school but there is a focus on challenging but supportive professional conversations that help teachers to explore their roles as teacher leaders and how they might progress to middle leadership.

My coaching approach to SNA work CPD has been very well received. SNAs view it as an investment in them by school management. The focus of the workshop is on identifying the ways in which we can make the role, though challenging, more sustainable. Participants identify their own values, how they can commit to self-care and how they can take control of the role to improve outcomes for themselves and the students that they work with. There is a focus on team-work and supporting one another which helps the participants to build that sense of belonging that is key to making the school environment welcoming and inclusive. The sessions can be tailored to suit the particular needs of the school.