As we have made pretty clear in our previous blogs- we believe that coaching is an immensely powerful tool in leadership development. We have written a bit about how coaching can transform leadership and touched on how this extends to students. This is why we love building leaders using the lines of human development- because we know it enhances understanding of learners now and their future. So in this blog, we want to look more closely at how developmental coaching can enhance the development of today’s students and this feeding into the next generation leaders. 

i. Coaching for Student Development:

There are a whole host of benefits for personal development across all student ages. When I was Head of an Outstanding SEND school, the personal development curriculum was designed for ensuring optimal learning state for students and staff. We saw a sustained impact in positive behaviour, emotional engagement, and unimaginable social relationships - this is not too dissimilar to impact on leadership teams.

Central to this was being heard. The first twenty minutes of each day was not free flow tutor time, but a framework of activities that required tuning in to themselves and others. At the forefront and encompassing all the other benefits was the coaching culture created within the school. Personal development and self-awareness enables students to understand themselves better and therefore others. This not only benefits them as potential future leaders but in all other aspects of their life. Individually, students could identify their strengths, weaknesses, values and goals, enabling them to make more informed decisions about their education and career paths. Collectively, they could understand and have empathy for others' views, where they have emerged from and understand the path they wish to take. Students developed the skills and abilities to think with awareness, critically and make informed decisions, learning to assess options, weigh pros and cons and consider the consequences of their choices and therefore shift attitudes and then behaviours.

These shifts built resilience and adaptability, coping with challenges and setbacks as well as dealing with uncertainties which ultimately empowered them to navigate the complexities of the educational environment and beyond- for students with complex needs this underpinned so much of the transformation of their academic performance.  Students get to really experience a growth mindset through the support and nurturing of coaching, hold themselves accountable for their progress, as well as observe their abilities and intelligences over time through their own effort and perseverance. 

Beyond this, students were exposed to expert role modeling and the host of skills that accompany a developmental coaching approach such as communication and listening skills, early exposure to leadership concepts as well as coping with and problem-solving through challenges. When we were co-constructing the culture and curriculum, they could hold difficult conversations and navigate the nuanced complexities of working with people. With this in mind, the coaching process can help students understand that leadership is not just about holding a title or being the best at something but about making a positive impact, building healthy and trusting relationships and working well with others. Not only preparing them for their future employment, whatever that may be, but also prepares them for adult life, relationships, changing contexts and the challenges and responsibilities they may face in leadership roles in school and beyond.

ii. Barriers to school wider coaching:

All of this sounds fantastic, why wouldn’t schools and staff want students to experience all of the above? The reality is that these initiatives can be extremely challenging to implement in practice and maintain long-term. A common pitfall early on is when the culture is not quite at the right stage in the school, the buy-in from staff and students isn’t there and a comprehensive and effective strategy hasn’t been designed, actioned and followed up. When staff have not been sufficiently invested in, do not value the investment they receive or do not have time to develop themselves to a space where they are positively leading their teams and students; the school cannot be deliberately developmental and cannot sustain a coaching culture that runs deep into the values and essence of the school. Additionally some educators, parents, or students may be resistant to the idea of coaching, viewing it as an additional burden or unnecessary intervention and beyond the scope of a school (see a future blog on resistance to change).

Other barriers are more superficial but still can make or break a shift to effective school-wide coaching practices such as resource constraints; establishing a coaching culture requires resources, including qualified coaches, training programmes, time and commitment, which can be a challenge for schools with limited budgets.

Whilst these are all very real difficulties, we still argue the benefits far outway the challenges. The key is understanding individual and cultural resistance, where it comes from and how to navigate through it.

When considering mental health and wellbeing across UK schools, The State of The Nation 2022: children and young people’s wellbeing published in February this year (DfE, 2023) reported an increased in anxiousness amongst both primary and secondary aged students on previous years with general wellbeing perceptions declining as students get older (DfE, 2022e; DfE, 2022i). Additionally, according to the NHS, rates of probable mental disorders and eating challenges remain at elevated levels post-pandemic as well as emotional difficulties increasing from the previous academic year (Co-Space, 2022) and again, this appears to increase as students get older and worryingly these students are less likely to seek help and support (NHS Digital, 2022b). The NAHT and Place2Be (2022) has also published observations from teachers, where those surveyed (86%) reported an noted increase in low self-esteem amongst students as well as observed increases in depression and sustained anger impacting wider aspects of school life such as engagement, progress, behaviour and knock-on impacts on staff.

Coaching is not the answer to all of these difficulties and in many instances, specialist support may be required. Where coaching does fit in however is in helping young people develop personal resources to be aware of, understand and regulate their emotions, to increase their awareness of how they think, feel and behave and develop the tools to shift these into a more positive state when they need to. The benefits of this can be extremely powerful and even more so when developed at an earlier age, potentially leading to happier, calmer, less anxious and stressed young people. In an age in which digital distractions are so prevalent, the opportunity to connect with others is ever more vital for now and our future.

iii. So what do we suggest if you are thinking about coaching as a whole school approach?

In an ideal world, the staff, the resources, the infrastructure, the buy-in and the funding would all be there ready to go. This is however far from the reality. Instead we can offer some ideas to move forward:

1. Reach out to us about the processes and training we have implemented in our own and other schools

2. Tapping into internal resources. Often there is underused or untapped talent or interest within school staff. One potential option is to identify and train in-house coaches or leverage the skills of interested and experienced teachers/ staff or counselors.

3. Collaboration: Partnering with local organisations, businesses or institutions such as local universities may provide resources or volunteers, parents and school alumni may have expertise that they are willing to share.

4. Online platforms and tools: Make use of free tools and established platforms to reduce staffing costs but create wider access for more students.

5. Starting small and increasing the scale gradually: Begin with a manageable pilot programme with a priority group with the highest impact potential.

6. Grants and Donations: Fundraising or applying for grants and donations from local sources or foundations to support coaching initiatives. 

A key element in all of this is measuring impact, whatever you choose to implement needs to showcase the positive impact it has had for students. Although it can be challenging to quantifiably measure the impact of coaching on students' outcomes and to demonstrate its value to stakeholders, it is powerful and will provide the evidence needed to justify funding, resource allocation, programme development and more.

iv. Conclusion

Much like in coaching, resistance, once identified, is there to be overcome. Overcoming logistical and resource challenges requires a dedicated effort from educational institutions, teachers, parents, and students but will create a supportive and growth-focused environment that will be satisfying when achieved. By following the recommendations and best practices outlined here, educational institutions can empower students and in doing so, the next generation of leaders with the skills and mindset they need to succeed in their educational journeys, future professional fields and personal lives can flourish.

If you are interested in exploring cutting edge coaching opportunities or would like facilitation with your school strategy development we would be delighted to discuss options further. Please book a discovery call or contact us at info@glasshouselab.com.

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References:

Co-Space. (2022). Report 12: Children’s mental health symptoms two years after the start of the pandemic: March 2020 to March 2022. [online]. Accessed from: http://cospaceoxford.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Co-SPACE-Report-12- FINAL-Mar20-to-Mar22.pdf

Department for Education. (2022e). Parent, Pupil and Learner Panel—June wave. 

Department for Education (DfE). (2022i). State of the Nation Children and Young People’s Wellbeing. 

Department for Education (DfE). 2023. State of the Nation 2022: children and young people’s wellbeing. [online]. Accessed from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1134596/State_of_the_nation_2022_-_children_and_young_people_s_wellbeing.pdf

Place2Be. (2022). School staff witness an increase in pupil anxiety, low self-esteem and depression. [online]. Accessed from: https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/news-and-blogs/2022/february/school-staff-witness-an-increase-in-pupil-anxiety-low-self-esteem-and-depression/

NHS Digital. (2022b). Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2022—Wave 3 follow up to the 2017 survey. NDRS. 154. [online]. Accessed from: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mentalhealth-of-children-and-young-people-in-england/2022-follow-up-to-the-2017- survey