Working with LAs, Clusters and Networks

CUREE has been working closely with various local authorities across the country to enable coaching and mentoring to become an embedded, effective form of CPD. For some Local Authorities  this has led to a brokering role where they have used their poisition to get even more cost-effective access to the resources.

For most LAs and clusters this has led to a constructive relationship with CUREE to design bespoke programmes that help to address key issues and priorities in local schools.

Key drivers have been to:

  • encourage the sustainability of an initiative once the funding has ended - coaching can be an effective way of disseminating and embedding the outcomes from a project
  • support succession planning by enabling those on the SLT to coach newer staff or for established Heads to support those new to the role
  • incorporate new working practices and models of teaching bought about by system change

Using a selection of the "Effective Mentoring and Coaching" materials, sessions have been constructed to fit into sessions delivered as full or half days in a programme over a number of terms.

Bespoke programmes can be created for network groups of any size and may include training and the provision of packs or the licensing of a local authority or cluster to deliver development sessions using the suite of materials themselves.

Groups interested in talking through their needs can contact Lisa Bradbury.

The various programmes that CUREE has delivered include:

  • Hartlepool

CUREE has been working with Hartlepool Local Authority since 2008 to support primary and secondary Heads with coaching and mentoring skills and tools that they can use to develop the school workforce. Following the programme, CUREE has also provided consultancy to support 3 advocate schools to design tailored programmes for their schools using “Effective Mentoring and Coaching” resources.  The forthcoming programme for support staff in those 3 advocate schools is an extension programme to the consultancy. The support programme will aim to improve the co-coaching and professional learning skills of the support staff for their professional growth and development.

“As a small LA becoming involved with CUREE has proved to be a very fruitful and positive partnership for us.  The materials have been created to powerfully support schools’ engagement with developing their own coaching and mentoring practice.  They appeal to teachers, and because of the way the materials are structured and presented, they help schools to focus on key approaches and work on these so that they can see how they are progressing and understand how coaching (and mentoring) supports their CPD and the growth of their staff as part of a learning community.  The CUREE Coaching and Mentoring suite offers schools the chance to explore coaching and mentoring more deeply, with a starting point that they themselves have chosen, and with materials that illustrate, exemplify, and illuminate the thinking and reflection that their community need to engage in as they take their coaching practice forward. “- Ruth Chalkley, Hartlepool LA
  • Leicestershire County

Started in late 2008, this Mentoring and Coaching programme for school teachers in Leicestershire aims to develop their understanding of benefits of mentoring and coaching for schools, equip delegates with useful tools to facilitate their mentoring and coaching and help them to link mentoring and coaching with whole school performance development. The successful programme leads to a new phase of bespoke programmes with clusters of schools to help them evaluate their CPD practice and design pathways for them to further improve their teaching and learning.

“We have fundamentally changed our CPD to facilitate the need to co-coach.”  - A quote from a Leicestershire school at a recent presentation for their local authority programme.  
 
  • West Kent AST programme

Following a well-received AST session at Weald of Kent Grammar School, CUREE was invited by West Kent Central AST team to deliver 3 sessions for the ASTs in West Kent to explore how they can use coaching and professional learning skills to better support their colleagues in school.

 “I have gained a better understanding of how to structure a coaching / mentoring session and feel more confident about starting the AST role.”- A quote from a local school at the West Kent Mentoring and Coaching Programme
 
  • Knowsley Heads Training

CUREE designed and delivered a tailored programme for the primary new heads in local schools. The programme helped the delegates contribute to the leadership succession planning and retention in Knowsley. Delegates were also able to plan how they might use their enhanced skills and use the “Effective Mentoring and Coaching” resources to further develop staff mentoring and coaching within their own school.When asked what they would do after the programme, one delegate said:

“Refresh of coaching skills, cascade to staff, encourage others to work collaboratively, and support new Headteachers.  Your delivery was excellent. Thank you.”- A quote from a Headteacher at the Knowsley Head Mentor Programme
 
  • Buckinghamshire training

CUREE has been working with Buckinghamshire County Council to design and deliver a series of bespoke programmes for local school teachers and heads.

(Co-)coaching programme - This programme is for a group of teachers in senior positions to help them build their ability to work in collaborative leadership projects.Asked the skills that the session helped them to develop most, one of the delegates answered:

“Develop my own skills for observing, analysing, and reflecting, along with understanding of my own learning needs.”- A quote from a delegate at the Bucks Co-coaching Programme

         

Heads mentoring programme - The target audience of this programme is school heads, who have the responsibility of mentoring those who are new to the profession. The session will help participants to become skilled mentoring heads and guide the new Heads successfully through their career change. One head who attended the course commented on the animation clips saying "I can see how I would use (this) in my own school, and I look forward to exploring what is in the file."

NQT / GTP mentoring programme - The programme is designed to refresh the established skills of mentors. They will be able to incorporate new ideas and resources when they support NQTs and GTPs and help them to reach their potential more quickly. One of the participants commented "the resources provided will enable me to become a more effective mentor as they make trainees learning more specific and manageable."

                                    
  • Ealing

London Borough of Ealing started working with CUREE in late 2009 on a leadership coaching programme.  The programme focused coaching skills for all practitioners in schools and closely linked effective coaching to teaching and learning improvement in the classroom. The authority will be running this programme again as part of their suite of coaching support.When asked what they would share with their colleagues, one of the delegates said:

“Skills in maintaining positive and constructive dialogue – How it can be used as a tool for creating a positive, reflective learning environment.”- A quote from a delegate at the Ealing Mentoring and Coaching Programme
  • Bridgend

This programme, aimed at school staff and the Basic Skills Management Team in the council, focused on developing participants’ co-coaching skills. They were keen to ensure the sustainability of their RAISE project by drawing on knowledge and support from each other and identifying ways to use coaching to disseminate and embed new teaching and learning approaches.

“A very good course that has made me reflect on my position and goals.”- A quote from a Bridgend school at the Bridgend Mentoring and Coaching Programme
  • Nottingham

CUREE was invited to deliver Mentoring and Coaching training by Nottingham City Council as part of the succession planning programme in the Nottingham City.  The session helped them to explore the benefits of building coaching and professional learning skills and identify burning issues in schools which coaching and mentoring can address.

“It has led to a greater understanding of the processes involved in coaching.”- A quote from a school at the Nottingham Mentoring and Coaching Programme

To discuss a bespoke programme for your organisation please contact Lisa Bradbury.