The Purpose of this Booklet
This booklet is intended to provide succinct guidance to teachers, leaders and other practitioners in schools on current research and methodologies related to coaching.
Coaching is increasingly seen as an important, key element in practitioner professional learning.
The Welsh Government’s recent publication ‘Investing in excellence: Our national workforce development plan 2019–21’ (Welsh Government, 2019) includes commitments to:
• a dedicated programme of coaching and mentoring and a set of standards for
mentor support along with a programme of common professional learning for mentors. (designed for) practitioners in the early career stages
• the introduction of an enhanced programme that includes coaching, mentoring and a high-level development programme (to support leadership and succession planning)
The national professional learning model (NAPL) is the government’s vehicle for the design and delivery of professional learning (https://gov.wales/national-approach-professional-learning-napl ). In the context of practitioner coaching and mentoring, the following design features are particularly pertinent:
The professional learner is near the centre of our national approach. Professional Learning should be intended and designed to be a personalised response to individual professional learners’ needs, taking into account their experience, expertise and aspirations.
(Welsh Government, 2019)
There are clearly links to effective teaching and learning also, and hence to the Welsh Government’s professional standards for teaching and leadership (Welsh Government, 2018).
Whilst the focus in this booklet is on the teaching profession, coaching has already been shown to be truly beneficial for the development of a wide range of professions, and for activities both inside and outside work (Passmore & Fillery-Travis, 2011).
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