Grey Coat 4 Coaching in education


Is there a place for coaching in schools? This was the key question that a number of professionals across the borough of Westminster sought to address at a recent convention. Two teachers from The Grey Coat Hospital, Ms Clohesy and Mrs Weithers, attended the Coaching in Education Showcase in November, hosted at Westminster Academy and delivered by Mike Lyons and Sue Murkin of the International Coaching Alliance (ICA).


Both Grey Coat teachers had previously enrolled on an ICA coaching course over the summer holidays, which was generously funded by Westminster Council and St Giles in the Field and William Shelton Trust. Twenty other schools across the borough have also participated and benefited from the


training scheme which is diligently delivered by Sue Murkin and Martin Ballard. Both Sue & Martin recognise that coaching, which is clearly common currency in the sporting arena and commonplace in the business world, is now making headway into education. Can we keep up?


In keeping with our own School Development Plan, Grey Coat already makes good use of a range of models and techniques to enhance performance, including: coaching, mentoring and counselling. We are privileged to have had the Achievement Project as set up by Ms Stacey and developed by Ms Clohesy, in which pupils are coached in many areas including independent study and are involved in collaborative activities & extra-curricular opportunities.


Extreme recycling


The Geography club (including the members Poppy C 8Y, Amelia H 7G, Rachel M 8R, Sola A 8Y, Freya C 8Y, Iga V 8C, Maya 8H, Tabitha A 7G, Heather C 7H and Jasmine H 7G) have been working on making things out of recycled materials.


Every Tuesday, from 3:30 until 4:30pm, we have been working on this project. From research, we were inspired by how poorer countries recycle their material to make things like toys, bags and more for a living.


Poppy’s explanation on how to make a paper bowl:


1. Get a newspaper/magazine and fold and glue it in to relatively small strips. 2. Wrap it round itself and then glue on the next strip and continue wrapping. 3. Do this until it is circular and as wide as you would like the width of the finished bowl to be. (It may take a while but it is all worth it in the end.)


4. Then push through the middle with your thumbs until it is a nice bowl shape.


Poppy Carson, Sola Adeniyi and Heather Casson with thier recycled objects


5. Glaze thickly with PVA and leave to dry overnight.


We have made bowls and pots from big to small out of newspaper and magazines. It has been interesting to make these things


and learn about poorer countries and how they recycle. To see what we have made, log on to the VLE to watch the videos. After Christmas we will be looking at homes of the future. Anyone can join.


Sola Adeniyi and Poppy Casson (8Y)


In addition we have empowered pupils in roles such as Peer Counsellors, Peer Mentors, Ambassadors and Sixth Form Prefects, in which they use various interventions to support students and serve the wider school community.


Ofsted, in their 2010 publication on professional development in schools, made the following recommendation: ‘Schools should extend their understanding of, and expertise in, coaching and mentoring.’ How inspiring it is to be at the forefront of this initiative and to the prospect of coaching being made accessible to all. Coaching, which is a goal-oriented, future-focussed, results-driven model, clearly has a place in schools and holds the potential to have a positive impact on students and staff alike!


Mrs Weithers Issue 18: December 2011


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