Training Coaches

Great professional development involves regular and ongoing training, read all about our training models and resources.

Professional Development and Cognitive Load

Professional Development and Cognitive Load

By Arielle Boguslav

In this paper, we explore the role of an often overlooked challenge for teacher professional development: cognitive load.

A Beginner's Guide to Instructional Coaching

A Beginner's Guide to Instructional Coaching

By Peps Mccrea

Instructional coaching is one of the best ways for schools to improve teaching. We’ve pulled together this Beginner’s Guide to help share what we’ve learned about successful instructional coaching and how to make it work.

Responsive Coaching Interview with Josh Goodrich and Kat Howard Part 2

By Rachel Ball

Josh and Kat delve into the structure of Josh's book and some common questions about implementing a coaching programme across a school or trust.

Responsive Coaching Interview with Josh Goodrich and Kat Howard Part 1

By Rachel Ball

What is responsive coaching and why is it so important?

What's the difference between instructional coaching and responsive coaching?

By Josh Goodrich

There are various conceptions of instructional coaching. The different terms used to describe instructional coaching models are often unhelpful, at times divisive, and can be a cause of confusion.

The science behind Steplab: how it includes all 14 mechanisms of effective PD

By Rachel Ball

What does it take to build truly effective teacher professional development?

How to create expert teachers, according to Peps Mccrea

By Peps Mccrea

There are multiple ways to define expert teaching – the question is what to do with the analysis.

Case Study: Developing TA Practice with Instructional Coaching: Part 2

By Elliot Hahn

This is part 2 of a blog post series in which Elliot, a coaching lead at Manchester Communication Primary Academy, shares the five lessons he learnt when building a TA coaching programme, and the positive impact Instructional Coaching has had on TA practice.

Case Study: Developing TA Practice with Instructional Coaching: Part 1

By Elliot Hahn

Teaching Assistants (TAs) do not always have access to the same high quality professional development (PD) as teachers. TAs support learners with the most complex needs, and therefore ongoing training is key to their effectiveness.

Case Study: Structuring Ridgeway's coaching programme so it delivers results

By Kate Hytner

If we want instructional coaching to make a real difference to teachers and pupils, we need to focus on getting the implementation right.

Case Study: Moving Coaching from Good to Great

By Jayne Harmer

When I arrived in the summer of 2022, there was enthusiasm about the idea of coaching but a need to provide clarity around what makes great coaching, and drive the school’s instructional coaching programme to excellence.

What We've Learned About Codifying Teaching

What We've Learned About Codifying Teaching

By Peps Mccrea

For the last 7 years, over at Steplab we've been working on a project to codify effective teaching. This essay explores what we've done and what we've learned.

Case Study: Instructional Coaching at Abacus Primary: Seven Lessons Learned

By Vicki Briody

As a primary school head and a MAT leader, I believe it is an absolute entitlement for every teacher in our organisation to have meaningful, quality professional development.

Building Your Coaching Skills: Picking A Great Model

Building Your Coaching Skills: Picking A Great Model

By Harry Fletcher-Wood

Seeing is believing… and knowing what to do. That’s why sharing a model can make such a big difference to anyone who's learning a new skill.

Case Study: Launching Steplab in Incremental Steps at Harris St John's Wood

By Lizzie Stockdale

At my previous school, I’d seen what a positive impact coaching has on both teacher practice and the teaching and learning culture in a school. When I started leading on Teaching and Learning in September 2021, I knew I wanted to start an instructional coaching programme.