CSM Directory

Biography:

I am currently director of school improvement for drb schools and academy services. I provide briefings for leaders and SIP work. Previously I was a headteacher for over ten years. One school achieved outstanding, the other was good. I have been teaching for thirty years.

I have coached as headteacher and also within my current role. I support eight headteachers on a termly basis and others on a ad-hoc basis. I have used coaching as part of my role for the last ten years. I am currently interested in the Clifton Strengths work and I am completing training around this. I do not have specific coaching qualifications.

I try to be mostly developmental and collaborative, grounded in the idea that others possess the self-efficacy to achieve their own goals and priorities once we have identified learning opportunities together. Where appropriate I will flit between coaching and mentoring and will support more proactively where this is required. The benefit of experience is to be able to advise as well as to draw out the best from others. Rather than establishing hierarchical control, I work collaboratively with leaders, offering authentic support and candid feedback.

Coaching values and Approach
I am currently training with the Educational Coach to gain a certificate accredited with the Association of Coaching.
As a coach, I commit to cultivating an open, curious, and client-centred presence.
I believe that each person holds the potential for growth and change within themselves. My role is not to provide answers, but to create a space where insight, clarity, and action can emerge.
I approach each session with humility, integrity, and respect. I seek to suspend my assumptions and attend to who my client is becoming, not just who they have been. The coaching relationship is a shared journey—anchored in trust, shaped by goals, and sustained by ethical practice.
I am mindful of my boundaries, scope of competence, and cultural positionality. I hold confidentiality as sacred and prioritise the wellbeing of my clients. I strive to maintain presence through intentional preparation, deep listening, and regular reflection.
This is new to me as I am often a mentor rather than a coach and I am working hard to tame " my advice monster!"