Woodham Academy has recently become one of just 12 schools to be recognised as a Steplab Coaching Hub for its innovative use of instructional coaching tools to improve teaching and learning.
Steplab Coaching Hubs are schools from around the country that are using the Steplab professional learning platform in unique and interesting ways to deliver successful professional development programmes based on instructional coaching.
Instructional coaching involves one teacher working with another to help them take small, personalised steps to improve their practice.
Every half term, Steplab Coaching Hub schools will open their doors for leaders who want to learn about instructional coaching, Steplab and implementation.
Woodham deputy head teacher Sarah Dickinson said: “This is such an exciting opportunity for our school community.
“We are committed to developing our teachers so they are able to deliver the best lessons possible to our students.
“We are so proud to have leaders visit our school and see the great learning that takes place.
“At Woodham we are committed to everyone becoming the best version of themselves they can be, staff and students alike.
“By becoming a hub school, we hope that this mission will positively impact a wider community of schools, colleagues and the young people they serve.”
Woodham welcomed their first visitors to Woodham Academy as part of the coaching hub programme on January 25.
As part of the visit, leaders attended a weekly teaching and learning briefing focusing on strategies to check students’ understanding in the classroom and attended a morning meeting looking at Year 7 students refining their retrieval skills.
This was accompanied by lesson visits, observing coaching in action and speaking to staff and students about how coaching has helped to improve their practice.
The school is looking forward to welcoming more visits in the next half term.
