Can I train to be a coach in a school?

[ginnysmith]

Hello all, I'm Ginny and new here. I was a teaching assistant and wonder if there are opportunities to be a school coach and if so what sort of training do I need. I read that the government is putting some money into schools and I know that many of you will understand the need for coaching. I'm at loss to know where to start. Thank you Ginny

What do you want to coach? PE? Adults? Children?

A school coach is not a role that most schools have?

The only coaches I know are former heads who have undertaken lengthy post grad study and hold a formal accredited coaching qualification.

Thanks for your question. The Government have allocated £30m to schools to combat mental health issues and to my mind coaching as a less stigmatised option would be very beneficial to pupils from infant upwards. It would make sense that if coaching proves to be one of the ways that the intervention can help then it makes sense that coaches are not brought in from outside but instead some school staff are trained as coaches. I am looking to return to work at the end of the year and thinking what I want to do and helping children through the stresses of school and peer relationships would be a dream job.

The role would be a learning mentor/pastoral mentor or similar. Most schools already have them. Look into that.

I work in education - previously school SLT.
I think it is a nice idea but perhaps the wrong time/climate to try to persuade schools to buy in a new approach? There are already several organisations working in the field of education and mental health, so if schools are going to buy in approaches then they will probably look there first.

Place2Be is one - they do some training for individuals. Also look at the Anti-Bullying organisations and restorative justice approaches.

The other thing is that you are unlikely to get paid as a TA or learning mentor just to deliver coaching to children. If you come to an interview with that qualification then a school will regard it as a 'nice to have', but will probably want you to do mainstream TA or learning mentor duties for most of your time.

Thanks MaybeDoctor. What I'm talking about has been highlighted on BBC Breakfast this morning www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-43894271# It mentions counselling that's what I want to do. If anyone knows of a training company that specialises in counselling training for working with children in schools please let me know. Ginny

Your first post mentioned coaching, rather than counselling? If it is counselling you want to do, then that is better as there is more of an evidence-base around counselling than coaching.

I have read the link - is it this bit you are referring to?

*A government spokesman said £300m had been allocated to provide additional resources for early mental health intervention for all schools - primary and secondary.

"We are also helping schools to intervene early by offering mental health first aid training for a member of staff in every primary and secondary school."*

I work in the education sector and the first sentence is more likely to mean that they are giving £30m overall to organisations - probably including Place2Be - who already do work in this field and who can develop projects and resources for schools to use. It doesn't mean that they are giving £30m divided out to every school in the country to spend as they choose - as that wouldn't be an effective way of spending the money. However, if you wanted to train with Place2Be or another provider then now would probably be a good time, as they are likely to be getting an injection of cash! But, one of the criteria for doing that kind of training is likely to be that you are already working in a school and can therefore use what you learn directly with pupils.

The second part is likely to mean that one person already working in each school will get Mental Health First Aid training, but that would probably be an add-on to their existing duties rather than something they would do as the main part of their role.

The other route is to become a qualified counsellor or possibly a clinical psychologist to work with CAMHS - but the training is quite long.

I realise that is not totally what you wanted to hear, but hope that helps clarify the situation.

Here are their courses:
Place2Be

I am a coach and used to teach . I've got years of experience doing both as well as additional training in special needs. I'd find it hard to get a role as a coach in a school. I've never seen such roles expect as parent / child welfare coordinators. A bit like a TA but working more with kids you are struggling.

You need to either train as a teacher and find a pastoral role, or train as a counsellor or child psychologist.

In our LA there are several organisations who work both inside and outside schools with children identified as having or being at risk of mh issues and behaviour such as truanting, disruptive behaviour and disengagement post 16. Maybe have a look at who is contracted to provide similar provision locally but also bear in mind that funding is being stretched and cutbacks made, whatever the headlines say.

Hi OP, funnily enough I've just graduated as a coach, and the company I trained with, Noble Manhattan, are launching a School coach course - I've decided to do it. www.noble-manhattan.co.uk
It's all pretty new but there is definitely a space between having a quick chat with your teacher after class about something that's bothering you and requiring therapy or counselling.

The reason I've signed up is because I really think there's a need there. I see it in my DDs and their friends, and that's what I needed as a child and teenager - more prevention than intervention. I was very anxious and brittle and I needed a few pointers on how to go on in life, how to handle exam stress, deal with social and emotional upheaval, just all the normal teen exigencies that I felt totally unequipped to deal with.

I find it extraordinary that we educate children up, down and round but we never teach them how to deal with real life interactional issues, how to regulate their emotions and how to handle unprecedented situations: they're just meant to learn it on their own. And it's not easy.

Thanks WhatHo, this exactly fits my goals, I'm guessing the opportunities are there at the schools otherwise the training wouldn't exist. I'm sure I will have more questions for you, I hope you don't mind!

I'm guessing the opportunities are there at the schools otherwise the training wouldn't exist.

Presumably they take your money and guarantee nothing at the end.

I work in the NHS. There’s a local college training phlebotomists in techniques that aren’t used.

I find it extraordinary that we educate children up, down and round but we never teach them how to deal with real life interactional issues, how to regulate their emotions and how to handle unprecedented situations: they're just meant to learn it on their own.

On their own? Where are their parents?

Please don’t spend any money with that company until you have emailed your nearest ten schools and ask if they would be likely to employ someone to carry out coaching in school.

TittyGolightly Ha! good name. By the same criteria you might as well ask why parents don't all teach reading and writing, seeing as we can all 'do' it...

As a parent, I have.

Or do you think all learning should only happen at school?

God, no. But while I might be able to help my child read and write I'm not going to be an expert at the finer points of literary appreciation. Or I can teach them simple maths but I'd be buggered if they needed algebra. I'm pushing the metaphor a bit but hopefully you can see what I'm getting at.

My parents taught me how to be, and lots of basic skills like being friendly and kind and consider other people but bugger all about how to handle insidious bullying, or what to do when I was so stressed about exams I could barely talk. Or how to handle the rejection when my best friend had a party with a her new friend and didn't include me, bla bla bla. 'Buck up!' probably would have been the response.

Hi OP yes no worries although it's all pretty new to me! If you DM me I'll let you know how the course goes when it starts