"I started to work with Kath on a personal basis, and due to the incredible personal impact, I was able to see how Kath could have a big impact across our Trust of 7 schools. Kath has since worked across our executive leadership team and more widely across teams in individual schools. I can feel the difference day in day out and it is now hard to imagine how we could have made such progress without Kath’s work – I would highly recommend Kath to you individually and for your wider teams."
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I am currently working with Kath through her EduLead Coaching programme and it is fantastic. The programme is really well designed and focuses on personal leadership. As a senior leader in education it has truly helped me to shape my thinking and leadership approaches. I am certain the coaching she does can be applied in any leadership scenario or profession. Kath is extremely good at what she does, instantly puts you at ease whilst also challenging you to think. I cannot recommend EduLead and Kath highly enough.
Richard Hawthorn, Head of school, Excalibur Academies Trust |
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"I was given the opportunity to undertake coaching with Kath. It was a daunting prospect and I was concerned that it might change me in ways I was not prepared for. However, it has been probably the best thing I have ever done. Working with Kath has transformed me – my attitude to myself, others and to the world around me. I am now a much better version of myself. I would recommend coaching with Kath to everyone. "
Andree Quidder, Senior school leader
Andree Quidder, Senior school leader
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My initial coaching journey with Kath started with looking at my leadership within my schools, how I communicated with my teams, how I structured my days, my work and managing my time more effectively. We then moved onto establishing what my values were and my leadership identity. Throughout this time, we also came across the limiting beliefs I had about myself: that I wasn’t good enough and that I felt broken due to things that had happened in my past. We worked tirelessly to address those beliefs, we reframed my thoughts, we challenged my behaviour patterns. This quickly became about how I led myself. This required me to really dig into myself and really be honest with how I felt about my life. I am now designing my new future that is aligned with my values. I wouldn’t have done any of this if I hadn’t worked closely with Kath, who pushed me, cared for me, taught me, and supported me through some extremely stormy waters, and always with kindness, compassion and understanding. Her knowledge of leadership always astounds me, she is intelligent and has been there herself, has walked the walk and can teach you so much.
It has been a hugely enjoyable journey, but I have absolutely no regrets and wouldn’t change a thing. My journey continues for which I am eternally grateful. Would I recommend coaching, absolutely yes, would I recommend coaching with Kath, hell yes. Mandy Wilton - Executive Headteacher |
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"As a new Principal, but experienced Senior Leader I found this support extremely helpful and rewarding. Kath is able to provide support in a friendly and extremely approachable way. At times the work that we have been doing has been challenging especially gaining an insight in to my own personality and beliefs. Kath has structured her programme to be both personal and bespoke to your own developmental needs. I would wholeheartedly recommend Kath has a leadership coach, as she has been able to bring out the skills and confidence that I require to be a successful leader.”
Wayne Edwards. Principal |
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"Kath is an excellent leadership coach. I have been working with her since becoming a senior leader in a school and I have seen a very positive impact from the work I have done with her. I have also employed Kath to work with my senior team to support their development and leadership skills. Kath is a great listener, very clear and concise with her support and is able to help you find ways to excel both in your professional and personal life. Backed up by real experience, thorough research and understanding, Kath has helped me build on my own strengths and helped me break down some of the barriers that have been holding me back. Kath is a true professional and I would thoroughly recommend her to anyone looking to develop their skills as a leader."
Jon Nicholls, Principal |
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"I have worked with Kath as part of my development in my first role in senior leadership and I found it very daunting. Kath has helped me to understand my own values and more about myself as a person. The development I have made with her has focused my life so that I concentrate on looking after my own wellbeing and understanding my own priorities. Before working with Kath I felt like I was surviving day to day in the role and my future wasn’t clear – I now have a focus in my professional and personal life which gives me clear direction and purpose. This has enabled me to communicate more effectively with others, to ensure I am presenting my best self at work and to deal with stressful situations more easily. I have gained confidence in my own abilities and I am able to manage my workload more effectively. I would highly recommend Kath to anyone who is in a leadership role – she is friendly, reliable and puts you at ease. I didn’t truly know who I wanted to be as a leader – Kath helped me to discover that and is now helping me work towards it."
Jennie Thomson, Assistant Principal |
"The last three months have been a journey of self-knowledge and self-discovery - including the discovery that I DO have the power to direct my life as I want it. Kath has been endlessly supportive but has also challenged me to go deeper into my thoughts and behaviour to unblock the obstacles in my path towards a happier, more purposeful life. She has helped me see that that happiness starts with me and my own self-care."
Amy Ross
Amy Ross
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At the start of my journey I was very emotionally closed with colleagues at work compared to home and the version they would see would be the efficient person but not the person who needs to share my emotions. I ended up looking for coping mechanisms to be in control of my emotions, which weren't healthy or I would let my emotions bubble over. I hated getting any praise as this would make me feel vulnerable and I would often brush it under the carpet or think I didn’t deserve it. One of the biggest challenges was realising it is okay to share how you're feeling, accepting praise or letting people get to know the real you and not keep them at arm length. Through the coaching sessions, I realised that the only person that can influence me or let people influence me, is me. Often I would be my harshest critic but I now realise that actually I need to be my own champion. I’m an amazing strong women and it’s about time I realise this than constantly thinking I’m not good enough and that showing vulnerability and sharing me with other people is okay.
Siobhan Tyson, Executive Director of Professional Development, School to School support and Director of science |
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The main areas I felt needed some development were around my lack of confidence with very senior colleagues. I would feel inferior and hold back on contributing. Additionally, I struggled with perfectionism. Linked to these behaviours was a need to constantly please others and to seek constant reassurance for things I knew deep down were right and good. Finally, I would be nervous about, or avoid situations which could result in conflict.
I had followed Kath for some time on Linked In and thought she was someone I could work with. Each session was followed by a reflection exercise and some work to do ready for the next session. We covered topics from self-limiting beliefs, getting to the root of my core value system, a 360 degree feedback exercise, locus of control, crossing the fear barrier, understanding the programming I had received when young and how I could change this with some work. Nothing was off limits! Simply put this is the most powerful thing I have ever done for my self-development. I am a different person now. I have dramatically improved in all the areas I felt I had challenges and achieved so much more beyond those. This has not only helped me professionally but personally too. I can’t recommend coaching like this highly enough. Kath is amazing to work with and so committed to getting the very best from her clients. It is a challenging thing to do and requires high levels of personal commitment, but it is so worth it. I am sure Kath and I will keep in touch for many years to come. Would I recommend Kath if you were looking for some professional 1:1 coaching…? hell yes! Stop considering and start doing! Curt Boon, Head of Production, Adder Technology (Corporate client) |
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"I would recommend Kath unreservedly and without hesitation. Kath understands how educational leadership works and is able to apply her wealth of experience highly effectively. I want to thank her so much for her wonderful leadership support over the last 12 months, which has significantly contributed to our upward development."
Jon Oliver, Principal |
I appointed a teacher young in her career to the position of SENDCO in September 2020, this is a whole school role and involves being an active member of the Senior Leadership Team. This teacher had no experience of this at all and she needed support and guidance as she transitioned from class teacher to Senior Leader and coaching with Kath seemed to be a great way of helping her to build that bridge. Since working with Kath and a year further on, this colleague has become much stronger in her belief in her own capabilities and much more secure in her role within SLT. She will challenge me and other members and I now feel she has an equal voice as part of the Senior Leadership of a large 3 form entry primary school. She has progressed again to Assistant Head for Inclusion this year and now has a team of people working to her. This will continue to challenge her management and leadership skills, but I feel that with the positive experience of Kath's coaching she is much better placed to lead with confidence and clarity.
I have now sent two more of my staff to receive this coaching, one another member of SLT and one a member of MLT. The coaching is quite expensive but I feel it has paid dividends for the staff member and for the development of our team as a whole.
Thank you Kath, your guidance and coaching has been much appreciated and from what I can see really effective.
Jane, Headteacher, Primary school in Warwickshire
I have now sent two more of my staff to receive this coaching, one another member of SLT and one a member of MLT. The coaching is quite expensive but I feel it has paid dividends for the staff member and for the development of our team as a whole.
Thank you Kath, your guidance and coaching has been much appreciated and from what I can see really effective.
Jane, Headteacher, Primary school in Warwickshire
