At St Andrew’s Cathedral School we believe that learning occurs in the classroom and outside it. Therefore, the quality of teaching must be consistent through to the sporting fields.
Underpinned by our Sports Coaching Model, our coach development focuses on three key priorities: Knowledge, practice and communication.
At St Andrew’s Cathedral School we don’t just believe our students matter, we believe our sports coaches do too – that’s why we invest in them with regular professional learning, observation and feedback through coaching and mentoring.
Professional development
Our professional development programme for our sports coaches promotes high performing environments for our athletes to learn in.
Sport coaches at the School receive ongoing professional development throughout the sporting season. This prioritises high-quality training session design, differentiated to the athletes’ needs – just like our lesson planning for classroom teachers.
Additionally, we use an evidence informed approach to design bespoke professional learning for individual sports, so the professional development of our sports coaches is timely, relevant and reflective of their needs.
Observation and feedback
At St Andrew’s observation and feedback are integral to the professional growth of our sport coaches – this mirrors the high-quality practices embedded across our teaching staff.
Through purposeful observation, collegial dialogue and reflective feedback, sport coaches are supported by our development coaches and sports staff. This process seeks to continually refine their practice in ways that directly enhance student learning, engagement, character development and wellbeing, through sports.
Our observation and feedback processes are aligned with our Sport Coaching Model and professional learning goals for sports coaches. This ensures consistency across sporting codes and coaches, whilst building capacity in our sport coaches and upholding our commitment to teaching and learning excellence – both in the classroom and on the sporting field.
Coaching and mentoring
The School has a strong coaching culture which extends beyond our teaching staff to our sports coaches. Supported by development coaches and highly experienced and accredited coaches, regular instructional coaching and coaching conversations encourage reflection, self-assessment and goal setting among our sport coaches.
These coaching and mentoring opportunities drive our sports coaches’ autonomy and capacity, empowering our them to make informed decisions, adapt their practice and continually develop their skills.
Learning alongside expert coaches and mentors ensures our sport coaches strengthen their confidence and capability, ensuring high-quality, student-centred sporting experiences across all programmes.