Coaching in Education Podcast Series

In this episode of the Coaching in Education Podcast, we continue our Stories from the Coaches series with a conversation about new beginnings. Following our recent reflective episode with Penny Verdich as she approaches retirement, this episode turns toward the future, introducing two of Growth Coaching International's newest Senior Consultants: Dean Clayden in Shanghai and Sarah Cole in Singapore. Together, we explore the journeys that brought Dean and Sarah into coaching from their early careers in teaching and leadership, to the moments that shaped their coaching practice and philosophy. They share what they've learned about building trust, supporting wellbeing and creating coaching-informed cultures in diverse, international education settings. Dean reflects on his research into positive psychology coaching and teacher wellbeing, including insights from his work Start with the Heart, while Sarah speaks about designing learning experiences that are grounded in curiosity, care and real-world application. This conversation is less about roles and titles and more about values, purpose and the human side of coaching. It offers thoughtful reflections on what coaching can make possible for educators, leaders and school communities and what Dean and Sarah hope to contribute as they begin this next chapter of their work with GCI. Whether you're a coach, a school leader, or simply curious about the power of meaningful conversations in education, this episode invites you to pause, reflect and consider what it means to lead and coach with intention.

We're excited to introduce CoachED Conversations, a brand-new podcast series designed to bring timely, practical insights straight to our coaching community. Hosted by Richard Reid and Dan Steele, each monthly episode will explore a focused topic, giving you insights and ideas, along with some strategies and next steps to support your coaching practice straight away. This inaugural episode kicks off with Goal Setting - a powerful and timely focus for the beginning of 2026 as coaches and educators look to the year ahead.

In this heartfelt Stories from the Coaches episode of the Coaching in Education podcast, Richard Reid speaks with Penny Verdich — a highly respected educator, principal, coach, and Senior Consultant with Growth Coaching International. With more than four decades of leadership experience in NSW schools, Penny shares the key moments that shaped her coaching journey, her passion for professional learning and the profound impact she has had on school and system leaders across the state. As she prepares for retirement, Penny offers wisdom, insights and inspiration for everyone invested in developing leadership capacity and fostering meaningful professional conversations. A warm celebration of a career dedicated to helping others grow.

In this episode of the Coaching in Education Podcast, host Richard Reid is joined by Brett Horton (Head of School Performance), Trudi Lucas (Head of Future Education Initiatives) from Brisbane Catholic Education and Dr. Jim Knight from the Instructional Coaching Group. Together, they explore BCE's bold vision for system-wide improvement, the power of partnership and how instructional coaching is being embedded across more than 140 schools to strengthen teaching, leadership and learning outcomes. Discover how BCE is shaping a culture of growth and collaboration and why coaching is at the heart of their journey toward better outcomes for every student.

What happens when a school makes coaching central to its leadership culture? In this episode, Richard Reid speaks with Dr Adrian Camm, Principal of Westbourne Grammar in Melbourne, about the school's journey in embedding coaching across staff and leadership. Adrian shares the wins, the challenges and the profound impact coaching has had on communication, collaboration and student wellbeing. If you're a school leader curious about making the shift towards a coaching approach to leadership – this episode is for you.

In this episode Richard Reid is joined by Simon Matthews, Deputy Executive Director of Independent Schools Tasmania and host of the Learning Landscape podcast. They explore how instructional coaching is being embedded across a wide variety of independent schools—from rural campuses to city-based boarding schools. Simon shares how coaching is impacting teacher practice, professional learning and school culture, as well as the challenges and successes along the way. Whether you're just starting or looking to deepen your coaching culture, this episode offers practical insights and inspiration.

"Sustainability isn't just about the environment — it's also about people, programs, and practice. And when it comes to Instructional Coaching Done Well, sustainability can often be the difference between a coaching culture that thrives… and one that quietly fades away." This is the final episode of our special Instructional Coaching Done Well mini-series, where we're diving deep into what makes Instructional Coaching truly work in schools. In this conversation we're talking about something that doesn't always get the attention it deserves — sustainability. Inspired by Jim Knight's book Evaluating Instructional Coaching, this episode is all about what it takes to build coaching programs that last — coaching that's not a passing trend, but part of the fabric of school life. To help us unpack all of this, in this episode I'm joined by two brilliant guests: Mileva Tubbs — founder of the Instructional Coaching Collective, who's been at the heart of supporting coaches in a network of schools in Perth Australia and Av Swami — Senior Consultant with Growth Coaching International, who brings a wealth of experience in helping schools embed a coaching culture. Together, we'll explore why sustainability often gets overlooked, the key role leadership plays, how to set coaches up for success and how schools can create the conditions for instructional coaching to flourish long-term.

In this episode we are shifting our focus to Coaches as Leaders because Instructional Coaching Done Well isn't just about supporting others, it's also about how we lead ourselves and those around us. To help us unpack this, I'm delighted to be joined once again by Dr Jim Knight, Chris Munro and we extend a warm welcome to GCI Director Dan Steele. In this episode we will be diving into how we navigate the challenges of leadership, particularly when we get stuck and ego gets in the way, why self-care is an essential leadership skill and how great coaches balance ambition with humility. We will also explore how coaches create alignment, make great decisions and clarify their purpose.

Welcome to another of our Instructional Coaching Done Well Roadshow mini-series episodes. In this episode, I'm delighted to be in conversation once again with Dr Jim Knight - author, researcher, and co-founder of the Instructional Coaching Group. For many people around the world, Jim's work has shaped how we think about coaching in schools and at the heart of that work sits today's topic of discussion - the Partnership Principles. These seven principles — equality, choice, voice, dialogue, praxis, reflection, and reciprocity — offer not just a framework for coaching, but a way of being in relationship with others. They help us think deeply about what it means to honour the humanity, autonomy, and potential of the people we work with every day. In this conversation, we explore where the Partnership Principles come from, what they look like in action, and how they can shape not only our coaching conversations — but also the culture of our schools and organisations. This is a must listen. Richard Reid – Podcast host.

In this first of a series of episodes in our mini-series Instructional Coaching Done Well Roadshow we are going to kick off with the question – Instructional Coaching Done Well – What does that look like? Knowing that every school is different, how do you create a sustainable, impactful instructional coaching program that really works in both the short and the long term? To make a start at answering this question I'm joined by none other than Dr Jim Knight himself alongside our own Executive Director Chris Munro. Join us as we take a deeper look at the Seven Success Factors.

In this episode I'm joined by Dr. Chris Baker. Chris leads professional development for a large group of schools in the South West of England, supporting over 3000 staff. He is the author of Leadership Launchpads, a visually engaging book packed with 100 powerful leadership concepts, covering everything from public narratives to 'sludge audits.' But what really stands out about Chris is his journey from what he describes as a 'dire' early education to an obsession with professional learning and coaching. In this episode, we explore his story, his coaching philosophy and why he believes that not everyone needs to be a coach - yet coaching as a way of leading is essential. In addition to that we unpack the 'why' of coaching in schools and the importance of partnership, enabling conditions, and a coaching stance in leadership. So, whether you're a school leader, coach, or educator looking to enhance your conversations and leadership approach, you won't want to miss this episode.

Join us in this special episode as we dive into the transformative power of listening with the authors of the brand new book - Radical Listening. In this episode of Coaching in Education, I will be in conversation with Christian Van Nieuwerburgh and Robert Biswas-Diener exploring how deep, intentional listening can reshape school culture, strengthen leadership, and elevate coaching conversations. With lots of practical insights and real-world examples, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to build more inclusive and connected educational communities. Listen In Now.🎧 Richard Reid Podcast Host.

In this special episode, we're thrilled to welcome Jasmine Miller, author of A Teacher's Guide to Coaching. Jasmine will share insights from her new book, exploring how coaching can transform teaching practices, build stronger relationships and empower both teachers and students. Whether you're new to coaching or looking to deepen your skills, you won't want to miss this conversation packed with practical strategies and real-life examples. Listen in now.🎧

To mark this year's International Women's Day we have recorded a powerful conversation on sustainable leadership and wellbeing with special guest Nicole O'Brien, a visionary Principal and advocate for strengths-based leadership. As a Gratitude Warrior Nicole shares how she's using coaching as a core approach to support leaders and teachers in her school. Listen in for practical insights on using strengths and gratitude to enhance wellbeing, prevent burnout and lead with authenticity. Get ready for an inspiring listen!

In this latest episode of 'Stories from the Coaches' I'm genuinely thrilled to be joined by Claudia Owad, an expert in the transformative power of coaching and positive psychology. Currently a Director at GCI and more recently a director with the Instructional Coaching Group, Claudia brings over 25 years of experience working across education, corporate settings, and not-for-profits. Her passion? Helping leaders, teachers, students, and parents create flourishing learning environments. Drawing on her expertise in developmental frameworks and mental toughness, Claudia combines practical strategies with an inspiring focus on strengths and growth. Whether you're an educator, a coach, or a leader, this conversation will offer valuable insights into harnessing coaching and positive psychology to create meaningful change. Resources: https://www.growthcoaching.com.au/resource/the-wonderful-ripple-effect-of-coaching-5-tips-to-help-this-happen/ https://psywb.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/2211-1522-3-2  

In this episode we're exploring an inspiring leadership journey in education with special guests, Louise Rose and Di Henning. Louise, an award-winning educator and current principal at Brooks High School in Tasmania, shares her transformative journey from a highly successful early teaching career focused on personal achievement, to a deep commitment to leadership grounded in coaching, emotional intelligence, and trust. Alongside her is Di Henning, an experienced educational leader and longstanding team member with GCI, whose mentorship played a pivotal role in Louise's professional growth. Join me as we hear all about Louise's evolution as a leader, explore how she and Di have strengthened the leadership team at Brooks High, and discuss their 'Leadership Way of Being' document, an approach they've developed to foster trust, self-awareness, and a coaching culture within the school community. This episode offers valuable insights for anyone passionate about the impact of coaching as a way of leading.

In this episode of Coaching in Education, join me in conversation with Russell Bennett and Stephen Fantom, two dynamic educators from St Joseph's Institution International School in Singapore. Over the last decade, Russell and Steve have led the way in creating a vibrant coaching culture at SJI, transforming professional learning and fostering personal growth among staff. Listen in as they share their journey, the challenges they've faced, and the impact coaching has had across their school community. Whether you're just beginning your coaching journey or looking to deepen your practice, this conversation is packed with insights and practical takeaways. Genuinely, this is a must listen! Richard Reid – Podcast Host.

In this week's episode of Coaching in Education, we dive into the topic of "Coaching through Transitions" with Rachel Thornton, Deputy Head of Whangarei Boys High School in New Zealand. Rachel shares the innovative approach her school has taken to train senior boys in coaching skills, enabling them to coach and support primary school students who are feeling anxious about the transition to secondary school. Listen in to discover how this peer coaching initiative is fostering confidence, connection, and leadership during a critical time of change for young learners.

In this latest episode of our 'Stories from the Coaches' mini-series I want to start by referring to our strapline – where theory and good intentions meet reality because the topic of discussion in this episode - Reflective Practice, fits so well with this phrase. Let me explain: In theory, we as educators and coaches appreciate the benefits of a reflective approach to our practice and we definitely have good intentions to make this a regular habit, however the reality quite often is that we let disciplines such as reflective practice drop off the list as the busyness of working in education takes over. In this episode we aim to help you address this issue so join me in conversation with one of GCI's longest serving members – Di Henning and we will take a deeper dive into reflective practice.

Throughout many of our episodes one of the most common themes where coaching has had a significant impact is 'change'. Planning for it and responding to it. For many of us, change is not something we welcome with open arms. A few episodes ago we heard how Jo Cammozzato was preparing her team for change as she got ready to open a brand new school, in another recent episode we heard how Justine Smyth brought together three separate schools into one and successfully used coaching to help manage that significant change. In this episode we get to find out how coaching continues to impact a school team just two and half years into its new journey. In 2022 my guest Mark Natoli opened the doors to a brand new school – Greenvale Secondary College in Melbourne Australia. With a motto – Dream | Believe | Achieve, join me in this episode to hear how coaching has impacted the early years of this brand new establishment. Richard Reid – podcast host