We were presented with the opportunity for coaching within our primary and secondary schools.  In the schools where Sue has been working, feedback from headteachers and pastoral staff has been universally positive.  They all note her professional and caring approach and the positive impact she has had on the pupils and staff she has engaged with.

Students we thought would not engage (their parents/carers didn't think they would either.....) have attended every session and we are seeing progress at school and at home.  

One student on the brink of suspension has been clear of incidents since engaging with the coaching.

Another has started interacting and socialising with her family again.

Another student is managing overwhelm with greater understanding - and success!

Vulnerable students needing time we don't always have as a staff team are being listened to, encouraged and taught how to take ownership for their feelings, reactions, choices and decisions.  An hour of 100% attention and no interruptions or judgement.

Instead of focusing on friendship 'dramas' that were taking precious time and energy, two of them have re-focused onto what they need to achieve in their GCSE's in order to secure a place for A Levels and beyond.

Most of all - they all have a clearer idea of who they are, what their values are and what they want in life - realising it is down to them and their attitude.

Inspiring!

I was very fortunate to have a one-to-one 'think' session with Sue and found the process to be transformative.  Before the session, I had been struggling to find clarity on some key issues, but Sue's supportive, non-judgemental and positive approach made it incredibly easy to open up to her.  Her kindness created a safe space for genuine reflection.

I walked away with the mental clarity I had been searching for and couldn't believe how much my thinking shifted in such a short space of time.  The impact of the session lasted long after it ended and I continue to return to the thinking processes that she worked through with me.

Since working with our young people Susan has been an excellent addition to our pastoral intervention team.  She is communicative, flexible and approachable.  Her coaching is unique and she adapts her approach meaningfully to suit the individual student, making each session impactful.

Susan has worked with some of our most vulnerable and hard to reach students.  Each with their own individual set of needs.  Susan has quickly formed a relationship of trust with these students, setting them achievable and meaningful targets.  Her feedback is thorough and informative.  So much so that we have asked her to come in more frequently!

I have learned many things during these sessions but one thing that stands out is how to reach my full potential and ignore distraction.  I also learned what sort of environment I like to work in.  If you lock something really precious in a safe and forget the code, you try and try to remember it but you get down because you've lost it.  Then one day someone comes up to you and tells you the code - you can finally get it out.

My coaching sessions are a place where I can talk and not feel like 'I can't say this or I can't say that'.  I can say anything and have any thoughts.  I can talk to someone and trust them, say how I feel and I've actually started owning my own feelings.  I've learned more about me and also me with other people.  I'm riding my bike more, playing football in the garden more and doing pull ups.  That was another thing that came out of the coaching - to move our bodies so we can move our minds.  I suddenly noticed how much better I feel - it kind of just happened.  

Staff morale was low, the school environment felt tired and the focus appeared to be on a results-driven approach to teaching and learning.  Sue came in with fresh eyes.  She quickly identified areas that could and should be improved and she wasted no time getting to work.  The child was placed at the centre of their education and teachers were given the autonomy to adapt their classroom environments to suit individual learning needs.  With a cohort of 50% SEND learners in my class, this approach was like a breath of fresh air.  I was given the green light to change my teaching methods and to introduce continuous provision into my Year 1 classroom.  I shaped the teaching environment to match the needs of the students and the results spoke for themselves.  Behavioural issues decreased and the classroom became a calmer, happier and more productive learning space.  With Sue's guidance and support this transformative effect took place throughout the school.

For me, coaching has helped change the way I think completely - I’m more self aware, I’m more curious and I’m able to manage negative thought patterns that I’ve struggled with for years. Coaching is a breath of fresh air in that it’s very client led, instead of the practitioner being the one who’s asking you questions (although they are always there if you do need that extra support), you’re the one who gets to interrogate your own mindset and freely express your thoughts - you’re the one making the progress, and at the end of it, you’re the one who gets to feel proud of yourself.

Though brief, the impact you have had has been immense.....You have re-ignited a love and passion for teaching that had lost its way and for that I will be forever grateful!  You are fearless, do what is right by the children and put them at the centre of everything you do.  That is why we became teachers.  Thankyou for your belief, care and straight talking.

I was thrilled to have Sue Walker visit school to run a whole-class wellbeing workshop with my Year 4 class.  The session was engaging, age-appropriate and thoughtfully delivered, helping the children to explore mindfulness, letting go of worries and learning practical ways to manage everyday concerns.  The children particularly enjoyed Sue's focus on gratitude and celebrating our own unique personalities and viewpoints.  Throughout the workshop, the children were calm, reflective and enthusiastic, and the messages Sue shared have continued to resonate beyond her visit.  I would wholeheartedly recommend Sue's sessions to any school.

Sue has demonstrated exceptional skill and deep empathy in her coaching of our Looked After Children (LAC).  Her approach goes beyond standard academic support; she utilises solution-focused coaching to help these students build resilience and self-regulation.  By providing a consistent, stable point of contact, Sue has successfully empowered our LAC students to identify their own barriers to learning and develop actionable strategies to overcome them.  Her work has been instrumental in improving both the attendance and the emotional well-being of this vulnerable cohort.

Sue’s coaching style is supportive and caring - it was transformative to me. It helped me to develop the ability to find clarity and solutions in the challenges I faced at work. It built my confidence and our sessions were the perfect outlet for me to challenge my ways of thinking and assumptions. I loved the process and found the sessions highly valuable. They helped me realise what I wanted to achieve in my personal life and I am really grateful for Sue’s expertise.

Coaching with Sue has been an eye-opening and liberating experience.  Her approach is supportive and gently challenging and has enabled me to approach challenges in my life confidently and to see things through a different lens.  Having a safe space to explore and think has allowed me to make positive changes for myself, my adopted son and my wider family.  Having my session by phone affords me the flexibility to fit them into my day around work and other commitments.  I look forward to my sessions with Sue and the new thinking that comes from them.

My son has been having coaching with Sue since August last year.  He thoroughly looks forward to his sessions and comes away with new ideas about himself and his brain (which he sometimes shares with us).  He has used the sessions, not only to think and develop his own thoughts, but also to look at his schoolwork when he has chosen to.  Sue's approach to coaching is supportive and encouraging and the relationship is at the core of her work with him and this is clearly visible in how he interacts with her.  It has had a profoundly positive impact on my son and is a cherished safe space for him to be himself and to think.

Coaching for me was a truly eye opening experience. Exploring my emotions in such a positive way really helped me to understand more about myself. I really looked forward to my sessions and appreciated the comfortable and safe space Sue helped to provide. I also enjoyed the form of the sessions - we focused on what I wanted to focus on and I found it such a supportive environment. I would highly recommend coaching as an approach to anyone and everyone who would love to find out more about themselves!

My coaching sessions helped me through a process of decision-making that led me to who I am now. They helped me understand my doubts, develop greater confidence and self-awareness, and feel more motivated and less worried about my future. 

The best part of coaching is that you can express your thoughts without interruption or judgement. It helped me clear my head and make sense of my thoughts.

Sue was patient and understanding. I felt that I could talk about anything I wanted to - from work to personal grief, which I have struggled to open up about in the past with people close to me. I never felt uncomfortable, which I have done previously when speaking to others. It was emotional and valuable and I would highly recommend Sue and her coaching.

Coaching helped me understand how I think and how to work through problems in a way that is beneficial to me.  Whether exploring personal or faith matters, it helped me become more actively involved in understanding my own thinking and how it affects me.

Coaching has been really helpful in helping me tackle my negative thinking and making me realise that I CAN do things - instead of me assuming that I can’t. I am putting what I have learned towards an interview and I will take the skills learned into the rest of my life. Thank you so much for the opportunity, I am truly grateful!

My coaching has helped me to learn how to manage my emotions.  I've learned a lot more about myself and how to control situations in the right way - as in controlling my SELF and owning my choices because I can't control other people or situations - just myself and my choices.

I can see my own emotions better.  I don't just get angry - I feel free and safe.  I am managing to see what I've done in situations and be accountable.  I've found out what to do when I can't regulate.  I'm really enjoying doing more exercise - I've been riding my bike loads and it gets rid of energy that would normally be angry outbursts.

I am more honest with my foster carer and feel more courage for the first time.  I feel more organised and have learned to focus on what to celebrate.  When difficult situations come, I can talk about them rather than freeze up.

Coaching has helped me find different ways to deal with difficult situations.  I understand my values and I can control my 'chimp' better now.  My responses have changed - instead of getting angry when I feel ignored or hurt, I can take control of my 'chimp'.

I have learned to understand why I behave the way I do and I notice it more.  I have learned strategies to help me cope and I know it's not a problem - I can manage it and help others too.  I know what I want for my future.  Thank you.

My son Leon struggled when he started middle school.  Things got so bad at the beginning of this year he refused to attend school. In June, Leon started coaching sessions with Sue each week.  These helped him to interact with others and the Lego was a winner! Through these sessions Leon began to engage more. This helped my son’s anxiety, and it’s helped me understand his needs better. The good news: Leon is now in week 3 at his new school, part time, but I must say if he hadn’t attended these coaching sessions he would have found the transition back into school much harder

What young people say after 6 weeks of 1-1 coaching.

Three young people reflecting on their experience of coaching in school.

J:  Year 9

'These sessions are helping to build my future.  I feel happier and brighter.  You get to choose and are helped.  If you don't think about your future, you won't get there'.

C: Year 10

'I feel the most me in these sessions.  It's like being with a teacher but not a teacher.  Not telling - my choice.  In the sessions I feel the positivity, love, respect and affection that we need'.

T: Year 10

'These sessions give me time to think.  They give me thoughts from a different perspective.  I feel changes - I feel more confident and happier.  I've stopped biting my nails and am learning how to revise!'

I have had the absolute privilege of sitting in on a number of sessions with Sue whilst she worked in our school.  Not only have I learned a tremendous amount about how to manage my own thinking and thought processes, Sue has worked with a number of students with extremely complex needs.  She has been patient, determined and has made tremendous progress with these students, who value her time hugely.  I couldn't recommend Sue enough should you find yourself getting stuck in your thinking without finding a sustainable solution yourself.

Sue Walker had a clear and honest coaching style.  She was open with her communication and set strong expectations, which helped create a positive and professional environment for the students.  By being straightforward and genuine, she built strong relationships with the children she worked with, within such a short space of time.  By the end of the session, children were really comfortable talking about difficult situations and about their own belief systems.

Sue's Thinking Workshops opened our eyes to the possibilities of how differently children think and how we, as educators, can support their individual thinking styles.

We reflected on the importance of giving children more autonomy - including time to think, how they choose to participate and how they listen to others.

The 'Thinking Pairs' exercise made us re-consider how our own reactions and encouragement can influence what children feel able to share.  It was a thought-provoking session that has changed the way we think about listening to children'.

The workshop gave the children the chance to be more independent in their thinking.  I particularly valued the opportunity for them to pass when first going round the circle and to choose when they were ready to share.

It also made us think about how our responses to other people's ideas can influence what they feel able to share.  The children experienced how difficult it can be not to interrupt or add our own opinions, and how this can affect what others contribute'.

'I liked it when Sue asked us what it felt like in our minds and we were able to say things like rollercoaster or washing machine.  You got to hear everyone's thoughts'.

'I loved how you made it feel grown up and how you helped us to explain our brains.  I have already started changing my thoughts.  You helped me loads'.

'My brain is like a washing machine, racing at bed-time.  Towels are my emotions'.

'I really enjoyed where I could speak about myself and I could say whatever I wanted'.

'I like how we got to share how our brain feels without any judgement or interruption and I like hearing other people's thoughts'.

It was a real treat to dedicate time to explore a fresh approach to thinking - something rare in a busy school day.  Hearing echoes of familiar initiatives - for example; Circle Time, Philosophy for Children, Forest School - built upon and re-imagined in this way.  The importance of giving children opportunities to develop thinking skills and the lifelong benefits are not lost on me.  I appreciated the equality of all around the table, the open questions and the chance to share ideas freely.  I dared to dream how different our children would feel if they had a chance to do the same.

I very much enjoyed being part of the discussion around thinking skills and their importance in education.  Sue was incredibly talented at helping us get to the root of the issues rather than following the usual predictable paths. 

She gently guided us towards lateral thinking, which opened up some really interesting questions.  We will take these further as we develop our curriculum and work towards creating well-rounded thinkers, as well as educationally able pupils.

It's hard to put into words the impact you have had on the school, the children and myself in the short time I've known you.  The school is a happy, vibrant and fun place to be again and the children are excited about their learning.  The joy they have in their learning makes teaching a pleasure again.  You have also given me back my confidence as a teacher and allowed me the chance to fall in love with teaching again.

The school is a much kinder, more joyful and reflective environment since you 'touched' it.  Flair, creativity, vision, kindness and of course the love and care you brought will not be forgotten!

Thankyou for making school more stable again and for taking us back to what education and schools should be all about - the children!  Thankyou for believing and trusting in me to get Class 2 to where they need to be and most importantly to get the children to love learning again!

You have opened my eyes to many different styles of teaching and what a gift it has been!  Thankyou for letting us be creative, individual and inspiring teachers again.  You have helped us more than you will ever know!

The time you've spent here has been like a breath of fresh air.  Your kindness has given me the courage to stand up for myself and makes me feel like I can have an opinion of my own.

You have given us all the freedom to be who we are without fear!  You will be missed!

Sue supported us to look at our provision through fresh eyes. Her careful use of questioning facilitated really productive contributions & deep thinking. Her approach created a safe space for this to take place & the flexibility to take on its own direction. We will definitely be taking time to explore the themes more widely.

Your strategies helped us through the worst time as a family and encouraged our children to learn and grow through the situation.  Your strategies for learning and nurture have been invaluable (I still think you are changing the world one school at a time!!!)