Developing a new school with a coaching for excellence model within a research-led environment

Location and context John Taylor Free School is a non-selective, non-denominational secondary school near Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. It opened in September 2018 with 210 Year 7 students, and the school will grow each year until it reaches capacity at 1,550 students. Vision for learning The school follows the mantra of ‘succeed and thrive’, which applies to staff as well as students. Professional learning sessions Leaders who create a stimulating and collaborative professional environment, with a shared school vision and goals, are those who can best raise student achievement. Helal and Coelli (2016), p.28 The coaching for excellence model within a research-led environment means that the school has invested in professional learning for staff – two hours every week to share best practice, draw on the latest research, plan together, and develop coaching capacities to enable each and every member of staff to be the very best that they can be. The school is developing