The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) commissioned the NFER to conduct a desk based review into mentoring and coaching. The research focused on the nature of approaches to, and impact of, mentoring and coaching in both schools and social care, and considered the role local authorities play in promoting it.

The review involved a combination of an audit of evidence from library database searches, website searches and information requested from key organisations. A small number of publications were then selected for full review.

Key Findings

The main findings from the evaluation include the following.

Mentoring and coaching:

• encourages staff to be reflective in their practice
• improves sharing of knowledge and skills between staff
• promotes a change in professional culture towards learning, reflection and collaboration.

Key findings for teachers and schools include:

• significant numbers of teachers are involved in some form of mentoring or coaching
• primary school staff tend to be supported by external mentoring and coaching sources, while secondary schools staff are supported by internal sources
• the National Framework for Mentoring and Coaching is not well known with few teachers using it, however those using the framework find it helpful.

The evaluation found that the main challenges to effective mentoring and coaching included pressures around time and workload. Different challenges were found between the workplace cultures of education and social care.

Lord, P., Atkinson, M. and Mitchell, H. (2008). Mentoring and Coaching for Professionals: a Study of the Research Evidence . TDA: London.