Coaching new school leaders works

When experienced school leaders in primary education coach new colleagues, those colleagues settle into the job faster, which reduces the chance of them leaving early. This is reported by the Sectorbestuur Onderwijsarbeidsmarkt (SBO), the Dutch sector board for the education labour market.

The SBO commissioned the labour relations centre CAOP to research the effects and the success factors of coaching by school leaders in primary education. The study was funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education (OCW).

The research shows that new school leaders who are coached by experienced colleagues not only settle in more quickly, but also perform more professionally and feel valued in their work. Coaching means school leaders stay in primary education longer than they otherwise would.