The CLS Peer Mentoring and Coaching programme is a pupil-led initiative that involves over 160 pupils across the school community. Trained Junior Sixth mentor-coaches are paired with a pupil in the Lower or Middle School, meeting once a week for a full academic year in structured sessions to offer support across academic and pastoral matters. The CLS programme has been running for several years, and – for many participants – has a significant positive effect on their progress and sense of belonging to the School community.
With sessions spanning coaching, neurodiversity, pedagogy, and safeguarding, the wide-ranging programme was designed to equip Junior Sixth Form mentor/coaches with the knowledge and skills they need to establish productive, sustainable partnerships, while also promoting their own academic progress.
Coordinated by Miss Manion (Head of Coaching), weekly sessions see pupils using coaching resources to help coachees in identifying their strengths, goals and current challenges, as well as determining small steps they can take towards their ambitions. Many trainees commented on the value they saw in coaching both for their partners and for themselves:
“The coaching session stood out because it taught us to ask questions that make our mentees think for themselves, rather than just giving them answers”
while another remarked that through coaching:
“I found out what my true goals were for this year and am now looking at ways I can achieve them.”
During the training morning, there was a great buzz in the air as pupils practised their coaching skills on each other through a series of interactive exercises, as well as talking through problem-solving safeguarding scenarios and deepening their understanding of inclusive pedagogical approaches to mentoring.
“Being a mentor/coach is helpful because you can teach yourself things, so the better you are at teaching, the better you are at learning”
This sentiment echoing research that shows that schemes such as the CLS programme have reciprocal benefits for both mentors and their mentees.
Ambitions are high among the Junior Sixth Form about the impact they hope to have on their mentees this year, but many raised their wish to be kind and contribute to CLS as primary aims. One commented on his hopes “to put back into the school community what it has given to me in my time here” by participating, while another said: “I hope to show (my partner) enough kindness that they themselves will start to show that to others as well”.
Sessions started last week, where partners met for the first time. Based on the lively engagement of the Junior Sixth Forn so far, we’re hoping this will be the best year yet!
