Waterman Coaching & Consultancy, London (2026)

10/09/2026

Success on my own terms.....

When I took the brave decision to set up my own Coaching and Consultancy company in 2021, that was the promise I made to myself.

To be my own boss.

To work with amazing organisations because I choose to – because their people, purpose and values align with mine.

To create a career that allows me to be present for my family and to be the parent my nephew needed me to be. He came to live with us when he was five after my sister died, and being there for him has always mattered more than any job title.

And to be kinder to myself.

To give myself permission to take the time I want and need – without guilt and without having to justify it.

This week sums that up perfectly.

⛳️ Monday: an opportunity to partner our Club Captain at Littlestone Golf Club in the Reid Cup. We won with 46 points. 🏆

⛳️ Today: my debut at Bearsted Golf Club, finishing second on countback in their Mixed Open.

💻 Tomorrow: back online, doing work I love with an amazing team of Governors, supporting them as their external consultant.

And that, for me, is success.

Not being the busiest person in the room.

Not measuring my worth by how many hours I work.

But doing work that matters, with people I respect, being there for the people I love, and still having the freedom to say yes when opportunities come along that bring me joy.

Nearly five years after taking that leap, I still love my job.

Perhaps more importantly, I love the life I’ve been able to build around it.

That was always the point. ❤️

03/09/2026

First day back after the summer break… and what a great way to start the new academic year.

It was a real pleasure to spend the morning with the staff at Halliford School in Surrey, delivering a whole staff workshop on Assessment, Marking and Feedback.

Rather than simply focusing on what we do, the session created time to reflect on some of the bigger questions:

🔷 What is the purpose of assessment – and what do we actually do with the information it gives us?
🔹 Are assessments checking what students know but also apply that knowledge and the skills they have developed?
🔹 How do we know students are secure enough in their learning to successfully access what comes next?
🔹 When does feedback have the greatest impact, and how do we ensure students actually think and act upon it?
🔹 And importantly, what should we expect to see when we look through students’ books and work over time?

This felt particularly relevant following Halliford’s successful ISI inspection, which recognised that a thorough assessment framework is established and highlighted the detailed feedback provided by teachers, while also identifying opportunities to strengthen pupils’ ownership of their learning.

A great group of professionals to work with who were engaged throughout, willing to ask challenging questions, challenge some of my thinking too, and, most importantly, consider what this means for their own practice and their next steps.

For me, that is what effective professional development should do: create space to think, question, reflect and then translate that thinking into action.

Thank you to everyone at Halliford School for such a warm welcome and for getting my new academic year off to a flying start!

28/08/2026

While the leaders in the amazing Bedford schools I work with are busy getting everything ready to welcome pupils and staff back for the start of a new academic year, I’ve been doing my bit behind the scenes. 💻📚

Today has been all about school website compliance audits – checking that statutory information is up to date, policies reflect the latest requirements, and that the necessary changes to policy and practice are clearly communicated and published.

It might not be the most glamorous part of school improvement, but it’s an important one. A school website is often the first window into a school and, alongside meeting statutory requirements, it should give parents, pupils and the wider community confidence that information is current, accessible and transparent.

Lots of tabs open, plenty of legislation and guidance checked, and quite a few recommendations made! ✅

Another way of helping my schools start 2026–27 informed, prepared and compliant – while their leaders can concentrate on what matters most: getting their schools ready for the children. 💙

21/08/2026

Lovely to catch up with Lorna today ❤️

We first started working together back in 2018 when Lorna joined the Education Improvement Team I was leading. Our careers have taken us in different directions since then, but we’ve always stayed in touch.

One of the best things about being a leader is seeing the talent you spotted in someone continue to grow and develop, so when Lorna asked me to provide a reference for her next career move, I was only too happy to help.

Today was all about catching up, hearing about her exciting new job and enjoying the last few days of summer before the new term begins.

So proud of everything you’ve achieved, Lorna, and I know you’re going to be amazing in your new role. Good luck — you’ve absolutely got this! 🥰🥂 xx

26/06/2026

A huge thank you to South Downs Learning Trust for inviting me to deliver a Menopause at Work session to colleagues in Eastbourne on one of the hottest days of the year! ☀️

What stood out wasn’t just the fantastic attendance, but the Trust’s genuine commitment to creating a more inclusive workplace where conversations about menopause are normalised, supported and understood.

It was encouraging to see colleagues from across the Trust come together to explore:

* The impact of menopause in the workplace.
* Why supporting colleagues makes both ethical and organisational sense.
* Practical ways to have open, supportive conversations.
* How leaders and colleagues can help create an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued.

The feedback at the end of the session was incredibly positive, with many colleagues commenting on how informative and relevant the session was. Perhaps the most rewarding comment was hearing that “this is just the start of our journey.”

That’s exactly how meaningful organisational change happen, not through a single training session, but through a commitment to ongoing learning, conversation and action.

Thank you to everyone who engaged so openly and to the leadership team for recognising the importance of investing in the wellbeing of their workforce.

If your organisation is looking to develop a menopause-aware culture and equip leaders with the confidence to support colleagues, I’d be delighted to have a conversation.

01/05/2026

Just wrapped up a powerful online coaching session using NLP Peak State Anchoring to support a client with flight anxiety ✈️

It’s always incredible to see how quickly mindset can shift when someone learns how to access a calm, confident state on demand.

The session focused on helping to build a strong internal “anchor”, a technique they can use before and during a flight to replace anxiety with a sense of control and ease.

Flight anxiety can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. With the right tools and guidance, it’s absolutely possible to retrain your response and travel with confidence again.

If you or someone you know struggles with anxiety around flying,or any high-pressure situation, I’d love to help.

30/04/2026

What a fantastic 4 day week as a self employed coach and consultant.

It started on Monday with a really productive day working alongside Senior Leaders, preparing for joint learning walks ahead of an anticipated Ofsted inspection. The clarity, focus and professional dialogue in the room set the tone for the week.

Tuesday was equally full, supporting a secondary school through coaching with senior leaders, joint learning walks, and a reflective session following their recent Ofsted inspection. I also had the opportunity to deliver Middle Leader training on Adapted vs Responsive Teaching. There is still a lot of confusion around the nuance between the two and getting this right really matters for classroom practice and pupil outcomes.

Wednesday took me back to Bedford, the town that trained me, always a special place to return to. I spent time supporting a school through their transition to a new Headteacher, followed by work with another leadership team on the next stage of implementing their More Able Pupils Strategy. A key message reinforced: more able pupils need thoughtful adaptations and responsive teaching just as much as any other group.

Today, I had the pleasure of working with the SLT at Brickhill Primary School. We focused on what makes an effective and coherent SEF, beginning the process of developing a sharply evaluative, evidence led self-evaluation that truly drives the school improvement cycle.

Now back in Kent and ready to switch gears slightly… looking forward to a long weekend, starting with 18 holes in a club match tomorrow ⛳

Weeks like this are a great reminder of why I do what I do – working alongside dedicated leaders, supporting improvement, and seeing the impact unfold in real time.

11/02/2026

What an incredible and inspiring time we had at the House of Lords celebrating the publication of Raise Resilience: Teach your teenager well, and the ongoing work of Bounce Forward.

It was a privilege to be surrounded by such a diverse and passionate community with leaders from business, politics, and education, alongside so many dedicated champions of psychological fitness. Also a great opportunity to catch up with Adrian Rogers and Stuart RussellStuart Russell who I have known for years.

I really appreciate everyone who joined us, supported the journey, and continues to help drive this important movement forward. Together, we are shaping a more resilient future.

11/02/2026

The butterflies are there as I am excited to be on my way to the House of Lords.

I am using the train journey to take time to reflect why I have been involved with Bounce Forward for over 14 years, it's simple - their work matters so much.

We are living in a new psychological era. Children and young people are growing up with more pressure, more stimulation, and more emotional demand than ever before, and parents and educators are so often being asked to hold that without the support they truly need.

The change Bounce Forward is working towards is simple, but fundamental: a shift from reactive systems to preventative ones. From fixing problems late, to building psychological fitness early.

For almost two decades, Bounce Forward has been leading this work alongside schools, partners, local authorities, families, and communities. Strengthening mental resilience and emotional wellbeing not only in children and young people, but in the adults around them too. Because when parents feel supported, children thrive. And when adults build capacity, whole ecosystems change.

This isn’t about adding more services downstream. It’s about strengthening families upstream.

The need is urgent. If we want better outcomes across education, wellbeing, and adulthood, we must invest earlier.

That’s the future Bounce Forward is committed to building.

I’m proud to be part of the journey as a champion of their work and a dedicated Trustee.

30/01/2026

Is it just me, or has January felt exceptionally long? Maybe it’s an age thing… 😉

Taking a moment this evening to reflect on the month, it’s no surprise it’s flown by and dragged at the same time.

In January alone, I’ve:
✨Delivered menopause training for a MAT in Kent
✨Supported a primary school through an Ofsted inspection in the very first week of term
✨Provided Ofsted preparation training for Governors
✨Completed SIP work across 15 schools
✨Worked with primary middle leaders on curriculum design
✨Coached seven leaders online
✨Completed a Disadvantaged Pupils Review for a school in Eastbourne
✨Carried out an Inclusion Review in a high-performing boys’ school in Lewisham

It’s been intense, varied, and hugely rewarding. I’ve genuinely loved every minute and the feedback has made all the hard work feel completely worthwhile.

Here’s to whatever February brings 🥰

Waterman Coaching & Consultancy

10/09/2026

03/09/2026

28/08/2026

21/08/2026

26/06/2026

01/05/2026

30/04/2026

11/02/2026

11/02/2026

30/01/2026

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