Tips for leaders: Using coaching triads

Mar 24, 2026 | Blogs

Tips for leaders: Using coaching triads

Mar 24, 2026 | Blogs

‘The triad model of peer coaching takes advantage of a powerful professional learning resource available to teachers—their colleagues.’

‘The benefit of a triad model is that with two peers on the case, the coachee receives different perspectives on the actions that contribute to teaching and learning. The observer serves to keep the debrief focused on outcomes and the agreed-upon look-fors, while the coach and coachee dig into the mechanics of what happened during the teaching and learning session.’

‘A triad peer coaching model is both accessible and powerful. When teachers own their professional learning and it’s based on the areas of improvement and innovation they’ve identified as important to their students, peer coaching can be an effective component to any school’s professional learning model.’

(https://www.edutopia.org/article/tapping-expertise-building/)

If you’re looking to get coaching triads off the ground, the secret is making them feel like a supportive habit rather than another “add-on” to an already packed timetable. Coaching triads (typically consisting of a Coach, a Coachee, and an Observer) are used to build a sustainable, low-stakes culture of professional development.

Structure:

• Define Clear Roles: Rotate roles during each cycle to ensure everyone experiences each perspective.

o Coach: Focuses on active listening and asking open, probing questions to help the coachee find their own solutions.

o Coachee: Selects a specific, real-life topic or teaching strategy to work on.

o Observer: Provides feedback specifically to the coach on their technique, such as body language or the effectiveness of their questions.

• Allocate Time: Successful triads require protected time. Aim for 1.5 to 2 hours per cycle so each member can rotate through all roles. Scheduling these into the school calendar ensures they aren’t “hijacked” by other demands.

• Smart Pairing: Mix experience levels within a triad to drive more diverse improvement, or pair staff within the same department for a “seamless link” between team and coaching discussions.

Implementation:

• Separate from Performance Management: For triads to be honest and meaningful, they must be non-judgemental and kept entirely separate from formal appraisals or Oftsed quality assurance.

• Use a Shared Language: Adopt a common framework, such as the GROW model so all staff use consistent terminology when discussing teaching strategies.

• Focus on Precise Action Steps: Coaching works best when the outcome of a session is a single, achievable, and precise next step for the coachee to practice.

Sustaining:

• Start Small and Voluntary: Begin with a pilot group of enthusiastic staff to build buy-in before a wider rollout.

• Model from the Top: Ensure senior and middle leaders participate in triads themselves. This signals that everyone, regardless of seniority, can improve their practice.

• Avoid “Mutual Appreciation”: Ensure sessions remain “earnestly evaluative.” The coach must be brave enough to offer critical insights and challenge the coachee to prevent the triad from becoming a simple “moaning session”.

The biggest hurdle in UK schools is the fear that coaching is secretly an observation for performance management. To get real honesty, you must explicitly decouple it from Ofsted or appraisals. It should be a “private lab” where teachers can admit what’s not working without worrying about pay scales.

We’ve all seen “coaching time” get hijacked by emergency department meetings or data entries. If the SLT doesn’t ring-fence the time in the CPD calendar, it won’t happen. Even 30 minutes of high-quality, focused talk is better than an hour that gets cancelled.

Instead of saying “I want to improve behaviour,” encourage triads to focus on a micro-step, like “I want to use more non-verbal cues during the starter.” It’s way easier to coach (and observe) a tiny change than a massive overhaul.

The hardest part for experienced teachers is not giving advice. Remind your teams that the coach’s job is to be a “thinking partner.” If the coach just tells the coachee what to do, it’s just mentoring, and the coachee doesn’t “own” the solution.

This blog was written by Bretta Townend-Jowitt, Education Consultant and Trainer.

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