Hands On Heads Literacy Coaching
Dear Principals,
How has the start of Term 1 been for you?
I’ve been fortunate to have collaborated with Middle Literacy Leaders- Learning Specialists and Heads of Curriculum (English)- to improve literacy outcomes using a coaching approach.
What they’ve realised from our coaching conversations is that leading literacy isn’t usually about a lack of knowledge or commitment. It’s about the responsibility- the responsibility of knowing literacy underpins success across EVERY subject, improving outcomes and bringing coherence across ALL year levels.
Senior leaders often speak about the gap between vision and classroom reality. Middle leaders carry the load of implementation — improving results, supporting teachers, responding to data and leading change, all at once.
Beneath the logistics lies something deeper: decision fatigue, trying not to make a mistake or choose the ‘wrong’ thing, and that persistent question - Are we doing this ‘right’?
This week, I spent time in classrooms across both new and ongoing partnership schools - observing diverse teaching styles, reconnecting with students, and being introduced as “Miss Amanda.” These visits were only possible because senior leaders deliberately adjusted timetables to prioritise instructional coaching. They have chosen to invest in sustained professional learning, not one-off sessions.
In practice, that looks like:
- Weekly school visits
- Facilitated literacy planning
- Leadership strategy meetings
- In-class instructional coaching (observing, modelling, reflecting)
- Professional reading and shared learning
- Collaborative data analysis
- Responsive refinements to practice
That consistency sends a clear message to teachers: this work matters, and they are supported.
The impact? Greater clarity. Stronger instructional decisions. Increased confidence in teaching and leadership. Less resistance. More alignment.
Literacy improvement isn’t about doing more. It’s about focusing on the right priorities, building shared understanding, and strengthening teacher capability and confidence through coaching.
To your literacy success,
