Why it works
Why The OS works for pupils
- It empowers them to be their own coach and fosters responsibility, resilience and independence. The OS lessons empower pupils to be their own coach so that they can take more responsibility for themselves and start shaping the lives that they want. This includes solving problems, making decisions and accomplishing their goals. A key component to this is committing to positive change via ‘Personal Promises’ or ‘Nail Downs’. This allows them to hop into the driver’s seat and start shaping their own lives so that they can be happier, healthier and more productive. Participants are also given the option to buddy up with peers to help monitor their progress with respect to any change.
- It is inclusive and strategic. There is an OS course for every year of school from Reception through to Year 13. All lessons cover key areas of maturation and development. They are also strategically planted so as to be age appropriate and impactful.
- It is educational, supportive and preventative. As well as supporting pupils with current performance, mental health and wellbeing issues, The OS gives pupils the information and tools they need to prevent, intercept and support such issues early on before they develop further.
- It increases access to help and support. Most schools will vouch for the fact that only a small portion of pupils actually engage with support services such as counselling. Even then, the same pupils tend to use such services continually or off and on throughout their time at school. Sadly there are many pupils who would like support or who need support, but don’t reach out for it due to stigma and/or shame, not feeling their issues are serious enough to warrant support, not wanting to miss lessons, not having enough time or support services being over-subscribed, limited or unavailable. The OS is an attractive option for such pupils as it can be run as a compulsory course and built into the curriculum, making it accessible to all pupils. Tools, tips and strategies from the courses and lessons can also be used and adapted by fully qualified OS Coaches to support pupils individually in scheduled sessions or as part of a drop-in service where staff take turns to run it.
- It gives pupils a formal qualification. More than ever, personal development is taken into account when considering applications and/or interviewing candidates. When a pupil successfully completes The OS, they are given a formal certificate of completion, which is a valuable document that can be used to evidence and demonstrate the the acquisition of basic coaching and life skills when applying to schools, tertiary institutes or future employers.
Why The OS works for schools
- It is safe, reliable and accredited with the International Authority for Coaching and Mentoring (IAPC&M). The OS is transformational programme that has the power to revolutionise wellbeing in schools. It is the result of years of experience, taking scientifically-proven techniques used in business and sports coaching and blending them with neuroscience, cognitive behavioural science, positive psychology and mindfulness. In recognition of its quality, The OS is one of the only courses offered to schools to be accredited by the International Authority for Coaching and Mentoring (IAPC&M). This helps schools feel reassured that that they are adopting a fully accredited course and a blend of all the most widely-accepted and evidenced-based approaches to boost performance, mental health and wellbeing in schools – in preference to one modality that may go in and out of favour, depending on trends, Government initiatives and research.
- It is flexible and embeds a coaching culture. As well as teaching The OS courses, fully qualified OS Coaches can also use tools, exercises and activities from the lessons to: coach pupils 1:1 in short 10-20 minute sessions on basic performance and wellbeing issues; set up a basic coaching service that supplements existing counselling services; coach each other, school staff and themselves and deliver stand-alone workshops, assemblies and/or talks for pupils, parents or staff.
- It is cost effective.Unlike many companies offering products and services in this area, we are not a profit-focused organisation set up to make money from schools. Our main focus is an altruistic one and that is to boost performance, mental health and wellbeing in school communities. We are therefore in the enviable position of being able to make our training packages available to schools on a low cost basis. This makes The OS affordable and accessible to all schools.
- It does not over-burden staff and saves them time. The OS does not over-burden staff. Rather, we give them the tools to make supporting pupils easier, faster and more effective. The OS lessons can also be cherry picked as reliable and ready-made content for stand-alone workshops, assemblies, talks and lessons, saving staff precious preparation time. We want to create a revolutionary narrative: one where we empower pupils to help themselves, but without breaking teachers’ and schools’ backs to make it happen.
- It benefits staff personally and gives them an extra notch on their belt professionally. The universality of the lessons means that there is an enormous personal benefit to staff members who complete our training programmes. There is also a benefit to other staff and pupils to the extent that they are supported or managed by such individuals. All official training hours are certified to meet CPD requirements. Staff who complete the half-day training are qualified as a 'basic OS Coach' and those who complete the full 2-day OS training receive a professional qualification as a ‘fully qualified OS Coach’.
