Executive Coaching. Leadership Development. Safeguarding Consultancy.
Providing safeguarding and leadership consultancy to schools and organisations, alongside executive coaching for Heads and senior leaders, enabling them to navigate complexity, reduce risk, strengthen culture and get the best from themselves and their teams.
With first-hand experience of how schools really operate, I help leaders to find pragmatic solutions in a challenging and fast-evolving landscape.
As a former deputy head pastoral and DSL, I have led complex pastoral and safeguarding systems in high-stakes environments. My extensive experience in the independent sector, including my work as an inspector, as well as my role as Vice Chair of Trustees of a large secondary academy, gives me a clear, current understanding of effective practice in reality, not just in theory.
My career spans more than 25 years across the commercial and education sectors, giving me a strong blend of strategic and operational insight. After a decade as a buyer and trading manager with the Kingfisher Group and Sainsbury’s, I moved into education, working as a teacher and head of department before progressing into senior leadership.
I bring high standards, warmth and humour to serious work. I build trusted relationships, challenge assumptions constructively and help leaders make confident decisions in complex situations. As an experienced speaker, facilitator and executive coach, I deliver insets, workshops and one-to-one coaching for schools and organisations across the sector.
Whether supporting strategic change, strengthening safeguarding practice or developing leadership capability, I combine integrity, insight and practical judgement to help leaders reduce risk, strengthen culture and navigate challenges with confidence.
about me
services
Leadership consultancy and coaching
Executive and Leadership coaching
When everyone comes to you for answers, where do you go to think? What could be possible if you had the space to think differently?
Do you ever find yourself:
juggling competing priorities, unsure of the best way forward?
wanting a trusted, impartial voice to challenge your assumptions rather than simply agree?
navigating challenging conversations that require careful thought?
spending so much time firefighting and supporting others that you lose sight of the bigger picture?
feeling guilty that you never seem to leave work behind?
wanting to lead with greater strategic clarity and purpose, but rarely finding the headspace to work out how?
Executive and leadership coaching gives you dedicated time and space to challenge your thinking, work through complex issues, gain perspective and explore new possibilities. Whether an experienced Head or new to leadership, the results can be transformational to your working practice and how you feel.
You don’t need to have all the answers. You need the space to find them.
Bespoke team building and facilitation to enhance and boost team performance
Independent investigations and reviews
Safeguarding consultancy, supervision and training
Structured 1:1 or group supervision for DSLs (NSPCC trained)
Audit, policy review and advice on inspection readiness and compliance
Training, workshops, insets and talks for staff, governors and trustees, aligned with statutory guidance
Strategic support to strengthen pastoral systems, inclusion and belonging and school culture
All consultancy work is tailored to meet the need of the individual setting. Please get in touch to arrange a free, no-obligation chat about what you need.
Examples include:
Safeguarding insets including start of year KCSIE updates
Training for new safeguarding governors and trustees including the workshop How to work effectively with your DSL
Workshop When Global Conflict Enters the School Gates (includes tackling misinformation and disinformation)
Working together with Parents – Keeping Conversations Open
Pastoral care: What’s coming next?
training, talks and workshops
testimonials
“I was fortunate enough to hear you speak and share the incredible and important work you are engaged in. You provide a model for us all in how we can better facilitate dialogue, discussion and debate within our own schools - especially regarding world events which impact upon our own communities so deeply. Hearing how you have cultivated approaches that enable students to ‘disagree agreeably’ was truly inspiring.”
— Executive Headteacher
“Your inset presentation to staff was really clear and engaging. The session flew by and that is testament to how you designed the session. Thank you.”
— Independent School Senior Lead
“The coaching sessions have been exceptionally valuable, particularly in facilitating reflection and supporting self-discovery through thoughtful prompting and constructive questioning. Claire has demonstrated considerable understanding and empathy during a particularly challenging period in my professional life. She has provided a supportive environment in which I have been able to explore situations from multiple perspectives, enabling me to gain greater clarity and insight and a renewed sense of direction.”
— Executive Client
“Thank you very much for the excellent webinar you gave this week – the time and effort you have put into it was clearly evident and the event was well received by those present.”
— Director of Professional Learning
“The coaching sessions have been incredibly valuable, creating a supportive space where I’ve felt comfortable reflecting openly on my development… Claire’s insight and experience have given me greater clarity and confidence in my professional journey.”
— Education lead
“I can’t recommend Claire’s safeguarding supervision enough. Our sessions have been an invaluable source of support to reflect on active casework and stay up to date with changing guidance. Claire is warm, friendly and knowledgeable. She strikes a much-needed balance between offering reassurance and challenging me to trust my own instincts. I genuinely look forward to our sessions and see them as a crucial part of my professional practice.”
— Designated Safeguarding Lead
contact me
Please get in touch to discuss a package to meet your requirements.
contact details
claireshooterconsulting@gmail.com