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Nurseries are busy places, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of just ‘getting through the day’. As Early Years professionals, we rightfully focus on creating a nurturing environment for the children in our setting, but do we also focus on nurturing our staff? Embedding a supportive coaching culture into our nurseries can really help us achieve that.
A coaching culture is about supporting and developing your team, helping them grow in confidence and skill. When done right, it can transform your nursery—making staff feel valued, meetings more purposeful, and performance management a tool for growth rather than criticism.
Let’s dive into why coaching is essential for nurseries and how you can embed it into your setting.
Many nursery managers are used to a top-down approach—delegating tasks, overseeing performance, and stepping in when things go wrong. But a coaching culture shifts the focus from managing staff to developing them. It’s about fostering a growth mindset, where challenges become opportunities to learn rather than obstacles to overcome.
Instead of telling staff what to do, coaching encourages reflective practice, where they can problem-solve, share ideas, and take ownership of their professional development. For example, instead of immediately stepping in when a practitioner struggles to manage a group activity, a coaching approach would involve asking reflective questions: What worked well? What could you do differently next time? This small shift can help staff feel more in control and confident in their abilities.
These regular meetings are a statutory requirement but in the busy day to day of many settings how often do they feel more like a tick-box exercise rather than a truly meaningful discussion?
A coaching approach can transform them into valuable, supportive conversations where staff can reflect on their practice, set development goals, and discuss any challenges in a safe space.
For example, a coaching-led supervision could include questions like:
Regular check-ins, open dialogue, and linking supervisions to an individual’s ongoing CPD all make a huge difference to staff motivation, wellbeing and effectiveness.
A coaching-led approach to performance management always focuses on strengths, solutions, and professional growth.
A dialogue around behaviour management during a coaching-led discussion would focus on reflection: What do you think is working well? Which areas of your practice do you feel most confident in, and where would you like more support or training? By removing critical statements, staff feel like active participants in their development rather than just passive recipients of criticism.
Just as we coach our children, we should be coaching each other. When staff feel supported rather than scrutinised, they engage more, morale and retention improves, and the quality of our interactions with children increases.
Staff meetings can often feel like our only opportunity to talk about frustrations and concerns and they can sometimes degenerate into a long list of complaints. While it’s important for staff to be able to voice their concerns, meetings shouldn’t feel like a draining experience. Coaching can help transform them into purposeful, uplifting, and productive sessions that leave staff feeling energised and empowered rather than exhausted and unmotivated.
Here are a few simple ways to bring coaching into your staff meetings:
For example, if a staff member raises an issue about a child’s attendance or a parent’s lack of engagement, instead of the conversation turning into a venting session, a coaching approach would ask: What strategies have worked so far? What else could we try as a team? This keeps the discussion productive and empowering.
From addressing underperformance to discussing safeguarding concerns, difficult conversations have always been a part of nursery management.
A coaching approach is especially useful in guiding us through handling these discussions in a way that’s professional, supportive, and solution-focused. Rather than jumping straight to corrective action, it’s about understanding the root causes, listening actively, and working together to find a way forward.
A coaching-led conversation might start with: I’ve noticed you’ve been arriving late recently—can you tell me a bit about what’s going on? By opening the door for honest dialogue, it allows you to address any underlying issues while still holding staff accountable.
Difficult conversations handled with a coaching mindset are not only more effective in terms of outcome but ultimately also serve to strengthen relationships within your team.
At the heart of a coaching culture is a simple but powerful idea: staff should feel safe, valued, and supported in their roles. When people feel psychologically safe—meaning they can speak up, ask for help, and share ideas without fear of judgment—they’re more engaged, more innovative, and ultimately, happier at work.
When your staff feel happy and supported, that positivity ripples down to the children. A well-supported team delivers better-quality care, which takes us back to our first point about creating a nurturing environment for everyone.
If you’re ready to embed a coaching culture in your nursery, start with these simple steps:
Creating a coaching culture isn’t just about following best practice—the bigger picture is about building a nursery where staff feel supported, motivated, and empowered. It makes day-to-day life easier for managers, creates a happier work environment, and ultimately benefits the children in your care.
So, is it time to bring coaching into your nursery? We think so!
To help you embed a strong coaching culture and support your team effectively, we offer a range of invaluable training courses and resources. Click the links to find out more:
An Everyday Success Diary Subscription Bundle – MBK Group
Dealing with Difficult People and Situations – MBK Group
Stepping up to Management – MBK Group
Curriculum and Team Success Through Self-Evaluation Webinar – MBK Group
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