Coaching in schools as a relational and organisational practice: teachers' perspectives from the UK

Purpose Coaching has been integrated into the UK education system to support teacher professional development, enhance pedagogical practices and improve student outcomes. While instructional coaching implementation and professional development barriers have been explored internationally, less research has examined how coaching is relationally experienced and organisationally positioned within UK schools across varied educational contexts. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT; Ryan and Deci, 2002) and the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R; Bakker and Demerouti, 2017; Demerouti et al., 2001), this study explores how coaching is understood, enacted and organisationally situated in primary and secondary education. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods design was employed, consisting of a national survey (n = 242) examining awareness, accessibility and delivery of coaching. Semi-structured interviews and focus group data (n = 26) were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to explore lived experiences of coaching. Findings Survey data indicated widespread awareness of coaching but variability in access, delivery models and organisational embedding. Qualitative analysis generated four interrelated themes. Findings indicate that coaching is a contested and relationally negotiated practice, positioned at the boundary between developmental support and organisational surveillance. Engagement is shaped by perceptions of autonomy, psychological safety, leadership positioning and coach credibility. Practical implications Findings highlight the need for clearer role boundaries, structured coach training, leadership endorsement and the provision of protected time to ensure coaching functions as a developmental resource rather than as an evaluative mechanism. Embedding coaching within school infrastructure and creating psychologically safe coaching environments may strengthen professional growth, agency and sustainability in teaching. Originality/value This study extends coaching scholarship by applying SDT and the JD-R model to teachers as recipients of coaching and by conceptualising coaching as a relationally negotiated organisational practice rather than a discrete intervention. The findings highlight the structural and relational conditions necessary for coaching to enhance professional development and sustainability in schools.