“That coaching programme was fantastic!” While such enthusiasm is encouraging, we all know that positive feedback alone rarely convinces governors or finance directors to invest in coaching. In today’s climate of tight budgets and competing priorities, school leaders need more concrete evidence of impact. But how do we measure something that can feel so intangible?

The ROI Challenge: Making Numbers Work

The challenge lies in balancing the ‘soft’ benefits we can all see happening with the hard metrics that budget holders need. Matt Somers (2007) tackles this head-on, offering a practical approach to measuring return on investment (ROI).

ROI = (Adjusted benefit – cost) / cost x 100

Consider this real-world example:

• Investment in coaching: £20,000
• Resulting improvements: £60,000
• Attribution to coaching: 50%
• Confidence level: 90%
• Final ROI: 80%

Even if we attributed only 10% of the improvements to coaching with just 10% confidence, we’d still see a positive 4% return. However, as Somers emphasises, these calculations involve significant subjective elements and should be viewed as just one part of a broader evaluation strategy.

For an educational setting, it is difficult to grasp what a £60,000 improvement would look like. There may be significant savings on supply costs due to reduced staff absence. This is one scenario where the return is clear cut. However, the most important metrics we are working with in school relate to exam performance and pupil welfare. We’re talking about measures which are almost impossible to define in terms of monetary value.

Beyond Pure Numbers: A Comprehensive Approach

Anderson’s Value of Learning model offers a more sophisticated framework, addressing two key challenges that schools often face:

The Evaluation Challenge

Many schools struggle to comprehensively calculate the effectiveness of professional development programmes. Anderson’s model provides a structured approach through three crucial stages:

1. Strategic Alignment

• How closely does coaching align with school priorities?
• What specific challenges are you addressing?
• How does it fit with your improvement plan?

2. Multiple Measures

• Learning function metrics
• Return on expectation (ROE)
• Return on investment (ROI)
• Benchmarking against similar schools

3. Future Planning

• What approaches work best in your context?
• How can impact be sustained?
• What adjustments are needed?

Practical Impact Measures

The most effective evaluation combines multiple approaches:

The Kirkpatrick Connection

The Kirkpatrick Model offers another valuable lens for evaluation, particularly when integrated with ROI calculations. This combined approach allows schools to assess impact across multiple dimensions:

• Immediate reactions to coaching
• Learning and skill development
• Behavioural changes
• Organisational results

Building Your Business Case

When presenting to stakeholders, integrate multiple types of evidence:

Remember: while ROI calculations provide valuable data points, the true value of coaching often lies in the combination of tangible and intangible benefits. Research increasingly supports a comprehensive approach to evaluation. By combining frameworks like Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model with ROI calculations and Anderson’s Value of Learning Model, we can build a much richer picture of coaching’s impact. As Whitmore (2017) emphasises, coaching is about “unlocking people’s potential to maximise their own performance” – something that can’t always be captured in pure numbers.

Taking the Next Step

Want to explore how to measure coaching impact in your school context? Let’s start a conversation about what might work best for you. Fill in a contact form on out website.

References

www.watershedlrs.com. (n.d.). What is Anderson’s Model for Learning & Training Evaluation? [OVERVIEW]. [online] Available at: https://www.watershedlrs.com/blog/learning-evaluation/anderson-model-training-evaluation/utm_campaign=Learning_Evaluation&utm_medium=blog&utm_source=learning%20evaluation [Accessed 28 Jul. 2023]. 

Human Synergistics. (n.d.). Make a constructive impact with a constructive culture. [online] Available at: https://www.humansynergistics.com/blog/constructive-culture-blog/details/constructive-culture/2022/04/06/create-constructive-cultures-and-impact-the-world. 

https://www.performanceconsultants.com/coaching-for-performance-book

Schouten, A. (2017). Anderson’s Value of Learning Model: How to Determine Stage 3. [online] amyschouten.ca. Available at: https://amyschouten.ca/andersons-value-of-learning-model-how-to-determine-stage-3/. 

Somers, M. (2007:289-290). Coaching at Work : powering your team with awareness, responsibility, and trust. Chichester, West Sussex, England ; San Francisco, Ca: John Wiley & Sons. 

Whitmore, J. (2017). Coaching for Performance : GROWing Human Potential and Purpose : the Principles and Practice of Coaching and Leadership. 5th ed. London: Nicholas Brealey.