Ev Abbott Coaching

A leadership coaching practice

Confident middle leaders.
Schools that move forward.

Bespoke 1:1 coaching that builds confidence, clarity and practical problem-solving in middle leaders, with sustained impact that a one-day training course cannot match.

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A brief introduction

I'm Ev Abbott.

I spent twenty years as a middle leader in outstanding secondary schools, in the UK and internationally, before training as a coach. I have a genuine practical understanding of the challenges and opportunities of being a middle leader: the competing demands, the accountability pressures, the desire to translate ideas into real impact for students.

This experience and knowledge is what my practice is built on.

20+ Years in school leadership
ILM Qualified coach & mentor
UCL Institute of Education · PhD researcher
Ev Abbott, leadership coach, smiling and seated on a wooden bench outdoors, wearing an olive-green dress, beside a leafy plant and a soft-blue chair against a honey-coloured stone wall

Accredited, trained & trusted International Schools Accreditor

  • UCL Institute of Education
  • British School of Coaching
  • Council of International Schools
  • INSEA, the International Society for Education through Art
  • NSEAD, the National Society for Education in Art and Design
  • Tower Hamlets Education Partnership

The challenge

When middle leadership struggles, the whole school feels it.

Nearly half of middle leaders leave their role within five years. Not because they lack subject expertise, but because the move into leadership asks something different of them: the ability to manage people, navigate complexity, and act with confidence when the answers aren't clear.

For headteachers and trust leaders, this shows up as a constant drain on SLT time. Problems land on your desk that shouldn't. Training budgets are spent on courses with little lasting impact. And the cycle continues.

SLT time absorbed by issues middle leaders could resolve themselves.

Recruitment and retention costs rising as leaders burn out and leave.

Training investment that does not translate into changed practice.

Close-up of a single blue chicory flower against a soft, blurred green background

Coaching that goes deeper than training.

A one-day INSET delivers information. Coaching builds capacity.

While a training course delivers information in isolation, working with leaders for a sustained period ensures coaching develops leaders' ability to solve problems and apply knowledge to their context. By empowering leaders to find their own solutions, coaching is proven to support long-term change, developing autonomy. Whether navigating team dynamics, turning policy into practice or preparing for Ofsted, leaders get tailored support in their own context.

Each session gives a leader space to work through a challenge or target, test an approach, and come back to what happened. Over a term, that becomes a way of leading rather than a one-off intervention.

What changes

What changes in your school.

Greater clarity and direction

Problems solved at the right level

Confidence that lasts

How it works

Structured, flexible,
built around your school's reality.

Sessions are scheduled flexibly around timetables to keep disruption and cover to a minimum. Each one creates space to think clearly: to work through live challenges, reflect on impact, and develop practical strategies leaders can act on immediately.

  1. Initial conversation

    A no-obligation call to understand the context, the leader, and what success looks like for your school.

  2. Coaching programme

    A term-long series of 1:1 sessions, online or in person, working through real leadership challenges as they arise.

  3. Sustained change

    By the end of the programme, leaders have developed practical tools and the confidence to use them independently.

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The programme

What working together actually looks like.

Coaching runs across a full term, not a single day. It begins with a no-obligation conversation to understand your school, the leader, and what success would look like in practice.

From there, your middle leader works one to one with Ev, online or in person, on the real challenges landing on their desk as they happen, building strategies they can apply straight away and return to session by session.

Sessions are scheduled flexibly around timetables and cover, so disruption stays low while the impact compounds across the term.

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In their words

  • I started working with Ev to support my emotional closure and strategic readiness. Through our discussions, I appreciated her ability to listen, ask the right questions and support me in creating a leaving plan. Ev’s coaching during this challenging time in my life had a positive impact, and I highly recommend her as a leadership coach for anyone going through transition.
    Middle Leader · Dubai
  • Ev provided outstanding coaching support at a pivotal point in my career, helping me to clarify my strengths, rebuild confidence, and approach the job market with focus and purpose. Her guidance on interview preparation was practical, thoughtful, and grounded in real-world insight, which made a tangible difference to how I presented myself. Ev combines professionalism with genuine care, creating a supportive space that allows you to perform at your best. I would highly recommend her to anyone navigating career transition or seeking high-quality coaching support.
    CEO · Dublin
  • I worked with Ev at a time when I was facing a lot of uncertainty about my next steps. I was nervous and confused about leaving a job and a country where I spent six years and experienced a tremendous amount of growth both professionally and personally. I hadn’t really had the time or space to reflect, and I needed someone objective to help me think clearly. What I found most helpful was Ev’s way of listening and asking questions that made me focus on what I really wanted, rather than what I thought others expected. The coaching gave me clarity, confidence, and a real sense of self-trust at a time when everything felt up in the air. I would recommend Ev to anyone going through a transition or looking for clarity and confidence in their next steps.
    Senior Leader · London
  • Ev is an outstanding leader and mentor. She was my PGCE mentor during her time as Head of Art at Garden International School. While working together Ev coached me in building my pedagogy, allowing me space to be reflective and work through obstacles, while also knowing the right time to step in and offer advice and steer me in the right direction. Our mentor sessions were always intentional and thoughtful and supported my development as a teacher. Ev’s well-targeted questions and supportive personality helped me to grow into the teacher I am today. I truly valued working with Ev and would recommend her for anyone interested in receiving high-quality coaching.
    Teacher · Kuala Lumpur

About Ev

A sunlit school corridor, glazed classroom doors along one side and open windows along the other, tiled floor receding into the distance

Twenty years in schools.
A practice built on what actually works.

I spent twenty years in outstanding secondary schools, in the UK and internationally, first as a middle leader and later supporting delivery as a coach and accreditor. I know what the role asks of people, not from theory but from experience: the competing demands, the accountability pressures, the gap between being appointed and feeling genuinely ready.

I hold an ILM qualification in coaching and mentoring and am currently a PhD researcher at UCL Institute of Education, researching creativity and assessment. That research informs how I work: with curiosity, with rigour, and with genuine belief in what people are capable of when they have the right kind of support.

Alongside coaching, I consult with schools on art education and assessment, drawing on a background in curriculum design and assessment literacy. I work with middle and senior leaders across UK state, independent, and international schools.

Frequently asked questions.

How is coaching different from the leadership training we have already invested in?

Training delivers information to a group. Coaching works with one person on their real challenges over a sustained period. Research consistently shows that professional development needs to be ongoing to create lasting change. A one-day course may shift awareness, but it rarely changes behaviour. Coaching gives leaders space to think through live challenges, build strategies that fit their context, and develop confidence by applying them in practice.

We are under budget pressure. How do I justify this cost?

That is a valid question, and there is a practical way to look at it. The cost of one coaching programme is similar to a single day of whole-school INSET. The difference is that it is targeted at one leader, sustained over a full term, and designed to create lasting change. Compare that with the cost of a middle leader leaving: recruitment, cover, lost time, impact on team morale. Coaching has been shown to improve confidence, self-belief, problem-solving, and strategic thinking. The return is often stronger than most CPD spend.

How much time will this take out of my middle leader's timetable?

Sessions are scheduled flexibly with timetables and cover in mind. The aim is to minimise disruption while protecting enough consistency for the work to be effective. Many leaders find they recover that time quickly because fewer issues are escalated upwards. Get in touch to discuss what would work for your school.

How will I know if it is working?

This is agreed at the outset. Success looks different in every school, so the initial conversation focuses on what change you want to see and how it would show up in practice. Many headteachers notice a shift in how their middle leader handles challenges: fewer escalations, more confident decisions, more constructive conversations.

My middle leader is capable but overwhelmed. Is coaching right for them?

This is one of the most common situations. Many middle leaders are carrying more responsibility than their role suggests and have not had the support to match. Coaching is not remedial. It supports capable people by giving them space to think, a framework for their challenges, and confidence in their judgement. It starts from strength, not deficit.

Can this be done online, or does Ev need to come in?

Both options are available. Online sessions work well and are often easier to schedule consistently around the school day. In-person sessions are available for schools in London or for those who prefer it. Many international clients are supported fully online with no loss of impact.

We are an international school. Can Ev work with us?

Yes. Ev has experience in international schools as a leader, coach, and accreditor. She understands the pressures of that environment: different leadership structures, staff turnover, cultural complexity, the demands placed on middle leaders. Online delivery means location and time zones are rarely a barrier.

Get in touch

Ready to invest in your middle leaders?

Two ways to start. Book a free 30-minute chemistry call to talk it through, or send a message and Ev will come back to you. No obligation either way, just a chance to talk about your school, your leaders, and whether coaching could help.

Book a chemistry call

A free 30-minute conversation, online, to see if this is the right fit.

  • Free, with no obligation
  • 30 minutes, online
  • A relaxed first conversation
Book your free call

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Based in London, working UK & internationally.