Since 2019, Gowrie Victoria’s coaches have worked hard to support kindergartens all over the state through our coaching programs, offered through School Readiness Funding (SRF). We know that what works for one service may not work for another, and this is why we’ve tailored our coaching program to be a blended approach, where educators can access a wide suite of supports and resources.
The SRF focus areas of wellbeing, communication and access, inclusion and participation can be targeted through Gowrie Victoria’s coaching approach, which has been designed with flexibility in mind. Rather than a prescribed program, with only a focus on one-on-one coaching, our approach is shaped by the needs, priorities, and goals of each service, and combines a blended learning approach—including a range of practical supports alongside coaching.
How can Gowrie’s coaching support your service?
Our coaching model is all about choice. Once the coaching menu item has been selected, services can choose their own provider. Gowrie offers a point of different with the SRF coaching, where its approach is flexible and provides a blend of programs.
Services can then decide how sessions are structured, which staff members are involved, and which areas they would like coaching in. For some, that might mean regular onsite visits focused on strengthening group learning or embedding trauma-informed practice. For others, it could be online check-ins exploring behaviour support or professional learning around building literacy skills. Our model adapts to you, and not the other way around.
This adaptability is supported by Gowrie’s team of qualified and experienced coaches, who are based all across Victoria. Each coach brings not only deep sector knowledge but also practical insight into the realities of day-to-day practice. Their role is not to deliver generic training but to work alongside educators, listening to their goals, responding to their challenges, and helping to craft strategies that make sense for their context. Coaches also share current practice examples from Gowrie’s own early learning services and provide resources embedded in everyday practice, ensuring that what is learned can be applied immediately.
Coaching is much more than just one-on-one conversations. While individual support is important, the emphasis is on collaboration and shared learning. Many services choose to include whole-team workshops as part of their program, creating space for collective reflection, dialogue, and strategy setting. These sessions help teams to develop a shared vision and bring everyone onto the same page. They also create opportunities for educators at all levels to contribute to improvement in meaningful ways, strengthening both culture and practice.
Coaching combined with a study tour
For services with packages above the introductory program, the opportunity for a study tour adds another layer of learning. Two representatives from each of six participating services spend time visiting different Gowrie early learning sites. Here, educators can observe practice, reflect as a group, and discuss different ways of approaching common challenges. The experience combines observation with coaching, giving participants a rare chance to see theory in practice, take inspiration from other settings, and bring fresh ideas back to their own teams. Our Carlton North and The Harbour sites have dedicated observation booths where programs can be viewed in action without disruption. These tours are intentionally collaborative, building networks across services and encouraging educators to think beyond their immediate context.
For one participant, the Study Tour had a range of benefits; “the environment was presented in such an organic way, and it really cemented the idea of the environment as the third teacher.”
A blended approach
The flexibility extends online as well. Every coaching package comes with access to the Gowrie Learning Hub, a digital platform filled with self-paced short courses, webinars, practice videos, and curated resources. Topics range from trauma-informed practice and children’s behaviour to engaging learning environments, group times, and creative arts. Educators can dip into the hub at a time and pace that suits them, reinforcing and extending the coaching conversations happening onsite or online. The hub also offers opportunities to connect with other educators through facilitated Communities of Practice, learning networks, plus online discussions and webinars.
One participant of the coaching believes the collaborative nature of it to be most beneficial. He reflected that “the Study Tour provided us with time—outside of the busyness of our classrooms and workplaces—to engage in deep discussion with other professionals.”
Most importantly, this approach meets the needs of the sector. Educators have long asked for professional learning that is collaborative, innovative, and adaptable—not rigid, one-size-fits-all programs. By offering choice and flexibility, SRF coaching supports educators to take ownership of their learning, engage in meaningful reflection, and translate insights into practice. It empowers services to design learning pathways that are not only about compliance, but about strengthening practice in ways that are authentic to their team and community.
As the sector continues to face new challenges and opportunities, this kind of responsive professional learning will be vital. Coaching through SRF demonstrates that quality thrives when services are supported with flexibility and trust, as well as supported by skilled coaches, collaborative networks, and access to ongoing resources. When educators are given both flexibility and support, they are better able to provide high-quality programs which benefit children and families long-term.
Related links:
https://gowrievictoria663.e.wpstage.net/school-readiness-funding/
