As a senior leader and primary Headteacher for many years, Gerlinde has used coaching as a powerful tool to develop and nurture leaders at all levels. Gerlinde builds trusting, confidential coaching relationships. She listens to learn and uses questioning and challenge to enable coachees to articulate their goals, reframe limiting beliefs and take action to make change. Now working in DEIB consultancy, Gerlinde continues to use her expertise to coach leaders across the teaching profession, specialising in working with those from ‘marginalised’ communities and with intersecting identities, empowering them to challenge others’ perceptions, find their voice and achieve their goals.

Gerlinde has used a range of coaching methodologies across her career. This includes ‘instructional’ coaching of ITT, ECT and recently qualified teachers whilst a senior teacher, moving to analytical or ‘pure’ coaching as her leadership journey and expertise progressed.

In 2018, she trained as an Advanced Reviewer on Challenge Partners QA School Reviews, coaching senior leader reviewers to make a professional contribution to the process.

Since then, Gerlinde has gained both the APOC and OPC coaching qualifications (Olevi International) and works with leaders at all levels in schools across the UK to build their self-belief, realise their ambition and transform cultures.

Gerlinde Achenbach is a former primary headteacher and senior leader. A Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, she has a teaching career spanning more than 30 years in schools in SE London. She is currently working as a leadership coach (OPC, Olevi International) and education consultant in equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. In 2023, Gerlinde set up her consultancy, GAEd.

She now works with schools and school leaders, sharing her leadership experience and expertise in school improvement, changing school culture, developing leaders at all levels and LGBTQ+ inclusion. Gerlinde works both in-person in Suffolk and London, and online.

OPC (Olevi Professional Coach)

Olevi International, accr IFCF