Amanda Anderson is the founder of People First, a specialist in leadership and wellbeing coaching for schools, driven by over two decades of experience in education and school leadership.

Amanda Anderson

Amanda Anderson is an experienced leadership coach, former senior school leader, and EMCC-qualified practitioner with over 500 hours of 1:1 coaching. She founded People First to help individuals and teams unlock their full potential through inclusive leadership development and tailored wellbeing support.

Diagnosed with Dyslexia at the age of 10, Amanda has a deep understanding of what it means to feel different, and the power of belonging and confidence to transform performance. Her passion lies in creating supportive, high-performing cultures, particularly in education, where the wellbeing of staff directly impacts outcomes for pupils.

The People First Mission

At People First, we design coaching and training experiences that promote self-awareness, psychological safety, and strong team relationships. Our goal is simple:
To help people feel better, perform better, and work better together.

We specialise in:

• Wellbeing and Leadership Coaching for school leaders and staff
• Wellbeing Strategy Design for Schools and Organisations
• Team Development and Communication Workshops

Whether you’re a MAT leader, HR manager, or Headteacher, we help you embed inclusive and sustainable wellbeing strategies that improve both people outcomes and performance.

Our Approach

We believe in coaching that’s practical, reflective, and empowering. Our clients describe us as direct but compassionate, focused on real outcomes rather than box-ticking. Every session or training we deliver is built on values of empathy, trust, clarity, and growth.

Through personalised coaching, wellbeing reviews, and leadership programmes, we help you answer the big questions:

• How do we reduce staff burnout?
• How can we retain and grow great leaders?
• How do we build a culture where everyone belongs and contributes?

We believe that when wellbeing and leadership are integrated, not treated as separate initiatives, everyone thrives.

What Makes Us Different

Rooted in Education – Over 20 years of experience in schools means we understand the unique challenges of leading in education, from inspection pressures to absence management and leading change.

Neurodivergent Awareness – As a neurodivergent leader herself, Amanda brings lived experience and specialist expertise in creating inclusive environments for all.

Strategic + Human – We combine insight-driven strategies with deeply personal coaching to shift both mindset and culture.

Why “Fearless Workplaces”?

Fearless workplaces are not fearless because people never feel fear. They’re fearless because people feel safe enough to be honest, take ownership, ask questions, and bring their whole selves to work, even when things are tough.

We help you build cultures where:

• Staff feel seen and supported
• Leadership is emotionally intelligent
• Teams are aligned and energised
• Wellbeing is woven into daily practice

Today, Amanda works with schools across the UK to provide leadership and wellbeing coaching for schools, supporting both individual growth and wider school improvement.

Ready to Start?

We work with schools, trusts, and organisations that want to do things differently, putting people at the heart of performance. If that sounds like you, we’d love to talk.

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