I have over 20 years of experience teaching in mainstream, specialist and tuition settings. During this time, I have fulfilled a wide range of roles, including Class Teacher of SEND, Pastoral Lead, Behaviour Lead, SENCo, Dyslexia Tutor, Designated Teacher for Looked After Children and Computing Lead. Each role has given me valuable insight into the challenges faced by children and young people with additional needs, alongside a strong understanding of how to help them identify their strengths and enhance these “superpowers”.
Building strong, respectful and purposeful relationships with children and young people, and their families, is one of my key strengths. Communicating clearly, honestly and empathetically is central to building these relationships, and I take this aspect of my role very seriously.
Many difficulties and challenges can overlap or co-exist, so a personalised and tailored learning programme is fundamental to providing effective support. For this reason, I do not offer a one-size-fits-all approach. While my skills and teaching strategies (outlined below) give an indication of what may be expected, it is more likely that a programme will be a blend of approaches carefully selected to suit the individual. The support programmes I deliver are underpinned by comprehensive research to ensure the greatest possible impact.
Specialist experience working with students with SEN and developing trusting relationships:
Developing a trusting relationship is always my priority, helping children and young people feel safe and secure. I work from the values of PACE (Dan Hughes): Playfulness (using games, light communication and shared enjoyment), Acceptance (acknowledging inner feelings and emotions even when behaviours cannot be accepted), Curiosity (showing genuine interest in their lives and inner world), and Empathy (hearing and understanding how the child is feeling and responding).
Experience teaching young people with autism:
I have extensive experience supporting children with ASC (autism). As ASC presents differently for each individual, flexibility and adaptability in planning and delivery are essential for successful sessions—it is never one-size-fits-all. Many children with ASC experience anxiety, which I manage through patience, positivity and time. I build strong, trusted relationships and establish familiar, structured routines, incorporating sensory or movement breaks where needed. Sessions also provide opportunities to explore emotions, identify triggers, understand how emotions present, and develop strategies to manage them using visuals, social stories and practical activities.
Specialist experience with ADHD:
Children and young people with ADHD may find it challenging to initiate tasks, maintain focus, complete work, organise themselves, follow instructions and remain motivated. To address these difficulties, I use short, structured and engaging tasks, supported by routine, scaffolding and high-interest activities, to promote engagement and success.
Experience teaching young people with anxiety:
I adopt a therapeutic approach to behaviour and social and emotional needs. I view behaviour—both pro-social and anti-social—as a form of communication. This understanding allows me to explore the reasons behind behaviours and work collaboratively on strategies to overcome barriers. Sessions may include exploring emotions, how they present, and how to manage them to prevent dysregulation, often using tools such as a five-point scale. We may also focus on creating positive experiences that lead to positive feelings and pro-social behaviours, alongside developing self-confidence, social skills, intrinsic motivation and a sense of safety. These elements are always woven into learning.
Specialist experience with working memory difficulties:
Many children and young people experience challenges with executive functioning, including working memory. I use visuals and supportive resources to reduce cognitive load, helping to scaffold learning in areas such as maths and writing. I also prioritise learning experiences that strengthen executive function skills, which supports concentration, comprehension, inference and working memory. This approach is key to developing effective study skills and lifelong learning habits.
Experience teaching young people with challenging behaviour:
I have a strong interest in psychology and am aware of the various approaches to behaviour. I adopt a therapeutic approach to behaviour, teaching pro-social values through experience and understanding, using plenty of praise and positive modelling. I have a firm but fair boundaries and uphold these within sessions. Undesirable behaviour is addressed in a non-threatening way and only once the child or young person has returned to a regulated state and is able to engage in discussion. This may be achieved through social stories, role play or reflective strategies.
Experience teaching young people with a PDA profile:
Creating an environment that is predictable yet flexible is central to working successfully with children and young people with a PDA profile. Lessons are adapted to suit the individual’s needs and anxiety levels on the day, with clear communication of intentions to minimise demands. A key element of my work involves developing the child’s understanding of their emotions, brain and behaviours.
Experience teaching English, maths and science:
Throughout my 20+ year career, I have consistently taught English and maths and have extensive experience across all key stages, including Functional Skills English, maths and ICT. Although primary trained, I spent a significant period teaching in a middle school in Worcestershire and now tutor individuals up to Key Stage 4, including English, maths and science.
In English, I take a holistic approach, exploring texts and characters in depth to develop comprehension, reading and writing skills through discussion, exploration, mind mapping, experimentation, role play and creative activities. I have completed several writing courses and value the creativity that English offers.
I studied maths to A-level, giving me a strong foundation in the subject. To further strengthen my delivery at Key Stages 3 and 4, I am currently completing an upskilling course to teach both Foundation and Higher GCSE maths. I use manipulatives, pictorial representations and games to develop conceptual understanding, alongside practical, real-life applications such as cooking, planning events or outdoor learning.
I have taught and tutored science from Key Stage 1 through to Key Stage 4, providing engaging and practical experiences with a balanced focus on investigative skills and subject knowledge across biology, physics and chemistry.
Experience teaching young people with SEMH and mental health needs:
I work with empathy and understanding when supporting children and young people with SEMH and/or mental health needs, adopting a curiosity-led approach where feelings and experiences are explored and validated. Teaching with compassion, kindness and patience helps children and young people feel safe, connected and ready to learn.
Inspiring a love of learning and supporting independence:
My teaching philosophy centres on developing confident, independent and curious learners who take ownership of their learning and grow into lifelong learners. I see it as my mission to unlock interests, skills and abilities, enabling children and young people to flourish and shine. I teach with kindness and flexibility, with confidence, curiosity and independence woven throughout the nurturing lessons I plan and deliver.
3 Reviews on “Helen”
Helen has been a brilliant tutor for us. My son is autistic with a PDA profile and suspected dyspraxia. When I first spoke to Helen I explained what my son needed. The most important things for us were finding someone (very) patient and flexible. Helen said she could do that and I feel 100% she has been both these things.
Helen has a caring approach and she has continued to learn about my son’s needs along the way. Helen has reflected on and adapted how she does things as soon as any challenges arise. Helen has many strategy ideas for the tuition sessions and she will spend time outside of the sessions researching new approaches and activities. Helen provides a completely bespoke education for my son. The sessions are fun and interesting.
Helen is able to pick up on early signs of emotional dysregulation and immediately change the level of demand, offer a break or use a range of other strategies that are individual to my son.
Helen has worked with our OT to incorporate fine motor skill activities in tuition sessions, while bringing many of her own ideas. Helen has been able to engage my son with touch typing, something he has previously not wanted to do.
Helen supported us at my son’s EHCP annual review meeting, attending and being the main contributor to the meeting and writing a thorough and accurate report in advance of this.
After over a year out of school and school trauma Helen has been able to re-engage my son with learning. I am very grateful to her for this. I would highly recommend Helen as a tutor.
I would highly recommend Helen from SENsational Tutors. She is an expert at connecting and empathising with young people who have become disillusioned and let down by the education system. Likewise, she is professional and passionate about bringing the absolute best out of children, enabling them to shine once more.
Ever since SENsational Tutors sent Helen to tutor our daughter, we’ve noticed magical results. Our daughter was failed by three mainstream schools and Helen joined us at the point where she was completely burnt out and resistant to any form of educational intervention. Helen took her time to get to know Florence, to see what her interests were and to gently build trust. She discovered that our girl is a ‘Swiftie’ and embarked on a multidisciplinary project incorporating a range of subjects to engage her, with a 3D stage that they built at the end of the unit. She employs a range of strategies to support Florence’s specific learning needs and find ways to ensure she has little to no barriers to learning.
Our school refuser has reengaged with education and her love of learning has returned – she’s even keen to work when Helen’s not present; she’s writing reams and reams when due to her dysgraphia, previously she refused to write at all; she has reconnected with subjects she’s passionate about and is now keen to be a marine biologist. She reads for pleasure and most significantly, I feel our daughter is happy and proud to be herself.
I wholeheartedly recommend Helen from SENsational Tutors. She has a rare gift for connecting with young people who feel disconnected or let down by the education system. Helen is not only incredibly professional but also deeply passionate about helping children unlock their full potential, guiding them to rediscover their confidence and love for learning.
Since Helen started tutoring our daughter, the changes have been truly remarkable. Our daughter had struggled in three different mainstream schools and had become disengaged and resistant to any educational support. From the very beginning, Helen took the time to build a trusting relationship with her, learning about her interests and strengths. She discovered that Florence is a huge fan of Taylor Swift, and used that passion to create a cross-disciplinary project that truly captivated her. Together, they even built a 3D stage, blending subjects in a way that made learning fun and relevant.
Helen’s approach is tailored to Florence’s unique learning style, and she has been able to break down the barriers that once made education feel impossible. As a result, Florence has re-engaged with her studies, and her enthusiasm for learning has returned. She’s now writing freely—something she struggled with due to her dysgraphia—and is excited to explore subjects she’s passionate about, like marine biology.
Most importantly, our daughter is happy and proud of herself again. It’s clear that Helen has not only helped her rediscover her academic abilities but also her sense of joy and self-confidence.