Developing Relationships
I have taught in primary and secondary for over twenty years to whole classes, groups and individuals, teaching children with a wide range of additional educational needs. My approach is based around enabling the individual to perceive themselves as learners and giving them the encouragement and tools to make real progress and feel successful. My aim is to create a learning environment where taking risks and seeking clarification is recognised and rewarded, where effort and inquisitiveness lead to tangible gains. Rapport and trust are essential before any meaningful learning can take place, so I ensure that I teach with empathy: I explore the full range of possible barriers to learning a child may have and positive strategies to address these. I find out about and incorporate their interests and passions into lessons.
Teaching young people with ASC
I have extensive experience supporting children with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) across both primary and secondary settings. My approach centres on building trusting relationships, reducing anxiety through predictable routines, and tailoring learning so that each child can access the curriculum in a meaningful way. I have worked closely with families, specialist teams, and external agencies to co-produce strategies that promote communication, social understanding, and emotional regulation. In the classroom, I use clear modelling, structured scaffolds, visual supports, and multisensory activities to ensure pupils with ASC can thrive. I am skilled at identifying triggers, creating calm, low-arousal environments, and adapting lessons to individual strengths and interests, ensuring progress while maintaining dignity, safety, and wellbeing.
Teaching young people with dyslexia
I have taught many children with dyslexia, in primary and secondary education. Each child is different and, therefore, have required the mindful application of different approaches and resources. For example, some children have worked well using technology such as word processors, reading pens, spell checkers etc.; aids such as coloured overlays, yellow screens, reading focus cards or simply more time, clear language and engaging visuals. Many of my students with dyslexia have flourished when their many other talents and skills (the storytellers, the artists, the engineers!) are seen and valued and they do not feel their learning is defined by their dyslexia.
Teaching young people with PDA
My experience supporting children with PDA has shown me how powerful it can be to step away from traditional expectations and instead build learning around a child’s interests, strengths, and sense of safety. When working with children in both Year 4 and Year 1 and several secondary students presenting with traits of PDA, I learned that genuine connection comes first—once a child feels understood and respected, learning becomes something they can approach on their own terms. With pupils who are anxious or wary of education, especially those outside a school environment, I’ve found that a holistic, project-based approach opens doors that more formal teaching can’t. Whether we began with a favourite hobby, a natural curiosity, or a real-world question they cared about, we explored it together across subjects—reading, creating, experimenting, and reflecting—without the pressure of “demands.” This way of working has deepened my commitment to flexible, child-led learning that meets the whole child, not just the curriculum.
Teaching young people with ADHD
I have a great deal of professional and personal experience supporting children with ADHD and how it impacts on self-esteem, retention of knowledge and executive function. Children present in a multitude of ways but ultimately, my teaching approach is the same: provide learning in manageable, incremental chunks; check regularly for understanding and allow processing time. I am a trained oracy leader, helping other teachers include talk for learning in their classrooms – talk is a valuable means of learning for all young people and can be especially beneficial for those with ADHD. Above all, I recognise that those with ADHD bring with them so many strengths – making innovative links, approaching problems in alternative ways, providing fresh perspectives – and this should be celebrated.
Working memory and study skills
Teaching children with working memory difficulties requires an evidence-based pedagogical approach. Over several years, I have trained primary and secondary teachers to incorporate this into their own practice. To avoid cognitive overload, I ensure my instructions and explanations are clear, precise and consistent. I use a system of “overlearning”, usually involving flashcards, to revisit and recap taught concepts frequently in order for these to move from working to long-term memory over time. I teach through the use of modelling, talking out worked examples so my own thought processes as a learner are explicit and clear. Through years of teaching experience, I have developed a repertoire of tips and tricks to encourage learning to stick: mnemonics, colour coding, mind mapping, rhymes and learning mats, using what works best for each individual learner.
I actively teach my students how to develop routines and schedules. Good organisation reduces cognitive load, increases motivation and will provide lifelong strategies for successful, independent learning.
Teaching primary English
I am an English subject specialist with many years’ teacher training expertise, specifically in creative and engaging approaches to teaching reading, writing and oracy. I am confident in improving children’s comprehension, transcription, spelling, vocabulary and most of all, their confidence and fluency as readers and writers.
Teaching primary maths
I have taught all primary year groups as a mainstream class teacher, including preparing children for end of key stage tests. I have used a range of engaging and practical resources, including designing my own, to teach the maths national curriculum, with most of my experience in upper key stage 2. I have also taught maths intervention groups in years 3,4,5 and 6, so have a good understanding of the incremental steps needed to ensure good foundational knowledge underpinning mathematical understanding. I model problems and thought processes, exemplifying in different ways to ensure understanding. It is also essential to dispel the fear some children have of maths and the limiting belief that it is a subject they “can’t do”. I remind them that working with numbers can be a lot of fun.
Independence and love of learning
My classes are student-centred, designed to motivate and encourage independence. I design activities in which students’ learning is scaffolded so that they make discoveries for themselves and have the opportunity to ask questions, engage in dialogue and make decisions. This level of agency allows them to grow as independent learners. I break lessons down into sections to allow practice, application and reflection, thereby involving the learner fully in their own progress. In this way, students develop a love of learning. I also hope that my enthusiasm for the subjects I teach is infectious and acts as a positive model for learning.
I’ve taught classes in every year group from Year 1 to Year 11, in addition to many 1:1 and group classes. I have taught many children with a wide range of needs including ASD, ADHD/ADD, PDA, dyslexia and cognitive or language acquisition difficulties. I have mentored students of all ages with SEMH needs. I have trained staff on various strategies for inclusion and adaptive practice for special needs, such as language modification and emotional regulation. As a primary deputy headteacher in a mainstream London school, I was the designated safeguarding lead, senior mental health lead and responsible for inclusion, line managing the SENCo and overseeing SEND provision. I spent eight years as a local authority primary English adviser, supporting schools to improve standards, and have trained teachers and school leaders on all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment. I have worked as a local authority assessment moderator and as an AQA examiner for GCSE English literature. I was privileged to design a Year 7 and 8 reading comprehension and vocabulary curriculum for secondary students deemed “not secondary ready” to allow them to make significant progress and catch up with their peers.
