Claire

My specialist experience working with young people with SEN to develop trusting and meaningful relationships: As an SEN tutor and teacher, I develop emotional connection and trust through patience and empathy, taking time to build relationships and understand behavioural changes. By being reliable, kind, approachable, caring and showing a genuine interest, I build meaningful relationships with my pupils. I understand that behavioural challenges often stem from frustration, anxiety, or communication difficulties; I respond with calmness and understanding, and without judgement. I give students the space to communicate without feeling pressure, enabling them to feel understood and supported. To promote engagement, I adapt my teaching to suit the learning style and needs of each student, creating an individualised learning plan. I incorporate the interests of the learner as much as possible, while facilitating and inspiring the development of new interests. I build confidence and self-value by encouraging the celebration of the learning journey and efforts of the student. I am experienced in open and frequent communication with families to ensure that the student's needs are consistently met, strengthening the student's sense of support. I am also skilled in collaborating with specialists, such as speech and language therapists and psychologists to refine my teaching approaches.

My experience working with young people with autism: As a teacher and curriculum leader at a school with an outstanding and inclusive resourced provision for children with ASC, I have in-depth experience supporting learners who are on the autism spectrum. I understand how ASC can affect communication, social interaction, sensory processing, and behaviour in children and young people. As a tutor of autistic children, I create structured, predictable learning environments that help children with ASC to feel secure and enjoy their learning. This includes visual schedules, clear routines, and task breakdowns. I am skilled in working from and adapting different curriculums to suit the vast array of needs of learners with ASC. My approach combines emotional, social and behavioural support with a tailored and adaptable learning plan. This enables my students to thrive emotionally and academically, as well as develop their confidence and independence.

My experience teaching children with speech and language needs: I have taught many children with speech and language needs, including those who are non-verbal due to medical issues, autism and anxiety. I provide patience and encouragement in a positive, pressure-free environment, in which children can use and develop communication skills at their own pace. To support the learning preferences of my students, I use multi-sensory techniques, making learning auditory and kinaesthetic. I adapt communication to suit the needs of each learner, employing visual tools such as PECS, communication boards and visual timetables. I identify the interests of my students and apply them to their learning, so that each young person is motivated to communicate.

My experience working with young people to boost their confidence and self-esteem: Part of building meaningful, positive relationships with my students is the creation of a safe, supportive learning environment, where mistakes can be made. I believe that celebrating the individuality of my students is vital in developing their confidence and self-esteem. I set goals that are achievable for the learner, however small or incremental. This way my students feel successful, develop in their self-esteem and build the confidence to challenge themselves further. By designing scaffolding that enables the learner to achieve in their learning, I enable pupils to develop a positive perception of their learning journey. I use frequent and specific praise; I celebrate effort and progress, not just achievement of the end goal or a correct answer. Through teaching resilience and modelling a positive attitude, I promote a growth mind-set.

My specialist experience providing engaging sessions to inspire a love of learning: As a tutor, I identify the interests of my students and apply them to the learning wherever possible, while developing and expanding those interests by inspiring new ones. When planning tutorial sessions, I follow the philosophy of EPIC: every lesson should be exciting, practical, interesting and creative. With this as the basis of my teaching, I ensure that lessons are relevant to the lives of the participants. I create opportunities for discussion and debate. I make learning practical through outcomes such as cooking, letter writing or activism. To make learning creative I link subjects such as maths and art or history and drama. Wherever possible, I create immersive or multi-sensory learning experiences.

My skills and experience supporting young people to develop their independence: To promote independence I teach children to take responsibility for their own learning environment in terms of its preparation, organisation and maintenance. I offer children appropriate choices in their timetable or learning outcomes to encourage them to take ownership of their learning journey. I help children to understand the ways in which they learn best so they can apply that knowledge to their independent learning. Also, in order to support children in taking responsibility, I keep learning open and adaptable so that students can influence it along the way. I break learning activities into small steps that suit the learner, so they start to feel comfortable taking on challenges independently. To build intrinsic motivation, I create a love of learning, by making it interesting, fun and achievable. I support students in their decision making and celebrate their choices.

My experience supporting young people with social interactions and friendship skills: I use regular check-ins to discuss social interactions and friendships with students (provided they are comfortable with these discussions). I do this by listening to their perspectives on situations from their own lives and working together to identify ways they could be managed. If beneficial to the student, we role play the ideas to build confidence. As a class teacher in a primary school, I used circle time to teach, discuss and practise the skills required for effective social interactions and friendships. As phase leader I ran nurture groups to support children who needed more time and practice to develop these skills. As a year 6 lead, I managed transition groups, which aimed to prepare children for the social aspects of secondary school through role play, discussion and the evaluation of example scenarios. I take care to reinforce examples of positive social interactions, as well as model and encourage effective conversational skills.

My experience working with young people with SEMH needs: The majority of children and young people that I am lucky enough to work with as a tutor have had SEMH needs. I approach this differently for each individual but always with kindness and compassion. To address the mental health needs of my students, I take into account the sensory environment, use movement or yoga, mindfulness techniques, art, journaling and games that involve play. I support students to identify and regulate their emotions through the use of social stories and using zones of regulation. I work closely with parents/carers and other stakeholders to ensure the young person is supported holistically.

My experience working with young people with anxiety: I have over 10 years of experience working with young people experiencing anxiety, in both tutoring and classroom settings. I have effectively supported children across a range of ages and anxiety levels, including social anxiety, PTSD and generalised anxiety, which have been linked to a wide range of SEMH issues, personal circumstances and special educational needs. My experience includes:

• Tutoring sessions for children who struggle with school-related anxiety, helping them regain confidence and improve performance in subjects that once caused fear or avoidance

I apply anxiety-sensitive teaching strategies; support emotional regulation; customise learning plans and build relationships. I have seen first-hand the transformative impact that compassionate, anxiety-sensitive tutoring can have on a child's progress and overall well-being. My goal is to empower students with the tools they need to not only succeed in their learning but also manage their anxiety in a way that promotes long-term confidence.

My experience working with young people with PDA: Teaching and tutoring for over a decade in a variety of settings has enabled me to develop extensive knowledge of Pathological Demand Avoidance, including its characteristics, such as anxiety-driven behaviour, social communication challenges, and avoidance strategies. When working with children with PDA, I act as a facilitator rather than a teacher. I minimise pressure and promote engagement by being flexible in my objectives and outcomes and always tailoring the learning to the interests of the young person. I provide my students with choices and enable them to lead their learning. By avoiding language that can feel demanding and strewing when possible, I create low-demand environments, where students feel safe to express themselves and engage in learning at their own pace. It is essential to establish a strong, trusting relationship, which I do through active listening, empathetic communication, and by taking the time to get to know each pupil, their interests and their needs. I am experienced in working with young people experiencing school-related trauma and burnout - working to build a trusting, positive relationship at the child's pace and developing individualised learning plans tailored to each student's strengths, interests, and challenges, ensuring that goals are realistic and achievable. In order to achieve positive interactions and reduce anxiety for my pupils with PDA, I use collaboration to navigate learning tasks and avoid demands. To support students in feeling calm and regulating their emotions, I teach mindfulness techniques, breathing exercises, and the use of sensory tools (if and when these are beneficial to the individual).

My experience working with young people with sensory and/or auditory processing needs: Every learner requires different strategies to keep them regulated and engaged. As a priority, I ensure that I am aware of and understand the sensory and processing needs of my students. I then shape the tuition sessions to fit with those needs. This starts with the learning environment and continues through each learning activity. Tasks need to be personalised as much as possible, through the use of symbols, images or tactile learning experiences, to name a few examples. Repetition, overlearning, interleaving and consolidation are vital for students with any processing needs.

My experience supporting young people to develop study-skills and executive functioning skills: I employ many strategies that help students to study and support their executive functioning skills, such as breaking down tasks into small steps, using visual aids (colour coding and mind-mapping) and creating study timetables. I think it is important to facilitate the development of a growth mindset, which enables children to embrace their mistakes as part of their learning. Along with relaxation and mindfulness techniques, this reduces stress and protects the mental health of the young person in relation to their learning. It is important to involve the learner as much as possible so that they become aware of how they learn and learn to identify what works best for them – they can then apply this understanding with increasing independence.

My experience teaching community support and outside activities: Several of my students prefer outdoor learning experiences, such as gardening and conservation. I am a trained Forest School practitioner. I have led many educational visits involving small groups, as well as entire school year groups. These have been focused on a wide variety of subjects, including history, geography, art, community action projects and even travelling around Europe to learn about different cultures. I have also led summer camps in London, which were themed around sport and adventure play.

My experience teaching maths and English: I have a consistent and longstanding record of outstanding English and maths teaching – mainly in key stage 2, but also 1 and 3. I was Maths Subject Leader for seven years, during which time, I led the school in a highly successful transition in our approach to the teaching of maths, resulting in a more accessible, varied and holistic curriculum. I designed and delivered training for teachers, support staff and ECTs across four schools. I went on to mentor a new maths leader, while I oversaw a wider section of the curriculum. In several roles, I have coached and mentored teachers in their planning and delivery of English lessons. I supported teachers by modelling lessons that included reading, writing and oracy skills. I am skilled in using my knowledge of the curriculum to adapt learning, tailoring it to the needs of individuals, enabling my pupils to develop their confidence and fulfil their potential.

My experience teaching children with dyscalculia, dyslexia and dyspraxia: My approach when teaching children with specific learning difficulties such as dyscalculia, dyslexia, and dyspraxia emphasises understanding each student's unique strengths and challenges while using tailored teaching methods to promote academic success and confidence. As an experienced teacher, I bring a wealth of expertise in creating personalised, supportive learning strategies that empower students to achieve their full potential. When teaching children diagnosed with dyscalculia, I use a lot of visual representations and concrete resources to support their understanding of mathematical concepts. I break learning down into small, achievable steps. I then teach each step through a variety of ways in order to strengthen my students' understanding. In order to support children in combating difficulties with coordination and motor skills, I implement physical adaptations and practical tools that work for the individual. I break down tasks into small, clear steps and provide structured routines to support organisational skills and task management. Through patience, flexibility and adaptability, I create a pressure-free learning environment in which children can enjoy and celebrate their progress.

My experience teaching children with ADD and ADHD: As a highly experienced teacher, I specialise in creating structured, engaging, and supportive learning experiences. I use a range of tailored teaching strategies to help students with ADD and ADHD thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. I ensure that my students can access the curriculum and reach their full potential by understanding and addressing their unique challenges with attention, focus, and self-regulation. I make learning interactive, hands-on and fun in order to engage my students with their learning. I use positive reinforcement to motivate, build confidence and develop self-esteem. In order to develop skills such as organisation, prioritisation and self-regulation, I provide executive functioning support through resources like checklists, planners and timers.

My experience tutoring children with working memory difficulties: I create a learning environment that not only addresses the cognitive challenges these students face but also builds their confidence, enabling them to succeed academically and develop critical lifelong skills. As an experienced teacher, I have developed in-depth knowledge of how working memory issues affect learning, including difficulties with following multi-step instructions, remembering key details, and holding information in mind while completing tasks. I use targeted teaching techniques, such as breaking down complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps, repetition, visual aids, and chunking techniques to support retention and recall of information. These methods make learning more accessible and reduce cognitive load. To support students in developing their working memory, I employ memory-enhancing strategies and a multi-sensory learning approach. My goal is to empower these students with tools and strategies that allow them to overcome their memory-related obstacles and unlock their full academic potential.

My experience teaching children with global developmental delay and learning difficulties: I have taught many children with GDD and learning difficulties and understand the wide range of needs they may present. I make certain to gain a holistic understanding of the individual so that I can tailor learning to suit their interests, learning styles and developmental needs. In order to engage my students, I use a creative approach to teaching, where learning is multi-sensory. Hands-on activities, visual resources and games also support the retention of information. I take time to build an authentic, trusting relationship with each pupil so that they feel secure and calm and are able to enjoy learning at their own pace. I aim to build confidence and self-worth by celebrating the progress and effort made by students.

My experience tutoring children and young people with complex medical needs: As a medical inclusion tutor I have a strong understanding of a wide range of medical conditions, including chronic illnesses, neurological disorders, and sensory impairments. I provide high quality, bespoke education to my students, whilst prioritising their health needs. I have the adaptability to modify lesson plans based on the child's energy levels, health condition, and hospital stays, ensuring educational continuity. I understand the emotional and psychological impact of long-term medical conditions on children. I provide nurturing, empathetic support to foster self-confidence, resilience and positivity alongside academic progress. I am experienced and skilled in collaborating with families and medical professionals in order to integrate therapy goals with educational benchmarks. As a teacher of young people at a school for profound and multiple learning difficulties, I am experienced in working one-to-one with young people with physical disabilities, experiencing movement and speech difficulties, supporting them with personal care and using PECS as one tool for communication.

Individualised learning

Each student has unique strengths, challenges, and learning styles. I tailor a bespoke learning plan to meet the needs of every learner. I ensure that I thoroughly understand the student's specific needs, whether these relate to cognitive challenges, communication difficulties, physical disabilities, or emotional and behavioural issues. With this understanding, I customise strategies and set goals that are achievable but not limiting, allowing the student to experience success at their own pace.

Engagement and purpose

I believe that learning should be enjoyable. When children are engaged and inspired, they make progress. I take a creative approach to teaching, incorporating the child's interests into their learning as much as possible. I ensure that my sessions are meaningful and relevant to each participant, so that my students feel a sense of purpose and develop their love of learning.

Building confidence and self-efficacy

Many children face obstacles that undermine their self-esteem. By celebrating progress and effort and using positive reinforcement I create a safe, supportive space where students feel valued and capable. By focusing on small, incremental successes, I help students build confidence in their abilities and encourage them to take ownership of their learning. This fosters a sense of independence and empowers students to believe in their potential.

Adaptability and flexibility

The learning process can be unpredictable, and what works one day may not work the next. My approach is flexible; I constantly adapt my teaching strategies in response to the student's evolving needs, mood, or challenges. This may involve adjusting the pace of instruction, incorporating sensory breaks, or using alternative communication methods.

Holistic Development

I believe that education for children encompasses more than just intellectual growth. It also involves emotional, social, and practical life skills. I take a balanced approach, ensuring that sessions provide opportunities for the development of communication, social interaction, problem-solving, and emotional regulation. This might include using role-play to practise social situations, teaching mindfulness techniques for emotional regulation, or helping with organisational and executive function skills.

Patience and empathy

Patience and empathy are central to my teaching philosophy. Teaching requires repetition, reinforcement, and understanding. With a compassionate and non-judgmental approach, I work to maximise the satisfaction of learning, offering emotional support and celebrating every milestone along the way. I try to see the world from the child's perspective,so that I am equipped to provide emotional and behavioural support, as well as academic.

Collaboration

My tutoring goes beyond the one-on-one sessions. It includes working closely with parents, caregivers, teachers, and any specialists involved in the child's care. This collaborative approach ensures that everyone involved is aligned with the child's educational goals and support strategies. By maintaining open lines of communication and sharing progress and insights, I create a consistent learning environment that extends beyond tutoring sessions.