Deena

I have over 15 years’ experience working with children and young people with a wide range of difference, from Early Years through to post-16. My career has included teaching in both mainstream and specialist schools, school leadership, specialist SEND advisory and teaching services, and senior local authority SEND leadership. This breadth of experience means I understand not only how to teach children effectively, but also how to identify the barriers that may be preventing them from engaging and progressing.

I have specialist experience supporting children with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, SEMH, learning difficulties, sensory needs and complex or co-occurring needs. I have undertaken extensive specialist CPD throughout my career and have worked alongside schools, families and professionals to develop personalised approaches that enable children to access learning successfully. I am particularly experienced in adapting curriculum, environment, communication and teaching approaches around an individual child rather than expecting the child to fit a standard model of education.

One of my greatest strengths is combining education with therapeutic practice. I am a qualified Play Therapist, holding a Postgraduate Diploma in Play Therapy with Distinction, alongside a Postgraduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills. This gives me a unique understanding of the importance of emotional safety, relationships, regulation, communication and play in learning. I use therapeutic play principles to build connection, reduce pressure and create opportunities for children to communicate, explore and develop confidence — particularly when anxiety, low self-esteem, previous negative experiences of school or emotional needs are impacting learning.

I have also held specialist SEND leadership roles within local authority education services, including leading specialist advisory and teaching services. This has given me extensive experience of working with families, schools and professionals to understand complex needs, coordinate support and create successful educational pathways. I have particular expertise in EOTAS (Education Otherwise Than At School) and understand how to develop a coherent, purposeful package of education around a child when a traditional school placement is not currently the right fit.

My experience means that I can offer much more than subject tuition. I can support children who need help rebuilding their relationship with learning, developing executive functioning, increasing independence, strengthening communication, building emotional resilience and finding approaches that genuinely work for them. Whether a child needs academic catch-up, support to re-engage with education, a personalised home-learning programme or a carefully coordinated EOTAS package, I bring a highly individualised and holistic approach.

I believe that children learn best when they feel safe, understood, successful and genuinely interested in what they are doing. My starting point is always the child: their strengths, interests, communication style, sensory needs, emotional wellbeing, existing skills and the things that make learning feel difficult. From there, I build learning around them rather than expecting them to adapt to a one-size-fits-all approach.

My teaching is highly personalised, playful and relationship-led. I use a combination of explicit teaching, scaffolding, multisensory approaches, practical and experiential learning, visual supports, modelling, repetition and carefully structured opportunities for independence. I draw heavily on children's interests and use curiosity, creativity and play to make learning meaningful. Where appropriate, I incorporate therapeutic play approaches to help children regulate, communicate and feel more confident in the learning environment.

I also look beyond academic attainment. For many children with SEND, confidence, emotional regulation, executive functioning, communication and a positive sense of themselves as a learner are essential foundations for progress. I therefore work on these alongside academic goals, celebrating small steps and helping children recognise their own strengths and successes.

I believe a good tutor is someone who can be both an excellent teacher and an excellent observer. Rather than simply delivering a lesson, I continually notice what a child is telling me through their words, behaviour, engagement and responses to different approaches. I then adapt. The result is learning that feels purposeful and achievable, while still maintaining high expectations and a clear focus on progress.