My Specialist Experience Working with Young People with SEN to Develop Trusting and Meaningful Relationships
I am a Qualified Primary Teacher and Specialist Dyslexia Teacher and Assessor (MA SpLD, UCL Institute of Education) with extensive experience supporting young people with a wide range of additional needs in their homes, schools, and online. I have led a sixth form in a specialist provision and also Key Stage 2 in a mainstream setting.
Building trusting, meaningful relationships is the foundation of my practice. Many of the young people I support have experienced anxiety, school avoidance, or emotional dysregulation. I take time to understand each learner’s profile, strengths, triggers, and previous educational experiences. Through authenticity, flexibility, empathy, and high but achievable expectations, I create a safe, structured environment where pupils feel understood and valued.
I prioritise emotional safety alongside academic progress. Celebrating small successes, providing consistent encouragement, and maintaining a calm, predictable approach enables learners to rebuild confidence, re-engage with education, and develop a stronger sense of identity and self-belief.
My Skills and Experience in Teaching Pupils with Executive Function Difficulties
I am a Qualified Primary Teacher and Specialist Dyslexia Teacher with a Master’s degree in Specific Learning Difficulties (Dyslexia) from the Institute of Education, UCL. The focus of my dissertation was Executive Function skills within school settings, which led to extensive academic reading and research into how cognitive processes such as working memory, planning, organisation, task initiation, attention, and self-monitoring directly impact learning outcomes. This strong theoretical foundation underpins my evidence-based tutoring practice.
Alongside my academic training, I have significant practical experience supporting children and young people with Executive Function difficulties, particularly within English. I regularly tutor pupils whose academic ability is masked by EF challenges rather than a lack of understanding.
At the primary level, EF difficulties often present as struggles with organising ideas for writing, remembering instructions, retaining phonics and spelling patterns, maintaining focus during reading, and comprehending texts at depth. Without targeted support, pupils may appear to be underachieving despite strong verbal reasoning or creativity.
At the secondary level and GCSE, EF difficulties frequently become more pronounced. Pupils experience overwhelm when revising large volumes of content, difficulty processing information deeply enough to retain and retrieve it under exam conditions, and significant barriers when planning and initiating extended writing tasks such as essays. Many describe their “brain feeling clogged” and being unable to start, despite knowing the content.
I address these challenges through bespoke, scaffolded strategies that explicitly teach Executive Function skills alongside subject knowledge. This includes structured planning frameworks, chunked revision methods, retrieval practice techniques, visual organisers, memory supports, and step-by-step writing scaffolds. By reducing cognitive load and strengthening EF processes, pupils are able to access their true academic ability, work with greater confidence, and achieve success in assessments and examinations.
I deliver INSET training and speak at professional conferences, sharing evidence-based knowledge and practical strategies for supporting executive function.
My Experience Supporting Young People with ASC
I have extensive experience teaching and tutoring children with a profile of autism and young people across mainstream schools, specialist provisions, SEMH settings, and 1:1 home education.
I understand that autism presents uniquely in every individual. My approach is strengths-based and neurodiversity-affirming, focusing on reducing anxiety through clear structure, visual supports, predictable routines, and flexible communication strategies. I use child-led interests to increase engagement and support emotional regulation alongside academic learning.
I collaborate closely with parents, SENCOs, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists to ensure joined-up provision. My work consistently focuses on helping autistic learners feel safe, capable, and successful.
My Experience Supporting Young People with PDA
I have significant experience supporting learners with a PDA profile in both school and private tutoring contexts. My approach is low-demand, collaborative, and relationship-based.
I prioritise autonomy, choice, and emotional regulation, gently encouraging engagement through flexibility and shared problem-solving. By reducing perceived demands and working through interests, I have supported pupils who previously disengaged from education to re-engage with learning in a calm and trusting way.
Parents and professionals have commended my approach for its consistency, empathy, and effectiveness in reducing anxiety-driven resistance.
My Experience Supporting Young People with SEMH and Mental Health Needs
I have experience in SEMH specialist settings and with young people experiencing anxiety, emotional dysregulation, low self-esteem, and school-based trauma.
My sessions are structured yet nurturing, breaking tasks into manageable steps and scaffolding executive function skills such as planning, task initiation, and self-monitoring. By combining academic support with emotional scaffolding, I help young people develop resilience, coping strategies, and renewed confidence in their ability to succeed.
My Experience Supporting Young People with ADHD
I have extensive experience supporting learners with ADHD, both professionally and personally.
My teaching incorporates clear routines, structured scaffolding, visual organisers, chunked instructions, movement breaks, and multisensory learning. I provide immediate, specific feedback and build strong rapport to maintain engagement and motivation.
My academic background in Executive Function and Working Memory (the focus of my Master’s research) allows me to explicitly teach planning, organisation, sustained attention, and self-regulation strategies. I empower learners to understand how their brains work and to develop practical strategies for independence and success.
My Experience Teaching Functional English and Maths
As a former Head of Juniors (KS2) and teacher within both mainstream and specialist SEND schools, I have taught English and Maths from early years through to GCSE and Functional Skills Level 2.
I have delivered Functional Skills Maths and English in specialist settings for learners up to age 25, adapting content to real-life contexts such as budgeting, travel training, cooking, and independent living skills. My teaching is structured, personalised, and rooted in identifying gaps while building confidence and fluency.
I ensure lessons are accessible, engaging, and meaningful, enabling learners to apply skills beyond the classroom.
My Experience Developing Confidence and Self-Esteem
Confidence is central to my practice. Many young people I support arrive with fragile self-belief due to repeated academic or social challenges.
Through achievable goals, consistent praise, strengths-based teaching, and personalised success pathways, I help learners rebuild confidence in themselves as capable individuals. My nurturing but aspirational approach enables pupils to take risks in learning, celebrate progress, and develop a positive relationship with education.
Over time, this growth in confidence translates into improved academic outcomes, stronger social skills, and increased independence.
My Specialist Experience Providing Engaging Sessions to Inspire a Love of Learning
I am passionate about creating engaging, multisensory sessions tailored to each learner’s interests and cognitive profile.
Whether using practical real-life contexts, sensory storytelling, technology, enrichment experiences, or structured academic scaffolds, I ensure learning feels relevant and motivating. My background in curriculum development and enrichment leadership has strengthened my ability to design creative, meaningful educational experiences.
For many learners who have previously disengaged, I plan my sessions to reignite curiosity and foster a renewed enjoyment of learning.
My Skills and Experience Supporting Young People to Develop Independence
Supporting independence is a core outcome of my work.
In specialist settings, I have taught travel training, cooking, life skills, and Functional Skills qualifications. I have led sixth form provision for young adults with MLD and PMLD, using the Engagement Model to assess and support progress.
Across all age groups, I explicitly teach executive function strategies, organisation, problem-solving, and self-advocacy. My goal is always to equip young people with the skills, confidence, and resilience needed to navigate education and life with increasing autonomy.
