Jess

My Specialist Experience with EOTAS Packages;

I am a solution-focused practitioner committed to supporting the families I work with. I have experience in delivering EOTAS packages for young people, working in close partnership with a range of professionals, providers, and external agencies. I am confident in writing high-quality Annual Review and EHCP documentation, ensuring alignment with statutory requirements and individual needs.

I strongly believe that a collaborative, multi-agency approach is essential to achieving EHCP outcomes and ensuring that each young person’s needs are met holistically. My experience includes chairing multi-agency meetings, managing shared documentation through digital platforms, and producing professional reports in a variety of formats to support planning and decision-making.

My specialist administration and secretarial experience;

Before transitioning into education, I worked as a Personal Assistant in the private sector. This experience equipped me with exemplary organisational skills, a high level of proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, and a strong attention to detail. These transferable skills continue to support my efficiency and professionalism in my various roles within education.

My experience working with parents to support an EOTAS package

I am a compassionate and perceptive practitioner with strong interpersonal skills. I believe that clear, timely, and effective communication is essential to the role of an EOTAS Co-ordinator. I have consistently been recognised for my tenacity in delivering thoughtful solutions and practical ideas for parents, particularly during pivotal moments in their journey. My approach is rooted in empathy, tenacity, and a commitment to achieving positive outcomes for families.

•  My specialist experience working with young people with SEN to develop trusting and meaningful relationships;

I have personal lived experience of both brain injury and autism within my immediate family, which has informed my understanding and empathy when working with children and young people with SEND, as well as their families. This insight allows me to build meaningful, trusting relationships—something I consider the most rewarding and impactful aspect of being a tutor or teacher.

Throughout my career, I have been fully committed to each and every student I’ve supported, even within the demanding environments of busy schools. I’ve consistently been commended for this dedication, and I take great pride in the positive difference I’ve made during my students’ formative teenage years.

·       My experience working with young people with Autism;

I have a patient, calm manner with my students and I have taught children/ young people with autism in a range of educational settings. I create relevant and purposeful learning experiences for these students, whilst keeping to routine and using symbols and visual aids where appropriate. 

•  My experience working with young people with Anxiety and SEMH;

Most of the children and young people that I have worked with, have been anxious or have been suffering from varying levels of an anxiety disorder. I will have approached this differently for each group or individual but have always done so with kindness and compassion. As a teacher, I am creative and come up with different creative strategies to address the mental health needs of my students, which could include; considering the sensory environment, movement or yoga, mindful drawing and journaling, or playing educational games.

•  My experience working with young people with PDA;

I have worked specifically with students who have PDA in both special school and tutor settings. I recognise that it is a complex condition, that requires a careful use of language and lesson structure. Trust is often extremely important to students with a PDA profile and I therefore ensure that I never make promises that I can’t keep. Due to my current cohort of students, I ensure that I attend regular training events and webinars on PDA.

•  My experience working with young people with Sensory and/or auditory processing needs and working memory difficulties;

The students that I have taught with these needs have required different strategies to keep them regulated, engaged and in a safe space to enable learning to take place. This may require adapting and exploring an individual student’s ‘Sensory Diet’. Tasks need to be: personalised as much as possible, use symbols or images, created for the sensory needs of the learner and built up progressively. Repetition, overlearning, interleaving and consolidation are vital for students with any processing needs.  

•  My experience working with young people with SEMH;

Last year I taught and supported a student with SEMH and anxiety through their Art A-Level and quickly developed a rapport. She trusts me to be kind, honest and to give her the right feedback for her work and in a way that she understands. I have also recently been working with a student with complex PTSD and have experience of delivering trauma informed practice through mentoring.

•  My experience teaching Social Interaction & Communication skills; 

These skills are fundamental for an individual’s personal development; the ability to develop relationships and to have an enriched life. They have been a core part of my teaching philosophy, across all subjects, in schools and now into tutoring. I have experience teaching these skills through role play activities, life skills, PSHE sessions and interactive/ scenario based learning tasks. The introduction of social media has created a new way of communicating and I have experience helping students navigate these communication challenges in safe and effective ways. 

•  My experience teaching Primary Maths and English/Literacy;

Throughout my Special Needs teaching experience, I have had to explore and deliver a variety of strategies for teaching all aspects of teaching English and Maths, including; reading, phonics, handwriting, fine motor skills, numeracy, time and time perception. Strategies include using visual aids and holistic project-based learning activities and adapting the National Curriculum to make it engaging and functional. I tutor online in an engaging way, through various learning platforms, interactive media such as visualisers, gaming and new technologies. 

•  My experience working with young people to boost their confidence and self-esteem;

I have a positive and caring nature, which allows me to form bonds with students quickly. I give plenty of praise if the student responds well to it and will go out of my way to make students feel ‘seen’ and ‘heard’. I believe that praise can boost confidence in students when it is well pitched and genuine, and that there needs to be specific consideration for those individuals with a PDA profile.

•  My specialist experience providing engaging sessions to inspire a love of learning;

I have 12 years of experience within various learning environments and I make my tutoring sessions engaging and relevant to the needs of the student. During the pandemic I led sessions online that were well planned and interactive. I went above and beyond by sending out learning ‘packs’ of resources, I ran group lessons and 1-2-1 sessions during a very turbulent time; with a focus on re-engagement, wellbeing and recovery.

•  My skills and experience supporting young people to develop their independence;

I believe that developing a student’s independence is one of the most fundamental aspects of my job and it is integral to not just their learning but to their life chances and prospects. It is something that needs to be built up gradually and I have experience of doing this through planning personalised schemes of work, delivering lessons and creating holistic learning opportunities, including developing those opportunities outside in the community.