Lucy

SEND, PDA and complex needs
I have extensive experience supporting neurodivergent young people with autism, PDA, ADHD, SEMH, anxiety, trauma and communication difficulties, particularly those who have struggled to access mainstream education. I understand that demand avoidance is often rooted in anxiety and a need to protect autonomy, rather than wilful non-compliance. I look beyond behaviour to understand what a young person may be communicating and adapt my approach to reduce pressure, build trust and support engagement.

English and Functional Skills
With a degree in English Literature and extensive teaching experience across primary and secondary education, I teach English, including GCSE and Functional Skills. I particularly enjoy helping young people who have strong verbal ideas but struggle to organise and express them in writing. I break learning into manageable steps and use flexible, low-pressure approaches that support progress without overwhelming the learner or triggering unnecessary anxiety.

Maths and confidence-building
I have experience teaching Maths to learners working below age-related expectations, including Functional Skills. I recognise that anxiety, previous negative educational experiences and fear of failure can make learning feel threatening. I use practical, visual and creative approaches, offering choice and celebrating small steps forward to help young people rebuild confidence and develop a sense of achievement.

Trauma-informed and relational practice
My MSc with Distinction in Psychodynamic Counselling for Children and Adolescents complements my teaching experience and gives me a strong understanding of emotional development, attachment, anxiety and the impact of trauma. I prioritise emotional safety and connection, working calmly and collaboratively rather than using confrontation, coercion or punitive strategies. With young people with PDA, I offer meaningful choices, share control and remain responsive to their emotional state, recognising that trust and felt safety are essential foundations for learning.

Engagement, autonomy and independence
I am skilled at using a young person's interests and passions as a bridge into learning, making education relevant, motivating and enjoyable. I favour a collaborative approach in which the young person feels listened to, respected and actively involved in decisions about their learning. I also support executive functioning, organisation, study skills and independence, adapting expectations to the individual. My aim is to help young people experience learning as something they can influence and succeed at, rather than another source of pressure.

Relationship and emotional safety come first.
I believe that a young person needs to feel safe, respected and understood before they can engage meaningfully with learning. This is particularly important for young people with PDA, autism and experiences of trauma, for whom relationships and demands can sometimes trigger anxiety or a sense of threat. I take time to build trust through consistency, reliability, humour and genuine interest, recognising that a secure relationship develops gradually and cannot be rushed.

Autonomy, not compliance.
I understand that, for a young person with PDA, perceived demands can provoke significant anxiety and an instinctive need to regain control. I therefore take a collaborative, low-pressure approach, offering meaningful choices, sharing control and finding indirect, creative ways into learning. Rather than interpreting avoidance as defiance, I seek to understand what is making a situation feel difficult and adapt accordingly. My aim is to make learning feel safe and achievable, not something imposed upon the young person.

Confidence and emotional wellbeing are part of the curriculum.
My teaching and counselling background has taught me how closely emotional wellbeing, self-esteem and learning are connected. I celebrate progress, however small, and help young people recognise their strengths rather than feel defined by their difficulties. For those who have experienced prolonged difficulties with education, rebuilding confidence and trust in their own abilities can be just as important as academic progress.

Learning should be meaningful and motivating.
I believe a young person's interests and passions are powerful pathways into learning. Whether through music, musical theatre, fashion, make-up or other personal interests, I look for ways to make English, Maths and wider learning relevant and enjoyable. Following a young person's interests can reduce the sense of demand and help reconnect them with their natural curiosity.

Structure with flexibility.
I provide a thoughtful framework for learning while remaining responsive to the young person's emotional state, sensory needs and capacity on any given day. Predictability can be reassuring, but I avoid rigid expectations that create unnecessary pressure. I adapt the pace, format and approach while maintaining purposeful, achievable learning goals.

I look beyond behaviour to understand the young person.
My MSc with Distinction in Psychodynamic Counselling for Children and Adolescents informs my understanding of anxiety, emotional development, relationships and trauma. I listen carefully, remain curious and avoid making assumptions about what a young person's behaviour means. I recognise that withdrawal, avoidance or apparent disengagement may communicate distress or overwhelm, and I respond with empathy rather than confrontation or punishment.

My ultimate aim is to nurture confidence and independence.
I want young people to develop academically while also gaining self-belief, self-awareness and the skills to navigate learning in ways that work for them. For a young person hoping to return to school, this means bridging academic gaps while protecting their emotional wellbeing and helping them feel capable of taking their next steps. Above all, I want them to experience education as something they can shape, succeed in and feel hopeful about.