Mebru

I bring over 18 years of experience across teaching, senior leadership, SEND, international education and personalised 1:1 tuition. As a former Deputy Headteacher and Head of English, I have extensive knowledge of curriculum, assessment, pupil progress and intervention, meaning I can quickly identify gaps in learning and create a clear pathway forward.

My experience spans Early Years and Primary through to secondary English, alongside GCSE English, Functional Skills English and Maths, study skills, executive functioning and homework support. I also have experience preparing children for 7+, 11+ and 13+ entrance examinations.

As a former Head of English and Deputy Headteacher, I have particular expertise in literacy, reading comprehension, writing, grammar and communication. My senior leadership experience has also given me a strong background in assessment, curriculum planning, identifying gaps in learning, safeguarding and implementing appropriate interventions.

Through my specialist SEND work, I provide personalised 1:1 education based on each young person's academic, developmental and emotional needs. I have experience supporting young people with:

• Autism / ASC

• ADHD / ADD

• Anxiety and barriers to school attendance

• SEMH needs

• Dyslexia

• Speech, language and communication needs

• EAL / English as an Additional Language

• Working memory and processing difficulties

• Executive functioning and study skills

• Social communication and interaction difficulties

• Emotional barriers to learning

• Pupils who are out of school or receiving education outside mainstream settings

I am equally comfortable providing structured academic teaching or taking a more creative, practical and functional approach. I enjoy connecting English and Maths to everyday life, particularly when supporting young people to develop independence and skills for adulthood.

I also have extensive experience supporting EAL (English as an Additional Language) learners, having taught in both international and UK settings with pupils from a wide range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds. I adapt language, instructions and learning materials to make the curriculum accessible, using modelling, visual support, repetition and carefully scaffolded activities to develop understanding, vocabulary and confidence in spoken and written English. My experience has taught me the importance of recognising the difference between an EAL need and an underlying SEND need, while appreciating that some learners may require support with both.

Building Confidence and Re-engaging with Learning

One of the areas of specialist tutoring I find most rewarding is supporting young people whose experiences of education may have affected their confidence, engagement or willingness to learn.

I recognise that behaviour can communicate anxiety, frustration, sensory overload or an unmet need. I remain calm, patient and flexible, adapting the pace, level of demand and teaching approach to the individual rather than expecting the young person to adapt to me.

I understand that progress for a young person with SEND is not always purely academic. Building trust, remaining engaged for longer, communicating more confidently, developing routines or attempting something previously avoided can represent significant progress.

I use achievable targets, encouragement, carefully differentiated activities, structure and the young person's interests to create opportunities for success. As confidence develops, I gradually increase challenge and independence.

My aim is not simply to improve academic attainment, but to help each young person feel safe, understood and capable, developing greater confidence, independence and a more positive relationship with learning.

Working with Families and Professionals

I believe effective SEND provision involves working closely with the people around the young person. I have experience communicating with parents and carers, schools, SENCOs and other professionals, and understand the importance of listening carefully to families and maintaining consistent approaches.

I am experienced in working towards EHCP outcomes, monitoring progress and producing clear lesson and progress reports. I value collaborative working and understand that sharing relevant observations can help everyone involved better understand a young person's strengths, needs and progress.

My previous experience as a Deputy Headteacher, together with my Level 3 Designated Safeguarding Lead training, means that safeguarding, confidentiality, professional boundaries and accurate record keeping are embedded within my practice.

I aim to be someone both young people and their families can trust: professional and reliable, but also warm, approachable and genuinely invested in helping each child move forward.

Most importantly, I genuinely enjoy teaching. I want children to leave my sessions feeling that they have achieved something, that their ideas matter and that learning can be interesting, enjoyable and relevant to their lives. I want the children I work with to know that I believe they can succeed.

I believe that effective tutoring starts with the relationship. A child is much more likely to engage and make progress when they feel safe, understood and respected, so I spend time getting to know their interests, communication style, strengths and barriers before expecting significant academic engagement.

My teaching is highly individualised and flexible. I use clear structure and predictable routines where these are helpful, but I am equally comfortable changing the pace or direction of a session when a child needs something different. I use differentiated tasks, small achievable steps, modelling, questioning, visual support, practical activities, repetition and interest-led learning depending on the individual pupil.

With children experiencing anxiety, demand avoidance or disengagement, I use a calm and low-pressure approach. I offer choices wherever possible, avoid unnecessary confrontation and focus on rebuilding confidence and trust. I recognise that behaviour can communicate overwhelm, anxiety, frustration or an unmet need, and I respond with curiosity and empathy rather than simply viewing it as poor behaviour.

A good tutor, in my view, combines strong subject knowledge with patience, creativity and the ability to listen. They should have clear goals but also be flexible enough to recognise that progress may look different for each child. Sometimes success is completing a piece of work; at other times it may be a child communicating more freely, attempting something they previously avoided or simply beginning to enjoy learning again.