My specialist experience working with young people with SEN to develop trusting and meaningful relationships.
Building trusting relationships with children with SEN is at the heart of everything I do. I wholeheartedly believe that no meaningful learning can take place without trust, and I invest time and care into developing it. Whether I’m quietly sitting beside a child in distress, or engaging them in an activity that aligns with their passions, I aim to be a consistent, safe presence. My calm, nurturing approach allows children to begin letting their guard down, and once that connection is made, the transformation in their engagement is powerful. Every trusting relationship I’ve built has laid the foundation for real, joyful progress.
My experience working with young people with Autism
Supporting young people with Autism requires patience, flexibility and a keen eye for the small details that make a big difference. I pride myself on tuning into the world from their perspective and adapting my teaching accordingly. From creating visual timetables, to reducing sensory overload, to honouring their unique interests (like transforming a lesson into a Peppa Pig space adventure!), I shape every session around the child’s needs. I’ve seen incredible growth when children with Autism are met with genuine respect and creativity — they blossom, communicate more, and begin to take educational risks they never thought they could.
My experience working with young people with Anxiety
Anxiety can present as withdrawal, avoidance or even challenging behaviour, but beneath it all is a child who needs to feel safe and in control. My approach is always gentle and non-pressurising, meeting the child where they are emotionally before asking anything of them academically. I’ve used everything from storytelling to garden-based sensory activities to help calm anxious minds. With consistency and encouragement, I’ve supported students with extreme school refusal to not only re-engage but look forward to learning. The smallest victory — turning up to a session or smiling at a familiar activity — is celebrated and built upon.
My experience working with young people with Speech and Language needs
This is an area I am particularly passionate about. I see speech and language development as an exciting, creative opportunity! I use stories, sound-play, repetition, song, and hands-on sensory tasks to spark language in even the most reluctant speakers. With one non-verbal child, I built a communication-rich learning environment from his living room using visuals, colour, movement, and storytelling. Seeing him progress from no speech to recognising letters and initiating communication was one of the proudest moments in my teaching career. Each child’s voice, however, it emerges, deserves to be heard.
My experience working with young people with SEMH
Supporting young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs requires deep empathy, unwavering consistency, and a good dash of humour. I have worked with children who have been excluded multiple times, who feel broken and misunderstood. I never give up on a child — instead, I seek to understand their world, work with their emotions, and help them rebuild their trust in adults and themselves. Using a calm, relational approach, I’ve helped children move from aggressive behaviours to calm engagement, using activities that validate their emotions while slowly introducing structure and learning.
My experience working with young people with Challenging Behaviour
Challenging behaviour is so often the voice of unmet needs or emotional pain. I don’t view it as a barrier but as a clue — a call to connect. I’ve worked with children who refused to engage, bolted from lessons, or showed extreme frustration. My approach always begins with building a non-judgmental relationship. I provide structure, firm boundaries, and lots of positive reinforcement, while adapting expectations moment by moment. Often, challenging behaviour melts away when a child feels truly understood and supported — and that’s when real learning begins.
My experience working with young people with Executive Functioning needs
Executive functioning challenges like disorganisation, poor memory, and trouble transitioning can be hugely frustrating for students. I approach this with structured, practical support alongside patient reassurance. From colour-coded materials and visual checklists to step-by-step task breakdowns and clear routines, I give students tools to manage their learning more independently. One child I worked with couldn’t manage tasks longer than two minutes — through gradual scaffolding and lots of celebration of each tiny success, she began finishing full activities and feeling proud of herself.
My experience working with young people with social interaction and friendship needs
Helping children navigate the complex world of social interaction is a deeply rewarding part of my work. I use role-play, storytelling, visual prompts, and games to build social understanding. I’ve supported children who didn’t know how to join a game, or who misread body language, by practising those skills in safe, structured ways. Encouraging small social victories — like a successful turn-taking game or shared laughter over a story — helps children feel more connected and secure in their peer relationships.
My experience teaching Social Communication and Language skills
I love weaving social communication and language skills into everyday activities. Whether it’s practising greetings through a puppet show, using storybooks to explore tone and expression, or building vocabulary through sensory exploration, I tailor activities to each child’s level and interests. One student, initially shy and non-verbal, gradually began to express herself using symbols, sounds, and eventually spoken words through these activities. It’s thrilling to see children find their voice — in whatever form that takes.
My experience teaching Engagement, Trust, and Interest in Learning
Engagement is everything — and trust is its foundation. I’ve found that the best way to ignite interest in learning is to make it meaningful, fun, and deeply personalised. Whether I’m using dinosaurs to teach phonics or transforming the living room into a hands-on science lab, I go all in! When children feel safe, heard, and excited, they stop seeing learning as a chore and start seeing it as an adventure. That’s when progress becomes not just possible, but joyful.
My experience working with young people to boost their confidence and self-esteem
Confidence grows when children feel successful, respected, and valued. I always look for opportunities to celebrate effort, not just outcomes. One boy with very low self-esteem blossomed through a creative writing project where he wrote stories about his favourite superhero — himself! Tailoring activities to reflect children’s strengths and passions helps them feel proud, capable, and seen. With authentic praise and lots of humour, I help children rediscover their spark and start to believe in themselves again.
My specialist experience providing engaging sessions to inspire a love of learning
Inspiring a love of learning is one of my favourite things to do. My sessions are vibrant, hands-on, and bursting with creativity. I bring learning to life through sensory experiences, personalised games, and real-world exploration. I once taught counting using magnetic fish in a hand-painted “pond” for a child with global delay — he was captivated! These moments create not just understanding, but joy — and joy is what keeps children coming back for more.
My skills and experience supporting young people to develop their independence
I believe that independence is best nurtured through consistent routines, clear expectations, and empowering children to make choices. I scaffold tasks with just the right amount of support, gradually pulling back to help students take ownership of their learning. Whether it’s managing their belongings, making decisions, or tackling tasks in steps, I gently guide them until they can confidently fly solo. Watching a child go from “I can’t” to “I did it myself!” is one of the most rewarding parts of my role.
5 Reviews on “Rebecca”
My son acquired a severe brain injury at age 7 and lost the ability to do basically everything. When Rebecca first met him, he had obvious memory impairments, an inability to read or respond in an accurate way, neither could he speak beyond the word ‘yeh’. However, with huge help from Rebecca’s targeted tuition, Rafi leapt forward in his cognitive skills. He is now able to read, recognise numbers and patterns and recall content from previous lessons, no doubt due to the fun and creative approach she utilised in all her lessons. We admire her patience and understanding of our son, as well as her shared sense of humour when we hear them laughing at various times throughout the lesson. Rebecca puts in a huge amount of effort in setting up her activities and the tasks are without fail so interactive and engaging. We are forever grateful for the imprint Rebecca has had on my son’s recovery and recognise his large improvements in cognition is much to do with her input. Thanks for all you’ve done!
We commissioned Rebecca for 1:1 work with a young child with complex and considerable needs. We have worked together for 6 months.
Rebecca is a skilled intervention teacher and has diligently worked to make and create engaging lesson plans, adapt to students’ needs, and assess learning outcomes effectively.
She has a strong rapport with the student and parents. She has a great ability to work collaboratively in a team, as well as her communication and listening skills.
Rebecca has a highly suitable character and work ethic to our needs: she is from what we have seen motivated, professional, and able to handle pressure.
After two years of receiving no mainstream education due to autism, anxiety and PDA issues, we decided to look for a tutor that could work with our 13 year old daughter. Rebecca’s approach was patient and focussed on building trust with a very bright but socially anxious girl, slowly introducing educational elements over time.
For the first time in over two years we saw our daughter beginning to engage with education again. It has been a remarkable transformation after trying many other different avenues. Rebecca understands the PDA that our daughter has, and can determine when to push, when to back off, and when to give options that give our daughter increased confidence.
Our daughter now looks forward to her tutoring sessions, and is fully engaged with the process. Her sessions are often punctuated with laughter, and we have a happy and engaged daughter once again.
Rebecca herself has been highly professional, and has gone beyond the formal constraints of her tutor time to help where she can, whether with our applications for an EHCP or SEN assistance, to suggesting and helping us to find other options for our daughter going forwards.
My daughter Lexi has septo optic dysplasia, she is autistic and is severely sight impaired. Rebecca has been absolutely fantastic with Lexi. Very reliable and punctual. Rebecca has always made sure we are happy with what she is doing for Lexi. As a family we are very grateful for Rebecca’s time with Lexi. Lexi will miss her when she starts school.
Rebecca really impacted on L’s progress and incorporated creative ways to engage her – truly heartwarming.
It’s clear how much dedication and effort she put into working with her. I am incredibly grateful for all the hard work and support provided to L and her family. She has made remarkable progress this year, and it’s evident that Rebecca’s sessions have played a significant role in her development. It has been a real pleasure working with her and witnessing the positive impact you’ve had on L’s growth.