Samantha

I am an experienced SEND Specialist Teacher with deep sector expertise and a genuine passion for supporting students with additional needs and complex learning profiles. My practice is rooted in inclusion, personalised learning and pupil wellbeing, and I am committed to creating environments where every child feels safe, valued and able to thrive. As a trained Reading Recovery Teacher and ECaR practitioner, I bring specialist knowledge in early literacy intervention, helping pupils build confidence and essential reading skills through highly tailored, evidence‑based support. My ECaR training has strengthened my ability to identify barriers to reading, deliver precise, targeted teaching and help children make rapid, meaningful progress through structured, responsive and engaging literacy sessions.

Having taught in a specialist SEND school, I also have extensive experience supporting pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). I understand how to work towards individual outcomes, adapt teaching to meet specific targets and collaborate closely with families and professionals to ensure each child’s needs are met with consistency, care and clarity. This experience has given me a deep understanding of how to create learning that aligns with EHCP priorities while still feeling joyful, meaningful and personalised for every pupil.

I teach pupils with PMLD, SLD, MLD and ASD, designing personalised learning pathways that meet each child’s unique needs. I create inclusive, engaging environments where children can explore, communicate and learn at their own pace, using an Enquiry‑Based Learning approach that places curiosity at the centre of learning. By encouraging pupils to ask questions, investigate ideas and discover through meaningful experiences, I help them build confidence, independence and a sense of ownership over their learning.

Alongside this, I use an irresistible play‑based approach that makes learning feel joyful, motivating and accessible for every child. Through open‑ended exploration, hands‑on activities and child‑led play, pupils are supported to follow their interests, make choices and engage in learning in ways that feel natural and enjoyable. This approach strengthens communication, problem‑solving and flexible thinking, while helping children build resilience, cope with change and transfer emerging skills into everyday life. It is highly effective not only for learners with complex needs but for any child who thrives through discovery, creativity and meaningful play.

I am qualified to deliver Hydrotherapy, Rebound Therapy and Liquid Listening, and although these sessions cannot be delivered in a home setting, the principles behind them strongly influence my teaching. My experience with therapeutic, sensory‑based approaches has deepened my understanding of regulation, pacing and the importance of creating calm, predictable environments where learners feel secure and ready to engage. I use this knowledge to shape home‑based learning by incorporating gentle sensory strategies, movement breaks, music‑based regulation and responsive communication, helping my students remain comfortable, focused and confident throughout their sessions.

I have extensive experience using Intensive Interaction, an approach that has been especially valuable for children with a wide range of additional needs, including pupils with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD). These learners benefit from support that is gentle, attuned and relationship‑based, helping them develop the foundations of early communication and social connection. Through child‑led, moment‑to‑moment exchanges, I focus on building shared attention, turn‑taking, vocalisation, eye contact and meaningful back‑and‑forth interaction. Over time, this has strengthened my ability to notice even the smallest communication cues and respond in ways that feel safe, predictable and genuinely supportive. In home‑based learning, I use these principles to build trust, deepen engagement and help pupils communicate in ways that feel natural and comfortable for them, ensuring every session promotes confidence, connection and emotional wellbeing.

This experience enables me to embed sensory, movement and musical strategies throughout my teaching, helping pupils remain calm, focused and motivated. I recognise and respond to individual needs with precision, creating meaningful opportunities for communication, self‑expression, problem‑solving and independence. While these approaches are highly effective for pupils with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD), they are equally beneficial for a wide range of learners who need gentle, attuned and flexible support. My Enquiry‑Based Learning practice complements this by encouraging pupils to explore, make choices and follow their interests, helping them build confidence, tolerate change and apply developing skills across different environments.

I believe every child is unique and deserves an education that recognises their individual strengths, interests and way of learning. My priority is to build trusting relationships where children feel safe, valued and confident to explore the world around them.

I start with what my students already know, helping them recall familiar ideas, objects or experiences that build confidence and reduce anxiety. I offer choices, use visual prompts and model simple questions, encouraging exploration in a hands‑on way. Learning is most meaningful when children can touch, handle and investigate objects, engage in short, structured activities and be supported through step‑by‑step discovery.

I support pupils across different Pathways, where learning is driven by curiosity, play and meaningful experiences. I understand that every child develops at their own pace, and I create engaging opportunities that encourage them to communicate, interact, solve problems and become increasingly independent.

I provide a calm, nurturing environment where children are encouraged to investigate, make choices and build confidence through child‑led and carefully supported activities. I help pupils develop their ability to sustain attention, tolerate change, engage with others and communicate their wants, needs and interests in ways that are meaningful to them.

As children progress, I support them to build on these foundations through purposeful play, shared learning and problem‑solving opportunities. I encourage children to apply their developing skills across different environments, helping them become confident learners who can think independently, work alongside others and use their knowledge in everyday situations.

My teaching is rooted in patience, consistency and high expectations. I celebrate every achievement, recognising that progress is not measured solely by academic outcomes but by growing confidence, resilience, communication, independence and a willingness to embrace new experiences. My aim is to help every child develop the skills they need to thrive both in school and beyond.

As a tutor, I teach in a way that is calm, responsive and genuinely child‑centred. I use a wide range of strategies and interventions, including sensory‑based learning, play‑led exploration, visual supports, structured routines and step‑by‑step modelling, always adapting them to suit each child’s needs and comfort. I believe a good tutor listens closely, notices the small things and builds learning around what motivates each child. My role is to create sessions that feel safe, enjoyable and achievable, where children can make progress at their own pace and feel proud of what they can do.