Tag: lancashire

My experience working with young people with SEN to build meaningful relationships.

I have over 23 years’ experience working with children and young people with a wide range of Special Educational Needs, both in schools and through specialist tuition. Central to my practice is the belief that meaningful progress begins with trust. I prioritise building calm, respectful, and consistent relationships, particularly with learners who may feel anxious, disengaged, or wary of education due to previous experiences.

My background in senior leadership and therapeutic tuition enables me to balance clear boundaries with empathy and flexibility, creating an environment where young people feel emotionally safe, understood, and valued as individuals.

My experience working with autistic young people

I have experience supporting autistic children and young people, including those who find mainstream settings overwhelming or inaccessible. I adapt my communication style, session structure, and expectations to suit each learner’s individual profile, sensory needs, and processing style.

I work in a predictable, low-pressure manner, using clear routines while remaining flexible and responsive. My approach supports emotional regulation, reduces anxiety, and helps learners engage at their own pace, building confidence alongside academic skills.

My experience working with young people with PDA

I have significant experience working with young people with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) profiles and understand the importance of reducing perceived demands while maintaining purposeful learning.

Sessions are carefully framed to promote collaboration, autonomy, and choice, avoiding power struggles and allowing learners to feel in control of their learning. I use indirect language, negotiation, and interest-led activities to support engagement while maintaining clear learning intentions and emotional safety.

My experience working with young people with speech and language needs

I have worked closely with learners who experience speech, language, and communication difficulties, adapting my teaching to ensure language is accessible, clear, and supportive.

I break down instructions, model language, use repetition where appropriate, and allow processing time. My sessions support vocabulary development, comprehension, expressive language, and confidence in communication, often in collaboration with other professionals and strategies already in place.

My experience teaching English and Basic Maths

As a highly experienced English specialist, I support learners across KS2–KS5, including literacy development, functional skills, and GCSE English Language and Literature. I am also an experienced GCSE English Examiner, which allows me to provide accurate, focused guidance aligned with assessment criteria and exam expectations.

Alongside English, I can support Basic Maths, focusing on functional numeracy, confidence with number, and practical application. Lessons are tailored to individual ability levels and learning styles, ensuring progress feels achievable and meaningful.

My experience working with young people to help boost confidence and self-esteem

Many of the young people I work with have experienced repeated setbacks in education, leading to low self-esteem and anxiety around learning. My approach focuses on small, achievable successes, positive reinforcement, and recognising effort as well as outcome.

By creating a supportive and non-judgemental learning environment, I help young people rebuild confidence, develop a more positive self-image, and begin to see themselves as capable learners again.

My specialist experience planning engaging sessions to inspire a love of learning

I specialise in designing bespoke, engaging sessions that are responsive to a young person’s interests, strengths, and emotional needs. Drawing on my leadership experience and therapeutic practice, I plan sessions that are purposeful yet flexible, allowing learning to unfold naturally.

I use creativity, choice, and interest-based learning to re-ignite curiosity and enjoyment, particularly for learners who have become disengaged or resistant to traditional approaches.

My skills and experience in supporting young people to develop their independence

Supporting independence is a key part of my work. I help young people develop self-belief, decision-making skills, and confidence in managing their own learning, always at a pace that feels safe and achievable.

Through structured support, reflection, and gradual release of responsibility, I encourage learners to take ownership of their progress, build resilience, and develop the skills they need to move forward with greater confidence—both academically and emotionally.

My experience as a specialist teacher/tutor

Throughout my teaching career, I gained invaluable experience of working with children and young people with SEN from and in both mainstream and specialist settings. I have either supported or taught children from Early Years through to Key Stage 5. This includes 1:1 support in a mainstream Year 6 classroom and teaching and leading Key Stages 3 and 5 classes in a specialist provision for autistic students at an ‘Outstanding’ specialist school and college. My classroom practice has always been observed to be outstanding by senior leadership teams and OFSTED. I received the following feedback from a Director of Education: “I felt a sense of calm being in your space. I could also see the range of learning prompts and communication systems that have been put in place to ensure the students’ success. I love how you have set up the sensory integration room and how you create opportunities for community engagement.” Most of my tutoring experience is with young autistic people who find learning difficult in the school environment, are home educated or have an EOTAS package.

My experience working with the autistic community

I have extensive experience supporting autistic children and young people with a wide range of profiles, communication styles and sensory needs. My teaching practice is firmly rooted in autistic‑informed approaches: I prioritise predictability, clarity and genuine respect for everyone’s individual way of experiencing the world. I find that my most successful sessions as a specialist tutor are those that follow a TEACCH structure and incorporate a young person’s monotropic interests.

Over the years, I’ve worked with pupils who are verbal, non‑verbal, gestalt language processors, selectively speaking, highly anxious, experiencing autistic burnout and/or disengaged from education. I adapt my teaching to meet each learner exactly where they are and to support their sensory processing differences. My focus is always on reducing anxiety, building trust, promoting regulation and creating learning experiences that feel safe, achievable and meaningful.

My experience working with PDA

I’ve worked with many pupils with a PDA profile and what I’ve learned is that connection and collaboration make all the difference. I take a gentle, low‑demand approach that helps pupils feel safe, in control and genuinely listened to. Instead of pushing through tasks, I focus on building trust, offering choices and finding creative ways to weave learning into things they already enjoy. I use indirect language, humour and lots of adaptability so pupils feel empowered and in control. When the pressure comes down, their confidence comes up and that’s when real progress starts to happen!

My experience working with ADHD

My experience of supporting young people with ADHD has focused on helping them build the skills, confidence and routines they need to thrive academically and emotionally. My approach is highly structured yet flexible; using clear expectations, visual scaffolds and engaging, interest‑led tasks to maintain focus and reduce overwhelm.

My experience supporting young people with SEMH

My work with young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs is grounded in patience, relational practice and a deep understanding of trauma‑informed approaches. During my teaching career, I led a Pastoral Team who oversaw an SEMH department and I was part of the team who created and quality assured the ‘Well-being Curriculum’ that was delivered to students with SEMH to develop their emotional literacy, relationships and general emotional and physical well-being. I always prioritise creating a safe, predictable learning environment where young people feel heard, respected and able to take risks without fear of failure. Through consistent boundaries, reflective conversations and carefully adapted learning activities, I help pupils rebuild trust in education, develop emotional literacy and experience success at a pace that feels achievable for them.

My experience teaching Maths and English

I have taught Maths and English in line with the National Curriculum for Early Years, Key Stages 1 and 2. I have also taught functional Maths and English during my time working a specialist college. I specialise in breaking down concepts into clear, manageable steps and using visual, multisensory methods to support memory and comprehension. I am skilled at adapting the curriculum to each child’s pace and learning style whilst incorporating interest-based activities and play.

My experience of delivering engaging sessions

I’m known for creating sessions that are structured, purposeful and genuinely enjoyable. I design bespoke resources - from sorting tasks to visual supports - that make learning accessible and memorable. I weave pupils’ interests into lessons to boost motivation and I use a mix of games, visuals, movement and hands‑on tasks to keep engagement high. My sessions are predictable enough to feel safe but flexible enough to respond to each young person’s energy, focus and emotional needs on the day. Above all, I aim to create an environment where pupils feel relaxed, curious and ready to learn.

My experience supporting young people to develop independence and confidence

I support young people to build their independence and confidence through a strengths‑based approach that recognises individual abilities and aspirations. I break learning and life‑skills tasks into achievable steps, offering just the right level of scaffolding so pupils can experience genuine success and gradually take ownership of their progress. Through consistent encouragement and opportunities to make choices, I help learners develop self‑belief and the resilience needed to navigate challenges both in and beyond education. My aim is always to empower young people to recognise their own capability with increasing autonomy.

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

I have over 22 years of teaching experience across mainstream, specialist and alternative provision, including senior leadership roles such as Associate Headteacher in a specialist SEMH school and Head of Department within specialist SEND settings. Developing trusting and meaningful relationships is central to my practice, particularly for young people who have experienced trauma, school exclusion, emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) or significant anxiety around learning.

I currently work as a specialist educational consultant supporting neurodivergent pupils, including those with autism, ADHD and PDA profiles. Many of the young people I work with are receiving EOTAS provision or have become disengaged from school. My approach is relational, trauma-informed and neurodiversity-affirming. I prioritise psychological safety, predictability and respect for the young person’s autonomy, recognising that engagement with learning can only develop once trust has been established.

My experience supporting young people with ASC
I have extensive experience supporting autistic children and young people across both mainstream and specialist settings. I established and ran a resourced provision centre for autistic pupils and have also held leadership roles within specialist schools supporting pupils with autism and complex needs.

My work focuses on understanding each young person’s sensory profile, communication style and cognitive strengths. I use structured routines, visual supports, social narratives, comic strip conversations and interest-based learning to reduce anxiety and support engagement. I also have significant experience supporting autistic pupils with co-occurring ADHD, anxiety and PDA profiles, particularly those who experience high levels of demand avoidance or school-related anxiety.

My experience supporting young people with ADHD
I have supported many pupils with ADHD across both mainstream and specialist provision. In SEMH settings where I held senior leadership roles, a significant proportion of the pupils I worked with presented with ADHD alongside other neurodevelopmental differences.

I support young people to develop an understanding of how their brain works and help them develop strategies for attention regulation, emotional regulation and organisation. My sessions are structured but flexible, incorporating movement, multi-sensory activities and highly engaging tasks. This helps pupils sustain attention, regulate energy levels and experience success within learning.

My experience teaching Early Years
I have extensive leadership experience within Early Years education. I served as Head of Early Years for approximately 226 pupils in a large primary phase and also led Early Years provision within a specialist SEND school. These roles involved supporting a wide range of developmental needs and working closely with families and multidisciplinary professionals.

My Early Years teaching focuses on early communication, language development, social interaction, play-based learning and early literacy and numeracy. I have particular experience identifying and supporting early signs of neurodevelopmental differences, including autism and ADHD, and adapting learning environments to support sensory regulation and engagement.

My experience developing confidence and self-esteem
Many of the young people I work with have experienced repeated academic difficulty, school anxiety or exclusion, which can significantly affect their confidence and self-esteem. Through my work in SEMH settings and as a specialist SEND tutor, I have supported many pupils to rebuild confidence and re-engage with learning.

I use a strengths-based approach that focuses on achievable steps and recognising each young person’s abilities and interests. By creating opportunities for success and providing consistent encouragement, I help students begin to see themselves as capable learners again.

My specialist experience providing engaging sessions to inspire a love of learning
I design highly personalised sessions that connect learning to each young person’s interests, strengths and preferred ways of learning. I frequently incorporate creative approaches such as art, drama, games and practical problem-solving to make learning engaging and meaningful.

This approach is particularly important for pupils who have experienced EBSA or negative experiences within school. By combining enjoyable activities with carefully structured learning opportunities, I help young people rediscover curiosity, motivation and enjoyment in learning.

My skills and experience supporting young people to develop their independence
Supporting young people to develop independence is a key goal of my work. I help pupils build skills in organisation, emotional regulation, problem solving and self-advocacy so that they can gradually take greater ownership of their learning.

I have supported pupils at many stages of development, from early communication and self-regulation skills in younger children through to study skills and preparation for further education in older students. I often draw on frameworks such as the Autism Education Trust Progression Framework to support the development of independence and meaningful long-term outcomes.

 I have taught English across all ability levels for over 25 years up to sixth form level.  I have lead  English faculties in several schools and have extensive experience of teaching for various exam boards and delivering Entry Level curriculum. In addition, I am adept at exam marking and feedback and setting targets for students.  I have an in depth understanding of how to engage students and break down learning into manageable steps to develop skills and confidence. I specialise in delivering  specialist multi-sensory teaching sessions based around building phonics into reading and writing in context in order to enhance phonological awareness and improve spelling strategies.   Furthermore, I work to develop orthography and morphological awareness.  I work across a number of schools in Lancashire on a 1-1 and small group scale for dyslexia support and I continue to teach English GCSE and Literature at whole class level and 1-1. Furthermore, I am a dyslexia assessor which gives me a comprehensive understanding of different learning profiles and needs.

• Special Educational Needs (SEN) Expertise:

• • Experienced in the teaching of young people with SEN, including Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD), Autism, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), ADHD, and Cerebral palsy.
  • Trained primary school teacher with experience across all key stages.
  • Developed and delivered engaging education sessions for 16-19-year-olds, including Level 1/Level 2 qualifications, employability, and functional skills in English and Maths.
  • Worked in different settings, this has allowed me to hone my skills and adept to any environment. These settings include, Pupil referral Units (PRU), Children’s Residential, Council run homes, Respite centres, Young people's own homes and Young offenders institutions.
• Development and Coordination:
  • Responsible for the development and coordination of subjects across the full age and ability range with reference to the national curriculum and programmes of study.
  • Identified learning objectives across the curriculum and developed policies as appropriate.
  • Sustained and embedded high-quality subject delivery, regularly monitoring, reviewing, and evaluating the delivery of the curriculum.
• Data Tracking and Transition Support:
  • Tracked pupil progress and collected and monitored data to support teaching and learning.
  • Aided the transition process alongside parents, children, and MDT professionals to help ensure smooth transitions from a PRU setting back to mainstream education.
• Dynamic Lesson Delivery:
  • Delivered and facilitated dynamic, creative, and active lessons, supporting educational activities across the curriculum.
  • Worked in partnership with a range of agencies and providers.
• SEMH Teaching:
  • Responsible for determining the most appropriate and effective support for children and young people with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.
  • Ensured the correct provision of resources within the educational setting, removing barriers to academic performance and catering to individual and personal needs.
• AAC and AT Expertise:
  • Enabling AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) users to access education, offering a range of services including direct intervention and curriculum adaptation.
  • Predominantly worked on Grid 3 and has experience with AAC and Assistive Technology (AT).

• Excellent Communication Skills:
  • Proficient in building strong relationships with students, families, and support networks.
  • Effective in fostering a collaborative and supportive learning environment.
• Outgoing and Persuasive Manner:
  • Skilled in coordinating people who hold differing beliefs or values.
  • Persuasive in promoting inclusive education and advocating for students' needs.
• Analytical and Planning Skills:
  • Wide experience in analytical and planning tasks, developing detailed and effective schemes of work.
  • Strong organizational abilities, ensuring that all students' needs are met and learning objectives are achieved.
• Conscientious and Strong Work Ethic:
  • Committed to delivering high-quality education and support to students with SEN.
  • Demonstrates a strong work ethic and dedication to continuous improvement.
• Confidence, Patience, and Self-Motivation:
  • Confident, patient, and self-motivated in addressing the unique needs of each student.
  • Resilient and adaptable, open to learning and implementing new strategies.
• Teamwork and Networking Skills:
  • Strong teamwork and networking skills.
  • Effective in coordinating and collaborating with colleagues, support staff, and external agencies.
• Creative Arts and Cultural Integration:
  • Passionate about integrating creative arts and cultural activities into the curriculum to provide valuable opportunities for self-expression and cognitive development.