Sabrina

Having spent almost eighteen years in education, during which time I have held several positions of increasing responsibility including; Learning Leader for Curriculum, Teaching & Learning Coach I realised; that my true motivation and driving force was to work with learners with/without SEN/ASD including high-functioning autism/ADHD/SLD/MLD, on an individual basis, inspiring a love of FUN, creative learning, which results in progress and successful academic achievement whilst impacting pupils in a real and positive way to making a difference in their lives.

I have extensive experience of working with children/young people, who require assistance with study skills and organisation and this has enabled me to build a successful catalogue of interventions and strategies to assist with learning barriers faced by those who face challenges organising their studies, whilst meeting their desired targets. I provide bespoke interventions and skills that can assist learners to overcome these obstacles. .

My expertise and specialism are in delivering GCSE English/Maths & Functional Literacy/Numeracy to learners many different backgrounds, following alternative educational routes, I have delivered GCSE in mainstream schools, Special Education settings and in Further and Higher Education institutions. I am familiar with all standards set out by OfQual along with extensive understanding of all requirements set out by many examining boards including: AQA, Edexcel, Pearson, OCR, CCEA, and WJEC. I have a wealth of experience in understanding the GCSE structure and matching a personal curriculum to ensure successful access to learners.

As part of this, I will devise and facilitate a baseline and diagnostic assessment, which will enable specific and realistic targets and goals. This will initiate a bespoke and structured Scheme of Work with specific targets, all of which are shared, discussed with and agreed by both the learner and their family. I will ensure these are reviewed frequently, followed by a parent consultation with progress updates, which are complementary, these are usually on a monthly basis and up to 45 mins.

Engaging and personalised lesson content & resources: I am fastidious about ensuring that learners receive an excellent learning experience and I believe that, in order to achieve this and to ensure learner engagement, sessions must be personalised and student-centered. I will always make my learning material personal to each individual student, ensuring their preferred learning style and interests are addressed where possible/appropriate whilst meeting the curriculum standards.

Bespoke planning and Lesson Structure: Sessions are personally planned for the learner. There is a very high standard of structure, with the learner being guided with specific instructions at all times. Each session begins with ‘an opener’ to introduce the lesson objective, discussion around how that will be managed and achieved and a visual/ other appropriate representation of lesson progress.

Using specific instructions: I tend to use the SMART theory (Specific, Measurable, Appropriate, Realistic & Timed), this not only engages the learner, but also promotes staying on task in a way that is organised, holistic and successful. It also enables us (student myself and family) to work as a team and be aware of all progress, areas for development and achievement in bite-sized chunks as we ‘travel’ the learning journey of the individual.

When planning any session, my focus is on enriching the lives of my pupils, I am adamant that they receive the best provision and achieve both aspirational and realistic results. I achieve this by committing myself to regular independent CPD – (I am currently undertaking a Speech & Language Specialist Course). This reflects my passion for enriching communication skills with my learners, to foster a flexible and blended teaching style which evokes resilience, knowledge and curiosity, enabling the opportunity to consolidate skills whilst promoting independence

Specialist English, Maths: I am a Specialist Leader in Education for Functional Skills (Maths and English GCSE level) The use of FS is invaluable in your child/young person’s learning. It is, without doubt, the implementation of all English & Maths skills that are necessary and underpin all other learning – especially GCSE’s. I embed (and highlight) these skills in all learning, ensuring I encapsulate all other curriculum targets where necessary and map them to the academic curriculum being studied by the individual. I am highly confident and experienced in assisting with communication and language barriers/challenges.

As an English/Literacy specialist I like to merge my skills into broad and varied teaching techniques. Strategies and interventions used are FUNctional, creative, bespoke and may (where appropriate) include; structure, breaking down and interpreting language, inference skills, learning games, visual stimulation, realia, real life experiential opportunities, acronyms, memory techniques, study skills, focussing interventions, organisation skills, poetry and role play amongst many other strategies ‘in the toolbox’ – Many of these are transferred to other subject areas, where comprehension of language and tasks are consolidated

Responsibility/Accountability Skills and Self-Directed Learning: I am an advocate for assisting and enabling learners to take responsibility/accountability for their education, often through being confident to try self-directed learning. This is lead by structure, ensuring the individual is accessing information that is high quality and in line with my SMART ethos. The benefits of being responsible for own learning cannot be underestimated. It promotes the natural development of self-confidence, initiative, perseverance and life satisfaction. It boosts confidence and organically activates curiosity, which leads to an opportunity of predicting, problem-solving, reflection and analysis. My view is that these skills underpin success in education and drive a ‘yearn to learn’, which is paramount to continued academic achievement. I aim to achieve this by providing:

Fun and creative sessions: I am a highly energetic tutor and my teaching style and pupil interaction reflects and corresponds to my core values of; inclusion, fun, sensory, creative learning, complemented by the use of high quality, personalised resources. I truly believe that if a pupil is enjoying their learning experience, they will remain engaged, enabling the opportunity to unlock their maximum potential.

During the pandemic I have been working alongside students with a range of needs and across different levels and subject areas. With COVID-19, sessions with some pupils has taken place online, we remained creative and our sessions organically evolved into using many forms of communication, which promoted discussion, improved language, questioning skills, recalling specific information etc. If relevant, I am always happy to communicate with their school so that we can use sessions to re-enforce what is happening on the classroom. Otherwise, I am happy to create an overview for parents/carers to review beforehand.

and expertise during our sessions, we have identified key areas for development and focussed on these, whilst consolidating the rest of the curriculum targets. Where necessary I will devise personalised interventions e.g. Using proven theories to aid writing skills. (please feel free to ask me more about this)

I endeavour to improve English skills, in a STRUCTURED, organised, yet creative, personalised way. An experience that shows clear progress, with pupils using the skills learnt confidently. My aim is that pupils working with me generate a curiosity to learn in a controlled and and the confidence to question, challenge and recall and present skills and information learnt.

Your child WILL progress and learn with me: If you wish to proceed with tuition with me, I will ensure that we begin with a baseline assessment to determine current level of the student. Once this has been established, a diagnostic assessment will be completed (at their initial assessment level) to see what the personalised areas of development are to ensure progression to the next level. These will be listed with specific targets, that are discussed with families and reviewed on a regular basis.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, or further information you require about how fostering this approach can upskill and help your child progress and achieve in their learning journey.