Alexia

As a highly qualified specialist teacher and SENCo with over 20 years experience, I provide expert learning support to children and young people with diverse challenges. I am passionate about supporting student learning and my MSc in Psychology of Education (UCL) has helped me develop a unique insight into providing bespoke lessons tailored to learners’ individual needs, likes, personalities and voices.  I am dedicated to nurturing students’ emotional, social, academic, and physical development so they thrive in their educational goals and cultivate a true sense of enjoyment in learning.

How I can help: 

Specialist support for SEN students to foster trusting and meaningful relationships & friendships:

I firmly believe that an essential ingredient in a student’s progress is the trust they build with the people who support them. I am dedicated to building trusting relationships with my students, helping them thrive by supporting their development of confidence in their own strengths and abilities. My research at UCL on student engagement and relationships, has equipped me with the most effective tools of connection and collaboration. Using this knowledge, I support children by carefully considering their needs, interests and voice in bespoke activities rooted in cultivating inclusion and friendship.  Supporting students in recognising and appreciating their own potentials and talents, is a fundamental stepping stone towards effectively managing SEMH needs and developing the skills, resilience and confidence to thrive in their relationships and friendships.

Specialist support for anxiety and SEMH needs

I am dedicated to supporting my students in managing anxiety by ensuring they have a secure and empathetic environment where they feel valued and understood. My counselling training enables me to personalized strategies and interventions and help students develop coping mechanisms and relaxation techniques tailored to their unique needs. This involves providing sensory tools, establishing structured routines, and encouraging avenues for self-expression and introspection. Collaboration with parents, caregivers, and professionals ensures a comprehensive approach to addressing anxiety and nurturing emotional well-being. Central to my philosophy is empowering children to independently utilize anxiety-soothing techniques and supporting them in acquiring the necessary skills so that they overcome obstacles autonomously.

Highly skilled Maths teacher:

As an expert maths teacher with experience across primary, secondary, and SEN settings, I am dedicated to helping students excel in assessments by building a thorough understanding and appreciation of mathematics. My tailored approach leverages years of experience and specialized training to adapt lessons to each student’s unique needs, breaking down complex concepts to make them engaging and approachable. With a strong foundation in mathematical theories and problem-solving techniques, I guide students through challenging topics, equipping them with the skills and confidence needed to tackle exams successfully.

My goal is to create a supportive learning environment where students feel encouraged to explore different strategies and ask questions freely. Committed to ongoing professional development, I incorporate the latest educational practices to ensure my teaching remains both effective and inspiring, empowering students to achieve their best in assessments and beyond.

Expert support for students with Dyscalculia

My expertise in supporting students with dyscalculia is grounded in extensive research into how they process numbers and mathematical concepts. I take a highly individualized approach, designing learning experiences that align with my student’s unique way of understanding and retaining numerical information. Through multisensory methods, real-world applications, and targeted strategies, I make maths more accessible, meaningful and intuitive. A key component in each lesson is to focus on reducing maths anxiety by creating a supportive environment where my students feel safe to make mistakes and grow in confidence. With patience and creativity, I help children build confidence, strengthen number sense, and develop the skills needed to overcome mathematical challenges and thrive.

Expert English teacher:

As an expert English teacher, I am dedicated to equipping students with the skills and confidence to excel in English assessments across all levels, from KS1 to GCSE and A level. With years of experience in primary and secondary education and specialized training in advanced teaching methodologies, I tailor my approach to address each student’s unique needs. I focus on building a robust foundation in grammar, composition, and literary analysis while guiding students to sharpen their communication and critical thinking skills. My passion for English inspires students to engage with reading and writing thoughtfully, ultimately empowering them to approach assessments with confidence.

I also specialize in supporting students who face challenges with attention or fine motor skills, understanding how these can create barriers in written expression. Through enjoyable techniques that strengthen focus, I help reduce resistance to writing, allowing students to embrace and refine their unique learning styles. By staying up-to-date with the latest educational practices, I continuously enhance my teaching to provide the most effective and engaging learning experiences, enabling students of all abilities to achieve their highest potential in assessments and beyond.

Professional support for students with Dyslexia:

As a qualified SENCO and inclusion specialist I have had the privilege of teaching a great number of students with dyslexia. I use specialist techniques for phonological processing, working memory and processing speed which include: multisensory input, learner choice and control, CCQs, rhyming, zoning and many more. Supporting students by helping them engage with texts using their individual learning style can have profound effects not only on their learning and confidence but on developing the independence needed to thrive in any learning setting. Other key impactful techniques include: text overload prevention and management, extraneous stimuli block-out and audio and video glossaries. A key focus of my work in helping students with dyslexia is supporting them in changing their narrative around it. It has always been intriguing to see how powerful the effects can be when students identify and appreciate that their challenges and individual learning styles can also be their strength.

Study skills and motivation mentor:

In every lesson, my top priority is to provide personalized guidance that supports all my students—from primary school to A-level and university—overcome challenges, build confidence, and achieve their academic goals. I offer expert support through tailored study skills strategies that enhance productivity, cultivate a growth mindset, and strengthen motivation. By using individualized approaches, I help my students: manage procrastination, effectively tackle revision challenges, improve time management, and set clear, achievable goals. My methods empower them to take ownership of their learning journey, driving long-term success. Through motivational strategies, I equip learners with lifelong habits that foster continuous growth throughout their education and beyond.

Student confidence and self-esteem coach:  

Helping students develop their confidence and self -esteem, lies at the core of all the work I do. A fundamental aspect in supporting children boost their self-esteem is to help them understand that it is very much about being brave and sharing their ideas and truth in whatever way truly expresses them. I ensure that opportunities are continually created in each lesson to allow students to share their stories and experience a positive reaction. Helping children see the enormous benefits of effort as well as the creative power of failure and how we can use that to adjust and innovate, plays a crucial role in building resilience which is the cornerstone to confidence and self-esteem.

Extensive experience in providing engaging sessions that foster a love of learning:

My teaching style and philosophy is firmly rooted in the development of children’s innate curiosity.  Through activities that are relatable, challenging and motivating I ensure that children’s natural love for learning is nurtured by turning dry activities into engaging experiences. I invest time in getting to know a child’s learning style and tailoring activities so that they are fun, multi-sensory and disruptive to monotonous learning.  Activities include:  puzzle making, game show quizzes, art approaches,  and gaming academic learning to help with digital education. I have 20 years experience in creating learning adventures for children that celebrate education and motivate children into developing their own desire to take deep dives into their learning.

Expertise in fostering student independence:

Independence can have profound effects both on a student’s learning and their general wellbeing in life.  It has always been a pleasure to see my students, as a result of the work that we do, improve their academic performance and increase their motivation and confidence. This boost in self-esteem benefits children both socially and in taking on more varied tasks that help them find a greater sense of belonging in their learning and social environments. The techniques I use include: scaffolded questioning to promote problem-solving, offering choice in activities to encourage accountability and connection to the work, reflection and building a collaborative rapport.

Experience in IT School Leadership

Drawing on my experience as Head of ICT at an ‘Outstanding’ school, I ensure my students stay informed about emerging technological trends, while adapting complex concepts to suit diverse learning styles. To engage students effectively, I break down intricate topics into understandable segments, utilizing practical examples and hands-on activities to keep the curriculum relevant and future-focused. With patience, creativity, and a focus on inspiring curiosity and problem-solving, I integrate technology across various subjects, creating a dynamic and interactive learning environment that supports the comprehensive student development. of my students’ IT skills.

Specialist experience teaching students with Dysgraphia, DCD/ Dyspraxia:

Over a course of twenty years, I have had the opportunity to support many students with dyspraxia and dysgraphia in both school and home settings. Using techniques such as kinaesthetic learning and concrete manipulatives have helped make a positive impact on the lives of my students. Typically, children facing DCD challenges experience anxiety which can affect their stamina, memory, attention and processing in areas such as: maths, reading and writing. Practices such as: activity oriented- approaches, calming techniques, echoing, tactile engagement and by personalising, I ensure that each of my students reaches a deep level of engagement and understanding of the concepts. It is always a pleasure to see the immense growth in self– confidence that children experience after adopting these techniques and the aptitude with which they can then self-advocate and meet their needs more independently.

Expert support for children with ASC :

A fundamental component when working  specifically with ASC students managing anxiety and I ensure that children feel safe, in control and empowered within their environment through clear, agreed routines and good rapport. My lesson content is always bespokely planned and structured to provide the sequencing and organisation needed for the individual child with ASC so that they are able to effectively engage with the content and master their learning goals. Using motivating methods and drawing upon your child’s individual interests, I support then in: accessing a broad and interactive curriculum, social understanding and communication, managing change and transition and sensory and information processing. I also ensure that children with ASC develop good knowledge and awareness of their strengths so that they build their self-awareness and develop the self-esteem to reduce frustration and take on new challenges with ease.

Specialist support for sensory and / or auditory processing needs:

I have had the opportunity to support many children with sensory processing disorder (SPD) and I use a broad range of calming or alerting activities dependent on the individual child’s needs.  I further support students by helping them recognise triggers and apply techniques that contribute to effective and more independent management and self- advocacy. In my role as SEN Specialist, I also gained in- depth experience in working with children with auditory processing difficulties. Using techniques such as chunking, compensatory strategies, visual aids, multi-sensory learning  I help children embrace and experience their learning in ways that are personalized and meaningful to them. I have also had the pleasure of supporting students where sensory and auditory difficulties impeded their abilities to engage in functional play and peer relationships. I have guided very many children’s progress in these significant areas of child development through providing choice and a differentiated sensory friendly environment that minimises sensory overload and anxiety and helps them thrive.

Specialist support for students with ADD and ADHD:

Over a course of twenty years, I have had the opportunity to engage in extensive professional development on focus and attention and I have supported students in academic and home settings. I use effective techniques such as kinaesthetic and interactive learning and concrete manipulatives to help students not only connect to their learning but find and use their own voice within it.  Typically, children and young people facing attention challenges experience anxiety which can affect their memory and processing in all core areas such as maths, reading and writing. An integral part of my teaching practice involves techniques which eliminate anxiety and help children approach their tasks in manageable ways which help them not only reach their outcomes but find joy and excitement in their learning. By using highly effective practices such as: pattern finding, repetition, rhyming, I  ensure that all children reach a deep level of understanding of a particular concept so that they can independently build and extend on a topic or task and gain further autonomy in their learning.

Expert support for working memory, processing, cognition and executive functioning needs:

With extensive experience in distributed practice and spaced learning, both rooted in Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting curve, I specialize in supporting children across key areas such as reading, writing, spelling, numeracy skills, comprehension, and processing difficulties which include: sequencing, inference, working memory, and executive function challenges. I prioritize creating a safe and confident learning environment where children feel empowered to ask questions and foster self-advocacy and pride in their learning journeys. By implementing these methods and emphasizing self-awareness and ownership, children can overcome anxieties associated with their challenges and make significant progress in their educational endeavors. Having conducted a research project at UCL on working memory, processing, cognition and executive functioning needs I can support children in effectively managing their attentional control and provide the most recent methods in cognitive flexibility, processing, and memory compensation.

Specialist 11+, 13 + Common Entrance support:

Having worked as a leader and class teacher in independent and outstanding mainstream schools, I have extensive experience in supporting children with diverse strengths and abilities in the 11+ & 13+ common entrance process. Through both online and in-person sessions, I expertly guide students in developing life-long skills of critical thinking, reasoning, time-management, resilience and self-advocacy to help them thrive both in the 11+ assessments and in their future education. By applying bespoke methods, my SEN students, are able to successfully complete activities in all areas of the assessment and master the curriculum in maths, comprehension, writing, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning and interview approaches. It is always a great pleasure to see my students receive acceptances into their first choice schools. These have included: City of London, St Paul’s, GDST schools, Westminster School, The Latymer, Highgate, Godolphin and Latymer, Malborough College, Godstowe School and many more.