Melissa

I currently work in the SEND department at Moseley School and Sixth Form. I am not a qualified teacher, however I have a vast array of experience with SEND interventions relating to Autism, ADHD, Anxiety and Speech, Language and Communication Needs. My previous specialism was also in English Language/Literature GCSEs, and as you can see from my reviews I have received excellent results for students that are struggling to reach that all-important Grade 4.

On a personal level, supporting students with SEND is my top priority. Throughout my educational career, I have witnessed young people struggle through school when their additional needs are not consistently met. This lack of consistency can result in heightened anxiety; potentially triggering meltdowns, shutdowns and school refusal. Overall, they cannot access the complete school experience and reach their full potential. In each of my job roles, I have focused on ensuring students' needs are met in order to decrease their anxiety. The next step in my career will be to train to be either an Educational Psychologist or a Speech and Language Therapist.

I offer a number of different interventions, detailed in the "Approach" section of my profile.

I work primarily with students with additional needs, although they do not have to be formally identified. Introductory lessons are priced 50% off at £20 as they are shorter - this gives me time to complete initial assessments with the young person and ensure that the session requested is appropriate for them. It also gives me time to explain to you what the session will be in detail and give the young person a chance to get to know me in a low pressure environment.

Tutoring Experience

Psychology MSC; I have a Masters of Science in Psychology, with a Distinction and Graduate Basis for Membership of the British Psychological Society. Any interventions offered that have not been published by other companies have been designed by myself using knowledge gained from this qualification and with support from professionals (Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists). Any published interventions offered, I have been fully trained in by those same professionals.

Moseley School and Sixth Form; SEND Coach. Designing, developing and leading small group interventions for students with a wide range of SEND, including but not limited to ASD, ADHD, SLCN and SEMH. I have been trained by a Senior Speech & Language Therapist to deliver support for stammering, Language for Behaviour & Emotions/Language for Thinking, Vocabulary, Following Instructions, Developmental Language Delay (DLD & Me) and Communication & Interaction. I have also been trained by the Communication Autism Team to deliver Social Stories and Comic Strip Conversations, and have been trained by an Educational Psychologist to deliver mentoring sessions supporting anxiety and grief. I also have a caseload of 5-8 students who are in need of high levels of support in school due to their additional needs, some of which have an EHCP. My duties involve checking in on these students regularly, observing lessons to ensure strategies are used and needs are being met, offering advice to teaching staff and make referrals to external agencies as and when needed. I am also a literacy lead specialising in reading for students with SEND and have the role of KS3 transition support for new year 6 students with SEND.

Selly Oak Trust School; Teaching Assistant. Responsible for aiding the teacher in a classroom environment, covering lessons, delivering extra intervention for students when necessary both academically and in regards to behaviour.

Tutoring Approach

I offer the following the sessions:

• Psycho-education (an intervention designed with psychological grounding with support from Educational Psychologists, designed for young people struggling with anxiety and controlling their emotions).

• Sensory Intervention (an intervention designed with psychological grounding specifically for students with sensory differences and associated anxiety, 4 weeks).

• Vocabulary & Word Aware intervention (a published intervention designed with support from a Senior Speech and Language Therapist, teaching young people the skills they need to learn new words independently as well as teaching them new school-based vocabulary, 6 weeks).

• Language for Behaviour and Emotions (a published intervention designed to teach young people how to communicate their behaviour and emotions in an appropriate way, tailored specifically to the individual).

• Fresh Start (a published intervention designed to teach young people with very low reading attainment how to read).

• English Language/Literature GCSE (my main aim will be getting your child to Grade 4, but this may not always be possible depending on time and ability. I am not a qualified teacher and have never worked with higher attaining students, so I would not recommend requesting me for a young person that is already achieving Grade 4).

My approach is calm, detailed and humorous. Building a good, professional relationship is key to achieving great results and I am willing to put in the time and effort to achieve that.