building the learning around the whole of the child
Sophie systematically identifies barriers and strengths with each of her students. By working outside of the school environment she creates a learning space where students are more readily put at ease and thus their interests, and strengths come to light more readily. Sophie manages to identify emotional, cognitive, sensory, processing or contextual barriers to learning and tailors individual learning programmes that take all of this in to account.
She is literally building the learning around the whole of the child: their passions, their strengths, their barriers and their wider context.
she has helped build his social and emotional development and communication skills without him realising
I was introduced to Sophie as my son’s new alternative provision provider. When we set up our first introduction meeting, she ensured that it was at a convenient time for me and all my children, and totally put me at ease!
She took time to discuss my son’s academic skills in depth to gain information about his current skill levels, abilities and interests. Then tailored a learning plan based on his topics of interest and important learning aspects I thought would be good for him to work on.
We were then offered an introductory session for Logan to get to know his new surroundings, meet the other students and build up his timetable at his pace.
Sophie created a small welcoming group setting with children of mixed abilities that my son would work well with, this allowed him to participate from the very start in group learning, build new friendships and trust.
Since completing only a few weeks of lessons she has helped build his social and emotional development and communication skills without him realising! He enjoys it so much!
His new confidence really shows when he is out and about in the local community due to his confidence developing in leaps and bounds.
Now that my son has settled in, Sophie has quickly identified other areas where he needed most support. One area was getting his ideas onto paper and recording it. Sophie has enabled my son to do this using dictation and scribing to produce some fantastic descriptive writing.
Sophie’s alternative learning methods have allowed my son to access all areas of the curriculum his previous school hadn’t. My son is now progressing at a much faster rate, he’s more engaged and eager to learn, he often can be found pacing and waiting for his transport to lessons with Sophie as he enjoys them so much!
My girl who couldn’t put pen to paper for fear of mistakes has become a confident writer with 10 books under her belt.
Huge thank you to Sophie as my girl moves on after 4 years of specialist SEN tutoring with Sophie. When we arrived with Sophie my girl was school traumatised and was in complete shutdown and non verbal. 4 years later she is a different child. Many people have helped us form a tight team and Sophie was there guiding my daughter back into learning with great skill and knowledge of what an SEN child needed to access lifelong learning. My girl who couldn’t put pen to paper for fear of mistakes has become a confident writer with 10 books under her belt. We can’t thank Sophie enough for her care teaching and support.
Wish I had known about you sooner!
I just wanted to share with you how amazing Sophie is and how much she has helped my son after just 2 sessions! Harry is 4 yrs old and wasn’t really enjoying school. He found it boring and wouldn’t join in during class. He refused to hold a pen, read or cooperate unless it was something he wanted to do. The school called a meeting and were wanting to label him and get behaviourist in etc. I contacted Sophie via a friend who recommended her. We had a great chat and I knew before we meet that we were both singing from the same page! Harry very quickly warmed to Sophie and found her way for teaching him was fun and gave him a feeling that he could do things! He drew a picture with her which for a child that has always refused to pick up a pen was a great achievement. He then came home and asked if we could do his homework! Again he used to refuse to do anything school related. His first week after his session with Sophie and he was awarded star of the week! He joined in with all the sessions including handwriting and we had glowing reports from the school who couldn’t believe the difference in him! We had another session this weekend and again he came home and asked if he could do some drawings. Tonight he did his handwriting and reading without any discussion. He really has come out of his shell and is starting to enjoy school. He loves seeing Sophie and when he does his homework he asks me to video it to send to her as he wants to make her proud! Wish I had known about you sooner! We are looking forwards to continuing our journey with her.
If you are stuck for any ideas, I’d definitely recommend going to Sophie
We’ve been seeing Sophie for a while now for 1 to 1 tuition for my eldest and Sophie has helped for many things from learning to emotions to writing help but I’d like to at this time especially mention the help she is providing while we are all going through this crisis.
I contacted Sophie on the Thursday for help on ideas of how to home tutor both my girls who are at totally different levels of learning, I was ever so slightly panicking but by the Saturday night Sophie had sent me an amazing rainbow idea full of fun tasks, from getting excerise in a different way to some sneaky fun maths work by play and some really thought out ideas. When all the tasks are completed you can stick them up as a rainbow.
If you are stuck for any ideas, I’d definitely recommend going to Sophie, she will put your mind at ease and think out of the box 😊
because it is fun he doesn’t think of it as learning
As a dyslexic mum who constantly struggled to help and support my son’s needs I had rang everyone trying to get some support, it was Sophie who said yes.
One magical hour a week he gets to learn at a level and speed right for him and because it is fun he doesn’t think of it as learning.
I really can’t thank her enough for the time and effort she spends on us.
She has also supported me and helped reassure when we have bad days that’s we aren’t alone
Sophie has been working with my grandson for a year, with her persistence he will now talk, have a conversation with her, and ask for assistance in making painting and joining in with Sophie’s activities that she brings along. She’s helped Jamie to understand that if he doesn’t do things he would like they won’t be done teaching him to be independent. She has also supported me and helped reassure when we have bad days that’s we aren’t alone and doesn’t push Jamie on his bad days.
Hazelwood ARC 