Sarah

My Summary

My Experience

In 2020, I began volunteering as a Teaching Assistant, working with Year 1 & Year 3 to gain experience and understanding the fundamental needs of students so I could best support them. I enjoyed building relationships with the children and engaging with their interests, studies and friendships. I worked closely with SEN children to improve their literacy, numeracy and behaviour, in and out of the classroom environment.

In 2021, I began my career at Iveson Primary School as a Lunchtime Assistant responsible for Reception aged children. I supervised pupils to and from the dining room, making sure the children worked on gross motor skills when eating and supported with social development that this environment offers. I supported children with their manners and use of cutlery, this in turn developing their friendship skills. I was responsible for ensuring the dining room equipment is hygienically maintained and cleared away. We also supervised enjoyable creative activities at lunchtime that engaged the children and kept behaviour manned, this also helped to build positive relationships with the children which is something I am passionate about.

Once I had gained adequate experience, I was employment as a Teaching Assistant at St Margarets CofE Primary School. I work closely with three SEN pupils, all with different needs in a Year 4 setting. In addition to this, I was also responsible for everyone’s 1:1 reading, monitoring their progress and reporting their assessment feedback to their class teacher.

I am confident with scaffolding to specific needs of each child so that they are able to access the same learning outcome as their peers but with guided support. I have had training in learning the importance of daily sensory circuits and have had the opportunity to deliver these myself daily with children to regulate their bodies and minds ready to then fully access their learning potential. I have also added daily SEN provision to their routine taking children that require additional support to our BASE provision to have a brain break in the sensor/quiet rooms and prepare them for the next lesson working off of their personal timetable and using visual stimuli.

I have gained experience using personalised timetables and emotional wellbeing thermometers which the children have use of on their desk, I introduced this as a way for the children to start recognising their emotions and learning how to process and handle their emotions in a positive way. I can respond and react positively to children’s behaviour depending on their needs and behaviour enabling myself to quickly adapt and change plans if necessary. In my job role I am often handling volatile behaviour but pride myself in my ability to adapt to the situation but also do this to suit each child’s specific needs.

During my time working at St Margaret’s Primary, I regularly completed B squared and FFI funding to evaluate and reflect on any targets that have been set and provide next steps for each individual child, which is then run past the class teacher. To ensure children have a voice in their development, I have completed pupil passports to see how they are feeling every term and to check if there is anything that they need to be supported with in school, in turn then feeding this back to the class teacher ensuring positive communication. This allows me to contribute to IBPs for the class teacher to ensure they have the most up to date and accurate information about the child and what their triggers and possible coping mechanisms and how to positively respond to the situation in line with our school restorative practice policy.

I have gained good relationships with the children I work closely with, and pride myself on my ability to form these relationships outside the busy schedule of assisting the children with additional needs. I also communicate effectively with parents/carers and relay any information from the day at the end of the school day where appropriate.

I have undertaken many different training courses which have helped me in my role working with children with SEN. I completed a TEAM teach course which provided me with skills for physical interventions if needed within school when dealing with challenging and emotionally charged behaviour. I also completed the First Aid Training course in April 2023. I also completed my paediatric first aid training in March 2025.

Since April 2023, I have worked within the Avery at Iveson Primary which is a provision for SEN. I help to provide support to children with identified needs across primary school age. I support with their access to mainstream school and school trips to ensure they can access the same learning as their year group.

I have completed Safeguarding and PREVENT training and I keep up to date with current policies and procedures if there are any changes. These have helped to understand vulnerabilities as well as using the correct information to complete CPOMs which I complete daily.
Whilst working with SEN children, I have gained relevant skills to adapt quickly to any triggers and provide the right coping mechanisms that individual children can use and ensure safe spaces such as calm corners and quiet rooms are available. I completed an Intensive interactions course which gave me the knowledge to be able to communicate with children other than verbally when needed.

I have completed Active Literacy Kit training to help provide support for children with low ability in reading and writing or if they have Dyslexia. This has helped me to support children by running 1-1 interventions and completing phonics trackers.

In January 2025, I started the process to become an Ofsted registered childminder and setup Mini Explorers Childminding. I will use my experience and home to offer the best possible start for our families and hope you will call to book a visit soon.

My Qualifications

Level 2 Essential Training Teaching Assistant Programme - Aston College
Paediatric First Aid - Tigerlilly
Safeguarding Children & PREVENT Training - CPD Certified
Food Hygiene - CPD Certified
Food Nutrition 1 & 2 - CPD Certified
Literacy & Maths Early Years Essentials - CPD Certified
Teaching and Learning in the Early Years - CPD Certified

My Fees

• Babysitting from £13.00 per hour
• Childminding from £6.50 per hour

Childminding £6.50 per hour (Min 8 hours per day) / Discounted £55 per day (Min 8 hours per day)

Babysitting £13.00 per hour / Sibling +£6.50 per hour