Ciddy

My Summary

My Experience

I am a fully qualified and experienced primary school teacher. I have many years experience working in schools as well as working for supply agencies and on a temporary basis in many nurseries and childcare settings, and working as an after school nanny and babysitting extensively for children aged 6 months to 12 years old, including overnight. I have worked a lot with children who are Neurodivergent, both in professional roles and due to living with my friend and her autistic son and providing relief often.

My focus as a teacher is on starting with the child and adapting my teaching to suit their needs and interests. I do not use worksheets, but create my own resources and lesson plans based on what I learn about my students. I believe learning is at its best when learning through play and creativity, so always encourage my students to take part in projects based on merging their interests with their needs through creative writing, storytelling, cross curriculum projects, etc.

Some examples of my recent students:
- A 10 year old with Autism and ADHD diagnosis and maths trauma - Teaching Maths in a non threatening way, designed around the student's interests and building up skills slowly over time
- A 6 year old with undiagnosed Neurodivergence. We work weekly on having a safe space for focused, uninterrupted play around his interests, primarily mechanics and design.
- Home educating 6 year old - We spent longer weekly sessions on project based learning, investigating her artistic interests, practising forest school skills and working on early reading
- A 15 year old sci-fi fan learning English as a Second Language - He is writing a short story based on fantasy illustrations he chose, while also learning new vocabulary each week and discreetly teaching grammar rules.
- A 10 year old who is learning Spanish at school but struggles with self-esteem - We used my recent travels in Central America as a starting point for discussions about the Humanities, resulting in her writing a nonfiction report on Honduras and Guatemala, and practising some Spanish along the way!
- An 8 year old passionate about saving the planet and endangered animals but not confident with writing - We researched facts about endangered animals together, then wrote both a nonfiction text about them, and a short story about a character trying to save the world!
- An 8 year old Spanish speaker at a low level of English who loves singing, teaching through songs and actions
- Phonics teaching with early years and children working at a lower communication and language level - I use puppets, songs, stories and games in every lesson to engage them in hands-on, stimulating learning experiences based on their specific interests.

Experience with SEND, including Neurodivergence
I also have extensive experience working with children with SEND, particularly Neurodivergence such as Autism and ADHD. I am passionate about observing and understanding the individual, and helping children to have access to opportunities they might otherwise miss out on. I attend regular SEND families support groups to be in touch with the needs of parents and family members and therefore better equipped to also support the parents of children with SEND needs.
- Worked as a Support Worker for Autism Family Support with children aged 8 to 17 years old.
- Taught in several schools with high SEND numbers, including Neurodivergence, Down’s Syndrome and Global Delay
- Lived for several years with a autistic child who attends a Special Needs School and provided a lot of hands-on support for him and his parents
- Organised and hosted a Neurodiversity Day which brought together neurodivergent families and individuals into a celebratory and ND-affirming environment
- Attend regular parent SEND support groups and keep up to date with local ND provision

Forest School
As a believer that everyone learns best while enjoying themselves and following their own interests, I love the Forest School approach, and believe it is something everyone should experience! I currently work part time as a Nursery Manager at an Outdoor Forest School Nursery. I also work with local families to provide Forest School experiences on their own or public land, including using tools and practising fire lighting. Activities are child and environment-led but may include:
- learning to light fires using flint and steel
- creating puppets and characters using natural materials
- using hammers, screw drivers and knives for real tasks and/or craft activities
- using ‘spotter’ sheets and books to go for sensory walks
- telling stories and reading books about the outdoors
- learning to lash sticks to create wooden frames, journey sticks and more

Please get in touch if you like the sound of a professional who has your child’s special skills and interests at heart!

My Qualifications

I have a degree in Early Childhood Studies, a PGCE in Primary Teaching and have done extensive study in the area of child development.
I am a qualified Level 3 Forest School Leader.
I am fully DBS checked and First Aid trained.
I have done a lot of training around anxiety, trauma and Compassionate Communication.
I am currently studying Level 2 Mental Health First Aid

My Availability

I am available on Thursdays.

My Fees

• Babysitting from £20.00 per hour
• Tutoring from £50.00 per hour

from £50/hour