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Qualifications and Role:

 

Sam qualified as a teacher in 1993 achieving a Bachelor of Education, with a specialism in English, from the University of Southampton. Sam started her teaching career in a mainstream primary school teaching children in Years 3-6. Over the next 10 years, Sam worked her way from classroom teacher to lower school coordinator and then to acting deputy head. As part of these roles, Sam has worked in inclusive schools, including children with Down syndrome within her year group.

 

In 2013 Sam became Director of a publishing company.  In this role she developed managers, set up and documented teams, processes and workflows as well as working as a research partner with Portsmouth University managing graduates on specific innovation projects.

 

In 2017, Sam returned to education as a tutor of children with specific learning difficulties and has worked with children with a range of needs including pathological demand avoidance, dyslexia and Tourette’s syndrome.  

 

Sam started working with LETS Go! at the beginning of 2019 and she currently delivers our school outreach service, supporting children with Down syndrome in mainstream schools.

 

 

Practical experience:

 

Sam has almost 10 years’ experience of working in the classroom. This has involved supporting children with a range of needs, differentiating the curriculum and implementing strategies to ensure successful inclusion for all children, including children with Down syndrome. In addition to a role as a teacher in the mainstream classroom, she has also worked as lower school coordinator which included leading learning within Years 3 and 4, and working as part of the Leadership Team to develop and communicate the strategic view for the school.

 

She progressed up the management scale to Acting Deputy Head giving her experience of liaising with agencies and specialist teachers, as well as delivering inset days and parents’ evenings.

 

In 2003, Sam joined forces with her husband in their editorial business where she championed customer satisfaction and liaised with clients at all levels within an organisation. She also planned and delivered training to team members on personality profiles, time management and complaint handling.

 

Since becoming a tutor for children with Specific Learning Difficulties Sam has further developed her skills in multisensory teaching. She has been required to be flexible and devise teaching activities and resources to meet a range of learning needs.

 

 

Education:

 

 

 

Additional training:

• 1993 Bachelor’s degree in Education (Hons), Specialism in English

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• Sept 2020 – Secondary Education Training (Allison Powell)

• February 2020 - Developing Literacy Skills for School Aged Pupil's with Down Syndrome - LETS Go!

• January 2020 – Understanding SEND – Hampshire Governor Services

• November 2019 - Advanced and Functional Mathematics For Pupils with Down syndrome - Happy Minds

• October 2019 - Early Number Skills in Pupils with Down syndrome - Happy Minds

• August 2019 – Clicker Training

• June 2019 – School Starters – An Intoduction to Down syndrome – LETS Go!

• February 2019 to April 2019 – Effective Education for children with Down syndrome in school, Down Syndrome Education International