Will Bainbridge

I'm Will, a trainee teacher looking to help my community and supplement my experience in my free time. I specialise in tutoring  and caring for children with special educational needs (SEN), such as ASD, ADHD or GDD. I can tutor them in a specific subject that they're struggling with or to help them pass exams such as the 11+ or SATS. I also act as a support worker for SEN children to provide respite or help children develop their social skills.

Working with children is something I've done since I was a teenager, but I didn't discover it was my passion until I attended university. I undertook an extra module on teacher training during my university degree which gained me a placement in a special school for pupils with a broad spectrum of needs including physical disabilities, learning disability and medical health needs. I loved my time there so much that I successfully applied for a job as a teaching assistant and proceeded to work there for two years.

I was in an ASD UNIT during my time in secondary school. My lived experience gives me an ability to empathise and relate to children in the SEN system that a neurotypical person wouldn’t have. It's incredibly important to me that children are educated in an environment where their complex needs are met. This way they can be comfortable and learn all they can to reach their maximum potential. My own experience in the classroom helped me to develop the ability  to pay attention to children’s context so that they feel safe and comfortable and can learn effectively. My relational skills also allow me to work closer with students when they are working on tasks: ensuring they have all the information and skills necessary to finish the task and supporting these aspects where possible.

My ability to develop strong relationships with children allow me to navigate and interpret the implicit communication that challenging  behaviour presents. I can effectively deescalate situations where children appear  distressed or acting aggressively, ensuring the wellbeing of students and staff.

Working in an SEN school four days a week in the final year of my degree, made me realise that teaching doesn’t just cover what students learn from the curriculum. They also learn social and life skills from their interactions. This relational aspect of teaching is important and rewarding to me. I therefore strive to be an exceptional role model for the students I work with to make the most of their learning. My time working as a Learning support assistant has developed my ability to build relationships and trust with students with SEN.

I have been relied on to  deliver lessons due to my class teacher’s absence for over a month.. She provided planned lessons and resources which I then delivered to the students. I enjoyed  keeping the students’ attention and making sure to differentiate the learning so that they each took in the information according to their ability. It’s one of my favourite parts of the job and I’m highly skilled in this area.

I have a vast range of extracurricular experience. I’ve supervised multiple  school trips and residentials and I also run a lego club. I noticed that these experiences are important for personal development and developing skills that cannot be grown in a classroom setting.

I have had the joy of working with children with many types of ability, including ASD, cerebral palsy, brittle bone disease and visual impairment. I’ve therefore developed a diverse skillset. I’ve learned rudimentary BSL, reading and writing braille, to further help with my  communication with the students.

My availability is very flexible. I'm at my placement school during the day, but should be available at least two days a week either in the evenings or on the weekend.

I have a first class degree in psychology. My dissertation was based around Education Psychology and ASD. I'm currently undertaking a PGCE with QTS, after which I'll be a qualified teacher. I'm learning on the job so will be learning new techniques to teach all the time.

Teaching Assistant
Responsibilities:
Assisting a teacher in the
delivery of lessons
Helping a teacher in
administrative work such as
developing school reports,

marking work and keeping track
of pupil development
Building relationships with pupils
to ensure a safe and comfortable
environment for education
Helping children with personal
care and making sure they’re
safeguarded appropriately.

Skills: Developed the ability to
build relationships and trust with
students with SEN.

Ability to ensure an environments
where children feel safe and
comfortable in order for them to
effectively learn.

Ability to deal with problematic
behaviours and deescalate
situations in which children are
being aggressive or are in crisis
mode.

Ability to aid with the manual
handling of pupils with physical
disabilities, such as cerebral
palsy and brittle bone disease.
This includes transferring pupils
from chairs to sideliers and
standers, or supporting them
while swimming.

Ability to handle the personal
care of students, such as
assisting students in going to the
toilet or eating meals.
Ability to communicate effectively
with parents and guardians of
children about the child’s
development both at home and
at at school.

Executive functioning abilities
such abilities due to organisation
both pupils schoolwork and
administrative work.

I have a first class degree in psychology. My dissertation was based around Education Psychology and ASD. I'm currently undertaking a PGCE with QTS, after which I'll be a qualified teacher. I'm learning on the job so will be learning new techniques to teach all the time.