Welcome to

Inclusive support for every child

Tuition

I am Jane, a teacher with more than 20 years experience as a qualified teacher (QTS) working with children and young people in South London. I have a passion for education, equality and environment. By environment I mean how our learning environments affect how we are able to thrive in our lives. 

I currently teach students from KS1-KS4. I can support transition to secondary school with summer sessions and weekly lessons after school to support study skills.

I specialise in teaching students with additional needs, and I base my approach on child centred practices. I offer well being and emotional regulation sessions for any students who would benefit from this. 

I have personal and professional experience of teaching and learning, health issues and equality issues. These are at the forefront of my practice. I work under the name Gentle Learning Support.

The main reason I set up Gentle Learning Support was to provide tuition services for children. It started small, as a favour to a friend or two. Before long parents were asking for recommendations and my name was being put forward. I started working with my longest standing student (let's call them T) in late 2018 or early 2019. Then Lockdown came. I quickly had to adjust my model. Technology was not my friend in the early days and it was a steep learning curve. When we were allowed to meet in gardens during the summer, I would travel to T's home, go through the side gate and teach in the sunshine. It was a welcome break to the four walls of lockdown, and I had the privilege of getting to know my student and their family on a deeper level. 

As we all emerged from lockdown it was clear that there had been a shift in the outlook and expectations of families with children with additional needs. A proportion of these children were happier at home; they felt safe and calm in a way they could not remember feeling before. They were unwilling to go back to a stressful lifestyle of mainstream education.  More parents were seeking support in how to advocate for their child. The model of tuition for (mainly) neurodivergent students and parental support was born in this era of hope, change and confusion. Having been through the SEND pipelines with my own child, the fact that students with additional needs tended to do well with me, and my deep empathy which drives me to support people meant that I was well placed to help.

 I am now mostly full and have a waitlist for after school sessions, and I assess each potential daytime student on a case by case basis. There is so much I love about my job. 

• Working with amazing students on the skills and knowledge that they need to thrive

• Incorporating executive functioning and emotional regulation skills into my practice

• Supporting parents - the journey as a parent can be lonely and filled with guilt. Speaking to someone who understands is so powerful. There were other mums who did this for me and I am forever grateful.

• Working at home so I can support my own child. 

• Being able to support the student in front of me and not worry about external targets. I feel surrounded by a community who understand one another and I do not have the immense pressure that my mainstream colleagues are under. 

• The opportunity to attend as much relevant CPD as needed.

• Time to be creative with my approach

• Learning each day from my students and their families.

 Fees:

My fees are £40 for a 50 minute after school session. This includes all usual learning resources.

My daytime rate is £50 for a 90 minute session. 

I also have some daytime groups that will start in 2025. 

As well as offering one to one tuition, I also offer small group activities for children who are home educated. These groups teach specific skills, like telling the time, as well as so called soft skills like emotional regulation.

Lego for Learning

Lego® for Learning is for groups of three children, where we use Lego® as a learning tool.

It is fun group to develop speech and language skills, social emotional skills and social communication skills. Depending on the needs of the group, literacy and numeracy skills can also be taught.

I combine the principals and ideas from Lego® Six Bricks and Lego® Therapy, along with my experience as a qualified teacher in a neurodivergent affirming and trauma informed way, to ensure the skills are learned in a frustration free environment.

Children will have the opportunity to use their creativity, develop their communication skills, identify their emotions and express themselves in healthy ways, while enjoying the Lego®.

The Lego® for Learning group will run in 5 week blocks at a cost of £96 per child per course.

Science Club

Science Club offers a weekly opportunity for children to find out about the world around them with hands on experiments and investigations. 

Each 6 week course will have a different theme, such as Crime Scene Investigation, Growing Green Plants, Fun Fair Forces, and Electricity. 

Each group has maximum of 6 students and is aimed at 8-12 years olds.

The cost for the 5 week course is £132 per child.

Social Emotional Learning

Social emotional learning group is a small group (up to 6 students) where we learn all about our emotions.

We will look at how our brain views our world through our senses and in turn what our bodies do to react. 

We will learn what makes us feel different emotions and how to get along with each other. 

Every emotion is important and valid and we can learn to respect them all. 

This group is aimed at students aged 8-12. and is £78 per 5 week course.

Other services

Groups and activities

Telling the Time

Telling the time on an analogue clock can be a very confusing experience for children and adults, and even though we use digital clocks throughout our day, being able to tell the time and having an idea of how time passes, and how time rules different areas of our lives is very important in understanding the world.

This 6 week course aims to teach students how to tell the time in a multisensory way, using their prior knowledge and making it as practical as possible. We will use their own daily routines, practice clocks, digital games and paper and pencil learning to build up the knowledge and confidence of each student.

This group is primarily aimed at 6-12 year olds, but please contact me if you are outside of this age range so we can arrange something for you too. Telling the Time is a 5 week course costing £84 per child per course.

Face to Face Tuition

Face to face tutoring in the classroom at my home to help your child to reach their full potential in school learning. A focus on reading, writing and maths as needed. I have a fully stocked classroom with resources, books and games to help your child learn.

Online Tuition

Online one to one lessons via Zoom for those who are unable to meet face to face.

Online Tuition and Support with Reading and Spelling

Each month gain unlimited access to personalised learning on the Word Shark platform, including an initial assessment, unlimited access to the learning games, individualised spelling lists so your child is working at their own level, ongoing assessment to track your child’s progress, weekly teacher support from myself and regular telephone support.

Family Support Navigating the Education System, Especially SEND

Having experienced both sides of SEND provision, I am offering support to those who are currently navigating it. This may be in the form of sign-posting, moral support, advocacy and support with letter writing etc.

Family Support with Befriending and Behaviour Management

When your child is struggling or receives a diagnosis everything can become overwhelming. I can come alongside you to help you through the practicalities at home, including tips and strategies for behaviour management, parent self care, and information that will help you and your child thrive.

Functional Skills Tuition

I am now offering functional skills tuition, for English and maths, including entry level and levels 1 and 2. Currently this is one to one, and I intend on starting day time groups if there is demand for this. Please note this is tuition only. It will include all of the usual resources, but not access to the exam.

Screeners

I offer screeners for a variety of learning needs, such as dyslexia, ADHD and dyscalculia. Please note, a screener is not a diagnosis, but rather gives an indication of a likelihood of that learning need. Always seek professional advice regarding gaining a diagnosis for your child.

If you would like to know more or book a call, please fill in your details below.