Training that bridges gap between policy and practice

Initial teacher training is about more than understanding frameworks - it’s about preparing trainees to apply them confidently in complex, real classrooms.

My approach bridges the gap between theory and practice by making expectations explicit, modelling high-impact teaching behaviours, and showing trainees how to translate guidance into day-to-day decisions.

Training supports providers to strengthen consistency, build trainee confidence, and develop practice that is inspection-secure, evidence-informed, and genuinely classroom-ready.

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What I offer

1

Inclusive SEND in practice: Removing barriers to learning

Inclusion is not about fixing pupils or adding support - it is about removing barriers through better teaching.

The focus is on SEND as part of everyday classroom decision-making, not as a separate system. Participants are supported to understand how teaching can unintentionally create barriers - and how to adapt explanations, modelling and scaffolding so more pupils can access learning independently.

Unlike generic SEND CPD, this training prioritises:

quality-first, whole-class teaching
high expectations alongside reasonable adjustment
reducing reliance on 1:1 support through better teaching

Aligned with the Core Content Framework and SEND Code of Practice, the training goes beyond entitlement by addressing the practice gap inspection evidence consistently highlights.

SEND moves from “Who needs support?” to “What in my teaching is making this hard to access?”

2

Trauma-Informed and SEMH-Aware Practice: Supporting Emotional Regulation

Behaviour is not a personal challenge to authority - it is information about unmet need, stress or confusion.

This session focuses specifically on pupils whose behaviour is driven by emotional distress, trauma, anxiety or unmet SEMH needs.

The emphasis is on:

understanding emotional regulation and dysregulation
recognising when behaviour is linked to stress, trauma or overwhelm
supporting regulation without lowering expectations
maintaining safety, boundaries and professional judgement

This training supports staff to respond to pupils who are:

emotionally dysregulated
highly anxious or avoidant
reactive or shut down
struggling to access learning due to SEMH needs

What sets this training apart:

SEMH and trauma are addressed directly, not as generic behaviour
emotional need is separated from deliberate defiance
strategies are grounded in safeguarding, inclusion and classroom reality
avoids clinical or therapeutic language

This session reframes behaviour from “This is challenging behaviour” to “This pupil is struggling to regulate and needs a different response.”

3

Adaptive Teaching in Practice: Supporting All Learners

Adaptive teaching is not about planning different work - it is about responding to learning as it unfolds.

This training clarifies what adaptive teaching actually looks like in lessons.

Participants are supported to move away from excessive planning and towards responsive teaching that adapts explanations, modelling and questioning in real time. The focus is on using assessment to inform teaching decisions as learning unfolds.

Unlike many offers, this training:

directly challenges ineffective differentiation
reduces workload rather than adding to it
supports confident, moment-by-moment adaptation

Aligned with the Core Content Framework and Ofsted expectations, the training strengthens professional judgement and improves consistency across classrooms.

Adaptation moves from “What extra should I plan?” to “What does this pupil need from me right now to understand?”

4

Behaviour in Practice: Routines, Relationships and Consistency

Consistency is more powerful than charisma - pupils behave best when adults are predictable.

This session focuses on general classroom behaviour, treating it as a shared, whole-school responsibility rather than an individual trait.

The emphasis is on:

clear routines and expectations
consistency across staff and contexts
confident adult presence
alignment between behaviour policy and daily practice

What distinguishes this training:

behaviour is treated as a system, not a personality issue
routines and consistency are prioritised over charisma
variation between classrooms is addressed directly
staff confidence is built through clarity and shared practice

This session reframes behaviour from “I need better control” to “We need clearer routines applied consistently.”

5

Inclusive Computing Pedagogy: Strengthening subject pedagogy

Pupils don’t struggle with computing because it’s hard - they struggle because it’s often taught implicitly rather than explicitly.

The approach is informed by direct experience teaching computing and leading a computer science department, ensuring a strong focus on classroom practice and curriculum coherence.

This training focuses on how computing is taught, not just what is taught.

The training supports teachers to understand how pupils learn programming and computational thinking, and how to teach these concepts explicitly and inclusively within the National Curriculum. The emphasis is on modelling, scaffolding and anticipating misconceptions so pupils can access ambitious curriculum content with confidence.

Unlike generic computing CPD, this training:

prioritises pedagogy over tools or platforms
supports teachers teaching computing across a range of contexts and key stages
maintains curriculum ambition while improving access for all learners

Aligned with the Core Content Framework and the National Curriculum for Computing, the training addresses a recognised gap in subject-specific pedagogy. It strengthens teacher confidence, improves curriculum coherence and supports more consistent, inclusive computing teaching across classrooms.

The shift in thinking: Computing moves from “Let them explore and figure it out” to “I need to model thinking clearly and reduce unnecessary complexity.”

Understanding your struggles

ITT providers play a crucial role in developing the next generation of teachers, delivering ambitious programmes that balance research-informed frameworks with the realities of classroom practice.

Across ITT partnerships, common challenges include:

ensuring consistent delivery of the Core Content Framework across central training and placement schools
supporting trainees to translate theory into confident, day-to-day classroom practice
variable quality of mentoring and modelling across placements
trainees feeling underprepared for behaviour, SEND and adaptive teaching demands
early exit from training linked to confidence, workload and behaviour pressures
the need to demonstrate strong subject and pedagogical coherence for inspection

While frameworks and expectations are clear, the challenge is often one of translation and consistency, not intent.

This is where targeted, high-quality external input can add real value. The focus is not on adding content, but on strengthening how trainees understand, rehearse and apply key principles — supporting providers to evidence impact, improve trainee confidence and reduce reliance on placement variability.

My experience

My experience sits at the intersection of classroom practice, leadership, safeguarding and teacher development. Over 15 years in education, I’ve worked across teaching, senior leadership and advisory roles, developing a clear understanding of what trainees need in order to move from theory to confident, consistent classroom practice.

Relevant experience includes:

Leadership across multiple roles, with responsibility for curriculum quality, behaviour, SEND and staff development — providing insight into how trainee practice is supported, monitored and evaluated in schools.
Inspection preparation and school improvement, including curriculum deep dives, SEF and improvement planning. This informs training that helps providers evidence impact clearly and align trainee development with inspection expectations.
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) experience, supporting training that is firmly grounded in statutory responsibility, professional judgement and appropriate boundaries — particularly in behaviour and SEMH-focused sessions.
SEND and inclusion leadership, with first-hand experience of supporting complex needs and embedding inclusive, quality-first teaching — directly informing SEND and adaptive teaching training for trainees.
Extensive classroom experience across secondary, post-16 and vocational education, ensuring all training remains realistic, credible and applicable to day-to-day teaching.
Subject and digital expertise, including experience teaching computer science and leading a computer science department, supporting subject-specific training that goes beyond generic pedagogy.
Strategic leadership development (NPQSL) and current Master’s study in SEN and Inclusive Education, ensuring training remains research-informed, policy-aligned and responsive to evolving expectations.

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Training for ITTs
3 hr
Price on request
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