Helen has been a SEN practitioner for twenty one years working at Fountaindale Special School for children and young adults with complex learning, sensory and physical disabilities. Fountaindale is currently OFSTED rated as Outstanding. During her career, she has provided outreach support to mainstream schools on visual and hearing impairments; adapting the environment; making resources and developing communication. She has supported pupils from Fountaindale on dual placements in many mainstream settings, run summer schools, after school clubs, college placement and provided private tutoring and support to many families.

She loves technology and provides support on accessible programmes and switches used to engage learners on computers, Ipads and touch screens. She has planned with teachers strategies to embed a sensory rich curriculum through themes, topics and stories using high- and low-tech sensory resources; sensory rooms and interactive studios.

Since 2009 her specialism and expertise has been in supporting children and young people with visual and hearing impairments. Helen provides support and training on:

  • Planning and mentoring school staff on how to make the curriculum accessible for learners with VI and HI
  • How to improve the auditory and visual environment in the classroom
  • Support on using and maintaining audiological specialist equipment
  • Assessing pupils’ vision and hearing levels and writing sensory profiles to ensure a consistent approach to teaching and learning
  • One to one visual rehabilitation and stimulation