Lizzy Ryan Email & Phone Number

Old Alresford, England, Gb

I am proud to lead a small team of specialist staff to support pupils at St Catherine's with additional needs and those who are finding their studies challenging. In the recent ISI inspection report it was identified that 'as a result of careful and sensitive identification and intervention procedures through the academic mentoring programme pupils receiving additional learning support consistently make progress in line with their peers'. We aim to level the playing field for those learners. I teach 121 and in small groups on many aspects of learning including literacy, dyslexia support, GCSE and A level exam and revision skills as well as teaching 'grey matters' on how to learn across year groups. I am also a sixth form tutor providing pastoral, academic, UCAS and progression advice and support.

In my role as Learning Manager I led the SEND, Foundation Learning and Learning Support provision within the college. Our curriculum offer in Foundation Learning went from Entry 1 to Level 1 offering vocational and life skills courses for young people with EHCPs or those who for many reasons, had not completed school with Level 2 qualifications. It also included the delivery of English and Maths courses across this range of levels. Alongside this I designed and led a course for all learners on Communication Skills. Learning Support was open to any student across the campus who had a learning difficulty, who was struggling with their studies or who was re-taking English and/or Maths GCSE. We supported students right up to Oxbridge Entrance level too. I led a team of 50 staff including teachers, specialist teachers, LSAs, administrators and others who all worked together to encourage, support and motivate the students to be the best that they could be and to be happy and successful. This provision at Alton has grown and grown over the last 10 years and by the time I left the college there were over 100 students with EHCPs learning in our area. I regularly represented the college to external stake holders including the local authorities and other professional organisations. I am very proud to have contributed to the success of our area and the 'Good' judgement at our 2020 Ofsted, which included a 'deep dive' in to SEND provision.

Hampshire, England, United Kingdom

In this role I led the learning support provision within our college for students with learning difficulties such as dyslexia and autism on courses at every level across the campus from Entry Level to Level 3. I led a team of specialist teachers and assessors as well as a growing team of learning support assistants. I developed systems and process to ensure our service was accessible for all and efficiently run. In order to ensure a smooth transition to college from school I set up a summer term transition programme for new students working closely with feeder school SENCOs. Every student using our service had a bespoke programme of 121 or small group sessions of study support and mentoring. I worked with many students during this time who were re-taking their English and Maths GCSE. I led the access arrangements provision, carrying out individual assessments and submitting these for examination board approval through JCQ. I provided whole staff training on different learning difficulties and represented the college to stake holders including leading and attending annual reviews for students with EHCPs. I led and advised students on the Disabled Students' Allowance and transition to university, apprenticeships and employment.

Hampshire, England, United Kingdom

I started this role in September 2012 having become increasingly interested in the area of learning difficulties. I was privileged to teach in a 121 capacity with students who had diagnosed learning difficulties or who were struggling at college. Each student brought with them a unique set of challenges and many skills and qualities too. Many of the learners were re-taking Maths or English GCSE. It was my job to assess their needs and design a programme of intervention to enable them to make progress, develop their self-esteem, resilience and ultimately to succeed. During this period I undertook some key training in two areas: teaching and supporting students with communication and language difficulties and psychometric testing and access arrangements assessment. The latter qualification enabled me to carry out examination access arrangements assessments as well as whole college screening of new students. I became particularly interested in teaching students with autism and developing their understanding of social skills as well as their understanding of themselves. This area of work fascinates me and it has been incredibly satisfying to observe the impact it has made on the young people I've worked with.

Hampshire, England, United Kingdom

Alongside my Drama teaching I taught 16-19 year old students GCSE English who had failed their exam at school. I very much enjoyed designing lessons and activities to help 'gap-fill' and re-engage them with literacy and language to support them to pass this vital qualification.

Hampshire, England, United Kingdom

Alongside teaching pupils Drama in the school including G.C.S.E. Drama, I directed a number of school productions and developed cross-curricular arts projects including one in liaison with the Royal Opera house. I very much enjoyed being the school based mentor for students on the P.G.C.E. Drama course at Reading University, which encouraged me to start an MA at Reading commencing with units on Drama in Education and teaching dramatic literature.

London, England, United Kingdom

During these two years at the start of my teaching career I taught English and Drama at GCSE and A Level as well as being a form tutor and co-directing school productions.

Level 5 Certificate In Dyslexia; Literacy, Support And Intervention

Certificate Of Psychometric Testing, Assessment And Access Arrangements

M.A., Theatre Studies And Education

P.G.C.E. (Sec.), Drama

B.A.(Hons.), Drama, 2:1