© Dyslexia-Research.com - Dr Neil Alexander-Passe - Contact at: neilpasse@aol.com

Dyslexia-Research.Com - The home of humanistic dyslexia research

Experience of managing SEND teams (primary, secondary, independent, state sectors),
teaching SEND pupils, and writing ten books on SEND and dyslexia

Expert advisor for the Department of Education, Dyslexia/SEND Trainer, and Keynote speaker

20 years of working knowledge of SEND, now as a SENCO/Level 7 examination assessor

KEY SKILLS

 The ability to teach and support disabled/SEN children, teenagers and adults.

 Managing a SEN team (scheduling, planning, weekly meetings & annual reviews)

 Heading a faculty in a large community secondary school academy

 Excellent prioritising, scheduling, organisation and planning skills.

 The ability to plan for SEN differentiation in complex settings for complex learning needs.

 Key member of staff for exam access applications

 Qualified Examination Assessor, as a specialist in dyslexia and emotional coping

QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING:

2018 - PhD (Dyslexia, Traumatic Schooling, Post-School Success), University of Sunderland

2015   -    Level 7 National SENCO Award, Middlesex University

2015   -    Level 7 CPT3A: Certificate of Psychometric Testing, Assessment & Access Arrangements, BPS

2013   -    Level 4/5 CPD Award in Developing Literacy Skills in Learners with Dyslexia, Dyslexia Action

2011 - PGCE in Secondary Education (Design & Technology), Middlesex University

2005  -  CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills, South Thames College

2004  -  MPhil in Educational Psychology Research, The Open University

1990  -  BA Hons in Graphic Design, University of Wales, Newport

TEACHING EMPLOYMENT:

East Barnet School, East Barnet, London/Herts

Head of Additional Educational Needs/SENCO      Sep’17 to Present

Line managing a team of 20 staff: 3 SEND Teachers, 15 Learning Support Assistants, 1 EAL Co-ordinator,
1 ‘More Able/Gifted and Talented’ Co-ordinator, for a mainstream secondary school, with 1300 students:

 Strategic head of an academic faculty

 Budget responsibility for Pupil Premium, More able and SEND budgets (approx. £750,000)

 Manging the annual reviews of 38 students with Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs)

 Co-ordination with CAHMS, Educational psychologists, and other Health professionals

 Managing Parent expectations and difficult parent conversations

 Being an active member of the school’s Leadership Team

 Assessing students for SEND and examination access considerations

 Delivering CPD and being the first point of call regarding SEN matters

 Teaching English and supporting students with literacy deficits

 Launching Dyslexia and ADHD Champions programmes

Earlham Primary School, Wood Green, London

SENCO/Inclusion Manager (Member of the Senior Leadership Team of the school) Sep’15 to Aug-17

Managing a team of 1 SEN Teacher, 9 Learning Support Assistants, 5 SEN Lunchtime supervisors, 2 inclusion team members, and 2 weekly visiting language specialists, for a mainstream primary school in North London:

 Delivering CPD and being the first point of call regarding SEN matters

 Educational psychological assessing as the first point in the EHCP application process

 Managing annual reviews and relationship management to a range of Haringey and external specialists

 Managing the EHCP referral process, and working with LA and external professionals

 Creating systems for class teacher referrals, due to a huge backlog of referral cases

 Managing Parent expectations and difficult parent conversations

 Being an active member of the school’s Middle Leadership Team

 Scheduling timetables for SEN intervention

Mill Hill School, Mill Hill, London

Head of Learning Support (DT Teacher) - maternity cover     Sep’14 to Jun’15

Managing a team of 2 SEN Teachers and 3 Learning Support Assistants, for a leading independent public school in North London:

 Scheduling timetables for all learning support personnel

 Managing SEND Examination Access Applications (Working with Educational/Clinical Psychologists, internal assessors, and assessing myself)

 Screening possible students for dyslexia and other learning needs

 121 and small group Dyslexia/SpLD/MLD support

 Managing Parent expectations and difficult parent conversations

 Teaching several Year 9 D&T Class each week (Electronics/Graphics)

 Running SEN CPD sessions (121, small groups, large groups)

Kingsford Community School, Newham, London

Examination Access Consultant        Sep’13 to Jul’15

Assessing 150+ pupils, writing reports, making JCQ applications, and consulting on Exam regulations:

 Using a number of standardised measures (e.g. Lucid Exact and HORT)

Kingsford Community School, Newham, London

SEN Teacher (Dyslexia Specialist)        Sep’13 to Aug’14

Leading the school’s provision for Dyslexic, Complex Needs & Visual/hearing impaired students:

 Leading for examination access arrangements (assessing 250 pupils & JCQ applications)

 Using a number of standardised measures for the above (e.g. Lucid Exact and HORT)

 121 and group SEN tuition (specialising in dyslexia)

 TEEP Level 1 trained, used for lesson planning and delivery

 Designing a Dyslexia Parent/Career information Booklet

 Conducting annual reviews and coordinating with external services

Behaviour & Pupil Support Service (PRU), Camden Town, London

SEN Teacher/121 Tutor                             Feb’13 to Jul’13

Teaching core subjects on a 121 basis to two excluded Year 7 & 8 EBSD students:

 Managing adverse emotional behaviours.

 Managing negativity to learning and using motivational learning to build resilience.

William Morris School (Special School), Waltham Forest, London

SEN Teacher                     Jan’13 to Feb’13

Teaching in a SEN School to broad range of students (ASD, MLD, ADHD, EBD, SpLD, SLD):

 Form tutor to 10 students (15-19yrs old) with MLD (Moderate Learning Difficulties)

 Teaching ASDAN, Literacy, Numeracy, Business Studies, and Employability Skills.

 Managing teams of teaching assistants to deliver differentiated learning.

Shaftesbury High School (Special School), Harrow, London

SEN Science (English/Maths/ICT/Humanities) Teacher               Sep’12 to Dec’12

Teaching in a SEN School to broad range of students (ASD, MLD, ADHD, EBD, SpLD, and SLD):

 Science teaching to 6 Key stage 3 classes (Years 7-9), 8-12 SEN students per class.

 Teaching core subjects (English, Maths, and Science) to a Year 9 form group.

 Managing teams of teaching assistants to deliver differentiated learning.

 Working collaboratively to support the complex emotional/behavioural needs of students.

Kensington & Chelsea LEA’s Pupil Support Service (PRU), West London

SEN Teacher                     Feb’12 to Jun’12

Teaching an excluded Year 11 boy with ADHD on a Statement of SEN on a full-time basis:

 Teaching GCSE: Maths, English, Science, Geography, Religious Studies, and Art & Design.

 Creating personalised schemes of work. Developing literacy and numeracy skills

 Teaching in a creative/visual/active way to support ADHD difficulties.

 Working with the LEA, former school/teachers, and parents, to coordinate support.

Westminster Academy, West London

SEN Teacher                     Oct’11 to Jan’12

Teaching Key stages 3, 4 and 5, with EBD, MLD, ADHD, SpLD, and dyslexia:

 121 and group teaching (differentiating learning activities).

 Supporting students in class & teaching literacy sessions (toe by toe).

 Planning differentiated lessons/assessments with mainstream class teachers.

The Laytmer School (selective), Edmonton

Design & Technology Teacher (Second PGCE placement)               Feb’11 to Jun’11

Teaching Key stages 3, 4 and 5. Co-tutoring a Year 12 group:

 Experience of teaching the AQA GCSE and A2 ‘Product Design’ syllabuses.

 Teaching top, middle and bottom sets in each year group (e.g. 4 streams in Year 9).

 Use of behavioural management strategies for classroom discipline.

OTHER:

Expert adviser, Standards and Testing Agency, Department of Education

Areas: Speech, Language, Communication (Dyslexia) and General SEND   Jan’18 to Present

SENCO National Forum, Department of Education, London

Executive Member          May’17 to Present

SPELD Victoria, Victoria, Australia

Research Committee Member        Dec’17 to Present

Dyslexia-Research.com, London

SEND lecturer and SENCO trainer        Jan’15 to Present

Examination Access Consultant, London

Working in several mainstream schools assessing and managing their compliance Jan’15 to Present