Jade

Hi, my name is Jade and I have been a primary school teacher for over 20 years. During this time, I have worked across Years 1–6, led maths for 10 years and held the role of Assistant Headteacher. I enjoy working with children and helping them develop confidence in themselves and their learning. 

In my most recent school, we used the Empowerment Approach and the 5Cs, which strongly align with the way I teach. I understand the importance of building connections with children through their interests, helping them believe that they are capable, recognising that feeling comfortable is essential in order to learn, ensuring that they know they count, and understanding how a lack of control can impact a child’s emotions, behaviour and progress.

Although I enjoy teaching all subjects, maths has always been my favourite to teach. It was not my favourite subject as a child, but through teaching I realised that maths is not simply about learning a process, it is about developing a real understanding of numbers and concepts. Children, and even adults, often tell me they are “not good at maths” and expect me, as a maths leader, to know every answer. I do not and I believe it is important to be honest about that. I enjoy unpicking the difficulties children experience and helping them overcome the barriers that have made them lose confidence in the subject.

For the past 10 years, I have worked in a mainstream school from Nursery to Year 6 with a significantly higher-than-average number of children with SEN and neuro-diverse needs. Following my own journey and being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, I feel even more passionate about supporting children who struggle in school for any reason. This year, I also gained my SENCo qualification.

Beyond education, I enjoy a variety of practical and outdoor hobbies including gardening, animal care, DIY and paddle boarding. I also love exploring new places and experiencing new environments, which reflects my belief in encouraging curiosity, independence and lifelong learning in the children I support.