Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Gaps in Employment
Certification
Timeline
Generic

Kelly Menzies

Lymington,Hampshire

Summary

Dedicated and professional with experience in supporting children with special educational needs, including autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. Demonstrates strong communication skills and a patient, empathetic attitude to foster positive student-teacher relationships. Proficient in implementing effective behaviour management strategies and differentiated instruction to enhance student engagement and development. Committed to promoting literacy and numeracy while ensuring compliance with safeguarding regulations. Career goal: To continue to support and enhance student success by creating a supportive, engaging learning environment, providing assistance and working collaboratively with teachers to help every student reach their full potential.

Overview

19
19
years of professional experience
6
6
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification

Work History

Teaching assistant in special educational needs

The Eaglewood School
New Milton, Hampshire
11.2021 - Current
  • Engaged with students in various group activities that fostered teamwork.
  • Assisted in managing classroom behaviour.
  • Offered emotional support during challenging situations.
  • Facilitated communication between students, parents and staff.
  • Participated in parent-teacher meetings providing updates on child's progress, strengths and areas for improvement.
  • Participated in professional development training sessions.
  • Assisted in creating individualised education plans (IEP's) and RMP's (risk management plan) to cater to each student's individual needs.
  • Maintained up-to-date records of each students progress and behavioural patterns using Arbor and Cpoms daily.
  • Fostered an inclusive classroom atmosphere by promoting empathy, acceptance and respect among peers and adults.
  • Supported a safe, positive learning environment for students with varying educational needs.
  • Encouraged participation by adapting tasks according to each student's capabilities.
  • Supported a friendly, positive and inspiring learning environment.
  • Supported teachers in managing challenging student behaviour.
  • Identified signs of distress in students, resolving behavioural and emotional issues.
  • Worked with students in small groups and 1:1 to provide additional support.
  • Supervised students during break times and lunchtimes.
  • Assisted students with a range of learning differences, including ADD, ADHD and ASD to achieve their full potential for independence.
  • Observed students to identify changes in behaviour and reported and recorded such changes.
  • Escorted and supervised students on educational visits and out-of-school activities.
  • Provided individual support during examinations being a reader and scribe. Supported 10 hour GCSE Art examinations.
  • Maintained child safety, security and good behaviour during classroom and outdoor activities.
  • Observed children during social interactions and encouraged positive choices.
  • Supported teachers in managing challenging student behaviour.
  • Offered students personalised support in-class as to their IEP's and EHCP's
  • Monitored students in between classes, keeping disruptions to minimum and assisting them to the correct lessons.
  • Gave students papers related to assigned tasks and collected finished work.
  • Kept the classrooms tidy and clean after lessons for the next class to use.

Office administrative assistant

GSH Contractors LTD
Lymington, Hampshire
02.2019 - 07.2019
  • Operated office equipment efficiently.
  • Managed invoicing tasks smoothly, ensuring accurate financial records were maintained.
  • Maintained an organised workspace.
  • Managing daily administrative tasks.
  • Arranged filing systems for easy use.
  • Sorted and organised different types of information by document type, personnel or location.
  • Received and checked financial statements and reconciled related accounts.

Customer service assistant

Co-op Food
Lymington, Hampshire
04.2006 - 10.2011
  • Utilised product knowledge effectively whilst assisting customers with purchases decisions.
  • Organised stock shelves neatly to improve the overall appearance of the shop floor.
  • Managed time efficiently during peak hours to limit customer waiting periods.
  • Handled cash transactions accurately, maintaining financial integrity of the till.
  • Collaborated well within a team setting.
  • Provided exceptional levels of customer service consistently.
  • Maintained a clean and orderly checkout area, contributing to a pleasant store environment.
  • Assisted in the training of new staff members, ensuring consistency in service delivery.
  • Processed returns and exchanges swiftly, enhancing customer satisfaction levels.
  • Multi-tasked to keep customer service levels at optimal capacity at peak times.
  • Provided warm, positive customer care from arrival to departure.
  • Replenished store inventory regularly, monitoring stock demands.
  • Listened actively to customer concerns, confusions and needs for excellent communication.
  • Trained new associates on cash register operations, advising on appropriate handling of customer sales, refunds and cashing up.
  • Answered customer telephone calls promptly.
  • Advised customers on availability, pricing and location of products.
  • Processed and issued refunds, exchanges and credit notes, providing tailored solutions to customer issues.
  • Completed transactions to replace or exchange defective items.
  • Resolved customer complaints following guidelines and referred complex inquiries to team leaders.
  • Followed scripts when answering common customer questions.

Education

GCSEs - English, Science and Maths

Priestlands School
Lymington, Hampshire
09.1999 - 07.2004

NVQ Level 2 - Floristry

Bournemouth College
Bournemouth
09.2004 - 07.2005

Skills

  • Epilepsy care First aid trained
  • Patient, understanding and empathetic attitude
  • Child development understanding
  • Supportive teaching strategies
  • Autism spectrum disorder experience and understanding
  • Positive reinforcement
  • ADHD experience
  • Behavioural support and management techniques
  • Dyslexia experience and understanding
  • Individual learning support
  • Social, Emotional or Mental Health (SEMH) needs knowledge
  • Strong communication
  • EHCP understanding
  • Differentiated Instruction
  • Classroom management support
  • Individual Education Plan (IEP) support
  • Literacy and numeracy promotion
  • Safeguarding regulations compliance
  • Physical restraint training
  • Record-keeping
  • In-class SEND support
  • Positive reinforcement
  • Low achieving student support
  • Student supervision
  • Behaviour monitoring
  • Classroom support
  • Safeguarding policy knowledge

Affiliations

  • Spending time with my 3 children
  • Music. Love to watch live music
  • Cooking
  • Floristry and gardening
  • Running and fitness

Gaps in Employment

After leaving school i was an apprentice florist and i trained in the shop that i had worked in since i was 14. I left this job due to the shop closing and took on positions in Woolworths, bar work and two office positions, one for a company in the marine industry and another in a company that provided all kinds of products for cats and dogs. I began working in co-op after being made redundant but remained in this role for many years.


I took time away from full time employment to focus on raising my family. After the birth of my Daughter in 2008 and my Son in 2010, i returned to work part time. However, due to my then Husbands work commitments and limited childcare options i made the decision to pause my career. In 2012, we welcomed our third child and i remained dedicated to providing a stable, nurturing and memorable upbringing for my children.

These years have strengthened my ability to communicate effectively with children, manage varied tasks with patience and structure and understand child development in a hands on and meaningful way. 

These experiences naturally aligned with the skills and values essential to a teaching assistant role which was the career move i decided to take. Home schooling three children during the pandemic drove me to start my career in education.

Certification

I have undertaken many CPD opportunities during my position as a teaching assistant to support students. These are with national college:


  • Certificate in Epilepsy awareness
  • Certificate in understanding county lines
  • Complying with first aid requirements and DfE updated guidance
  • Certificate in the fundamentals of AI for educators
  • Certificate in understanding EHCP's
  • Certificate in Diabetes awareness
  • Adverse childhood experiences: trauma-informed approach
  • Effective behaviour management: is 'challenging behaviour' misunderstood?
  • Certificate in the use of reasonable force
  • Supporting pupils with Tourette's syndrome and tics
  • Understanding and supporting autistic girls
  • Annual certificate in safeguarding 2021-2025
  • KCSie part 1
  • TA focus: supporting independent learning skills
  • Child-on-child sexual abuse: DfE safeguarding guidance


I gained my level 3 in first aid in January 2023 with New Forest First Aid Training and in February 2024 i gained a certificate in 'Promoting positive pathways for autistic children who have exhibited harmful sexual behaviour' with The Lucy Faithful Foundation.


Timeline

Teaching assistant in special educational needs

The Eaglewood School
11.2021 - Current

Office administrative assistant

GSH Contractors LTD
02.2019 - 07.2019

Customer service assistant

Co-op Food
04.2006 - 10.2011

NVQ Level 2 - Floristry

Bournemouth College
09.2004 - 07.2005

GCSEs - English, Science and Maths

Priestlands School
09.1999 - 07.2004

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Kelly Menzies