Laura Slater

I am excited to apply for the position at Now Education Leeds. With over 14 years' experience in primary education and a passion for fostering a nurturing and engaging learning environment, I am looking to take the next step in my educational journey.

Skills

I have valuable teaching experience across all year groups and a comprehensive understanding of KS2 expectations and the importance of a strong skill- based foundation that must be acquired in the early years in order for accelerated progress to happen.

I am passionate about creating a safe and welcoming learning environment, where each child can reach their full potential. I achieve this by careful planning of the curriculum over the year; identifying key objectives for each subject area. I design my lessons with clear learning objectives, engaging activities and creating appropriate resources. My innovative ability enables me to cater for diverse learning styles ensuring every child feels valued and supported; most recently, I provided structured hands- on play activities to engage a reluctant learner with their number bonds to 10. Not only did this target the needs of the pupil, it also boosted their confidence with learning during whole class delivery.

A key strength is my ability to investigate and make informed decisions; I have identified barriers to learning for individual students through different ways of engagement. I created a tailored learning plan for a particular child, using visual aids and sensory breaks which then allowed them to succeed at their own pace and ultimately make progress.

I use my own initiative to inspire and motivate others. I recognise the importance of fostering a positive and enthusiastic classroom environment and have significant experience in the management of both people and resources. I effectively manage teaching assistants, ensuring they are clear on their roles and how best to support students, whether that is whole class, group or tailored 1:1.

In addition to my teaching skills, I have developed invaluable strong relationships with students, parents and colleagues. I believe that open communication is key to fostering a positive learning environment, and I strive to involve families in their children's education. I share children's progress and targets during formal parent consultation meetings and have an open- door policy to speak to parents when required. Upon my most recent appointment, I received feedback from a parent thanking me for the hugely positive influence that I have had upon their child holistically with noticed improvements in confidence, knowledge and skills.

I have taken a leading role in developing a positive growth mindset across pupil well- being across the whole school. By establishing key characters, children learned the importance of determination, kindness and perseverance. Pupils were encouraged to reflect on the learning muscles they used to complete a task. I promote respect for others and have high expectations whilst encouraging children to learn from their mistakes. I ensure children are given the opportunity to speak and listen attentively. To ensure all pupils are challenged, clear differentiation and adaptation for individual needs allows me to scaffold learning for SEND pupils as well as guide more able pupils to apply new skills to new situations.

I respect the privacy of all students and staff and am committed to handling sensitive information with the utmost discretion. I have used PSHE, Circle Time and mindfulness to help students build important social skills, understand their emotions and develop respectful relationships with their peers. I designed these sessions to encourage open communication and promote emotional well-being.

One of my areas of expertise is PE. I have developed a whole school plan, written a policy document, provided an action plan and created a progression of skills for games, dance and gymnastics beginning with the gross and fine motor skills outlined in the ELG. It has been a joy to see Reception children enjoying dough disco activities and Year 6 feel confident on large apparatus in gymnastics. I am keen to link children's learning to first-hand experiences and always look for opportunities to take learning outside the classroom. My present school has extensive grounds which all year groups make use of to gain positive learning experiences. Watching children work collaboratively to build a shelter allowed me to understand the skills children had and plan their next steps.

I am highly organised and am an effective communicator, able to lead and encourage others supportively. My teaching experience has taught me to be a reflective and self-evaluative individual, who seeks to achieve the best results even in challenging situations. I enjoy being involved in all aspects of school life including: overseeing play leaders, attending sport competitions and offering after school and dinner time clubs which provide further opportunities beyond those within the classroom.

Knowledge and professional development

I am actively engaged with training and development opportunities for inclusive teaching; ensuring that I am well-equipped to support all learners. This included Team Teach training, ensuring a safe learning environment and ‘Zones of Regulation' positively supported children on how to recognise and manage their emotions successfully.

I employ the graduated approach to identifying and supporting children with SEND, and use the format- assess, plan, do, and review cycle for children in my care. I understand the importance of early identification and the tailored support has included the use of social stories, 1:1 interventions and various brain break activities.

I am fully aware of current safeguarding policies that protect the welfare of students and my responsibility in relation to the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidelines, creating a safe classroom where children are protected from harm. The use of an ‘ask it basket' and talking partners has supported this.

I use ICT to enhance children's learning by using an IWB and iPads; I have also delivered weekly computing lessons. When researching WW2, I placed QR codes around the learning area for children to scan, read the information and make notes. I utilise a variety of digital tools and use a range of interactive games to create stimulating lessons.

I monitor children's progress in all subjects, particularly reading, writing and maths. I hold regular meetings with my team and leadership in school as to how we can best support each child. I have used B- Squared to support individual children who were working below year group expectations to show progress. I acted upon data provided by formal and informal assessment and as a result I arranged and monitored interventions for children who needed extra support, working alongside other members of staff to ensure they reached their full potential.

I am keen to contribute when addressing targets on the school development plan. To improve maths and literacy skills, I engaged with support agencies who provided training to help raise standards. To understand the complete primary journey, I received current and up-to-date training in phonics and focussed on the importance of concrete, pictorial and abstract approaches in maths.

Leadership

I can operate individually or as part of a team. I am a problem- solver and can use my own initiative. I am not afraid to ask questions if I need clarification and continually seek out expertise to initiate my own professional development. I have worked effectively with many teaching assistants throughout my career and utilise them to the best of their abilities, ensuring they feel valued and respected. With regards to lesson observations, I have consistently been judged as a good or outstanding teacher, using this excellent practice to coach and support colleagues across the whole school, and mentoring NCTs to begin their teaching career.

My numerous leadership roles have seen me take multiple levels of responsibilities across school, advising and supporting staff and pupils. Working with all classes, I led active learning across school, by demonstrating to staff the positive impact movement can have when learning maths facts. When leading KS2 and Year 6, I was responsible for presenting data to other staff members and governors. These meetings gave me an understanding of the journey children take from the Early Learning Goals to the transition to high school. One of my leadership roles included responsibility for tracking and organising interventions for disadvantaged children across the whole school. I met with parents and carers to discuss next steps and created practical resource packs to encourage them to engage in meaningful activities at home to improve pupil progress.

Overall, I have developed excellent relationships with members of staff and children throughout school and enjoy working as part of a collaborative team. I have a positive outlook towards my profession and approach new opportunities with enthusiasm. During my teaching career I have acquired the skills and knowledge that I know can be adapted to all ages in primary school.

New challenges excite me, and I look forward to becoming part of your visionary team should I be given the opportunity.