Team & Expertise
Compass is a small, specialist team led by experienced educational leadership, working with schools, families and commissioners to build the right support around each learner.
Our Founder
Founder | Designated Safeguarding Lead | SENCo
An experienced Deputy Headteacher with over 12 years in Secondary Education, qualified SENCO and English specialist. Rosie holds the National Professional Qualification in Headship. Having led Quality of Education and Inclusion, she is passionate about supporting young people with SEND, SEMH needs and emotionally based school avoidance, combining high expectations with calm, relationship-led support.
Our Team
A qualified and experienced teacher coordinates each learner's package, writes and reviews the Individual Learning and Development Plan, monitors progress every six weeks and guides the professionals working with the young person. They attend professional and review meetings, contribute to EHC planning and coordinate transition or reintegration work where appropriate.
English, Maths and Science tutors delivering curriculum-aligned teaching, including GCSE and Functional Skills routes for KS4 learners. We also have specialist Music and Art tutors available to deliver accredited courses in the Creatives in certain locations.
Trained specialists delivering evidence-based SEMH interventions, personal development sessions and personalised EBSNA support, building confidence, emotional wellbeing, routines and re-engagement with education.
Trained psychotherapists with recognised professional qualifications and registration (BACP, UKCP or NCPS) provide fast access to mental health and wellbeing support alongside each learner's education, with the approach shaped around the young person's needs. Speech & language therapy is also available where commissioned and appropriate.
Meet Our Tutors & Therapists
A qualified teacher and SEND specialist who has served as a head teacher and SENDCo, Shaun has worked across primary, secondary and special schools and trained teachers at university. He tutors Maths, English and Science from primary through to GCSE, with extensive experience supporting young people who find school hard to access.
With over 13 years' experience across nursery, primary and Further Education, Chris holds an MA in Teaching and Learning, a PGCE, a BA (Hons) in Professional Development in Education and a Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification. He has supported learners with a wide range of needs, including SEND, helping young people overcome barriers to learning.
Christina has taught in inclusive and specialist SEND schools and worked with adults with learning disabilities. Supporting learners from EYFS to KS3 and Functional Skills, she specialises in literacy, wellbeing, confidence and emotional regulation, often joined by her support dog, Megy.
Rachel brings around 10 years' experience in education, including as a teaching assistant and tutoring small groups of children with different learning and support needs. Her experience with Childline and supporting young people with additional needs underpins her calm, trust-building approach.
Aisha tutors Maths, English and Science across Key Stages 1–4, in person and online. Her primary school placement gave her valuable insight into supporting children with different educational needs, and her interest in psychology shapes a warm, encouraging approach to building confidence.
Sue is a qualified talk therapist using Person-Centred and CBT approaches. She has worked with children and young people aged 9 to 18 and young adults, mainly in high schools and colleges, supporting anxiety, low mood, anger, loss and neurodivergence.
Our Approach
Every placement is shaped by a programme lead, who are qualified teachers with significant experience in education.
The safety, wellbeing and voice of each young person are at the heart of everything we do.
Support is flexible, personalised and designed to remove barriers and create positive next steps.
Our Commitment
All team members are recruited safely, with enhanced checks and rigorous due diligence.
We maintain high standards through oversight, supervision and regular review.
Provision is continuously monitored to ensure it remains safe, effective and impactful.
We work closely with schools, families and commissioners to ensure consistent, joined-up support.
In the vast majority of cases, our tutors hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), a relevant bachelor's degree in childhood studies or the academic subject they teach, or equivalent specialist experience. We assess subject knowledge, suitability and the ability to support individual learners. Our mentors have extensive experience in working with children with Special Educational Needs or other barriers that make accessing education difficult for them.
All our therapists hold a relevant Level 4 or equivalent therapy and counselling qualification or above, are registered with a relevant UK regulatory body, and are fully insured. We assess their experience working with children and young people, their therapeutic approach, and their ability to adapt support to individual needs.
Programme Leads bring extensive experience in education leadership, teaching, safeguarding and quality assurance. They provide clear direction, support tutors to deliver effectively and ensure that provision remains aligned with each learner's needs and EHCP outcomes.
Clear learning objectives and quality-assured resources, adapted to each learner's needs and EHCP outcomes, provide consistency while allowing appropriate professional flexibility.
Programme Leads undertake tutor observations, supervision and reviews of planning, learner work and assessment. These activities inform feedback, coaching and professional development. Knowledge checks help confirm that staff understand and can apply key safeguarding procedures.
A named Programme Lead monitors delivery, attendance, engagement and progress, working closely with tutors, families and relevant professionals to address concerns promptly and secure appropriate support.
Six-weekly reviews bring together assessment, learner and family feedback, attendance and progress against agreed outcomes. Programme Leads use this evidence to evaluate impact and shape the next stage of support.
Safer recruitment, mandatory safeguarding training and individual and venue risk assessments underpin every placement. Staff complete mandatory Prevent training provided by the Home Office, and their understanding of safeguarding, including Prevent duties, is checked through knowledge assessments, supervision and ongoing leadership oversight.
All Compass tutors and mentors complete our SEND Practice Programme before or during induction, covering neurodiversity, SEMH, anxiety and EBSA, executive functioning, communication needs, inclusive teaching and reintegration. Training combines DfE-funded Whole School SEND CPD with SENCO-led practice development and ongoing supervision.
Our practice is framed by Keeping Children Safe in Education and the Department for Education's Voluntary National Standards for Non-School Alternative Provision.
Work with our team
Speak to our team about the learner's needs, available support and the next steps towards a personalised placement.
