SEND at Tiggers
With over 20 years of experience in the field of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), I am deeply committed to supporting children and their families at Tigger’s through inclusive, high-quality early years education.
My journey began at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where I completed a work experience placement within the play department. This early experience inspired my passion for child development and therapeutic approaches within education.
I later completed a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and Applied Social Science. As part of my degree, I contributed to a team evaluation of the Sure Start Programme in Ashford. This project formed the basis of my dissertation and strengthened my understanding of the vital role community-based support plays in helping children and families thrive.
My professional experience includes working as a Room Lead in a specialist school for children with autism, where I supported a small class of non-verbal children. In this role, I developed and implemented individualised learning strategies and communication approaches tailored to each child’s unique needs.
After taking time to raise my own family, I joined the team at Tigger’s, where I have now been a proud and dedicated member of staff for over 13 years.
At Tigger’s, we are passionate about creating an inclusive and nurturing environment where every child feels valued, supported, and able to flourish—particularly those who may need additional support during their early years. I strongly believe that early identification and timely intervention are key to helping children achieve the best possible outcomes in their educational journey.
As a team, we are committed to ongoing professional development within the ever-evolving SEND field. We carefully create clear and purposeful support plans with meaningful, achievable targets tailored to each child. We also support families with EHCP applications and work closely with external professionals and agencies to ensure children receive the right support at the right time.
To help children feel secure and confident from the very beginning, we provide bespoke settling-in and transition plans, ensuring every child and family feels supported throughout their pre-school journey.
SEND Parent Testimonials
Current Parent's Voice - "From our very first visit, we just knew Tiggers was the place for E - so warm, inviting and happy. After looking at other settings - where we didn’t always feel welcomed or felt they couldn’t quite meet his needs - it was such a relief to find somewhere that truly wanted to understand and guide him. Every step has been at E’s pace, which as a parent means so much. The teachers are all absolutely amazing – so caring, patient and genuinely invested in every single child. The setting itself is fantastic, with so much for them to explore, a brilliant outdoor space that E loves and a fantastic 'quiet area' that is perfect when he's feeling overwhelmed. The staff at Tiggers have really taken the time to notice not only what he needs support with, but also the things he enjoys, using gentle encouragement to help him try new things without pressure. Most recently, he’s been happily going in by himself and has built such lovely relationships with all the adults – especially Karen. As a parent of a non-verbal autistic child, that level of trust and connection is just incredible, and we couldn’t be more grateful."
A Parent's Voice – "Tigger’s is THE most incredible and nurturing setting and I am forever grateful for Kate, Karen & the team for all they did to support my little one during his time there. My son is autistic and they took him under their wings and gave him a safe environment where he could flourish and grow. They also we're extremely helpful and supportive as we worked through the EHCP process (which is not easy!). My son is thriving at school and I truly believe that is because of all the incredible love and support at Tigger’s.