Ability Bridge SEND

  • Conferences, Workshops, Webinars and Continued Professional Development

    • Over fifteen years’ experience delivering consistently high‑rated bespoke continuing professional development for school leaders, teachers and school staff across mainstream primary, secondary and special‑school contexts.

    • Specialism not only in neurodiversity but in growing, often overlooked SEND areas including:

      Pica and Polydipsia

      ‍ ‍Voice Hearing and Visual Experiences‍

      Autism in Females

      Just‑right OCD

      Demand Avoidance

      Diagnostic Overshadowing

      ‍ ‍Trauma Disguised as AuDHD

    • Delivered national autism training as Lead Trainer for the Autism Education Trust.

    • Regular university lectures delivered for both trainee teachers and university lecturers.

  • Tutoring Services

    • Thirty years’ experience teaching across primary and secondary mainstream and special‑school contexts

    • Enhanced DBS certification, Designated Safeguarding Lead trained and Hiscox‑insured for professional indemnity and public liability.

    • Specialist Leader of Education

    • Academic and emotional wrap‑around bespoke tutoring delivered at home or in school, including transitions between settings, particularly from specialist to mainstream, or from being out of education into a suitable placement.

    • Extensive bespoke outreach experience with emotionally based school avoiders, delivering increased time in school, improved confidence and strong measurable academic progress, combined with proven expertise across mainstream primary, secondary and special‑school settings.

  • Respite Services

    • Experienced and well‑trained respite carers with strong expertise in SEND, including communication needs, pica and polydipsia, genetic differences, sensory‑based needs, anxiety and behaviour linked to unmet need.

    • Staff receive regular additional training, which can be bespoke to individual needs, for example around adverse childhood experiences and trauma, voice hearing or positive behavioural support.

    • All staff have enhanced DBS certification and regular up to date safeguarding and bespoke need training.

Reviews

Lou presented to over 350 teachers and teaching staff, which she took in her stride. It was pitched at just the right level, her resources were excellent and we have received countless comments from staff saying how informative and brilliant they found the training.

Helen - Headteacher, Special School

Emily’s skin‑picking and anxiety have both reduced; she often talks excitedly at home about her Science and Art lessons with Lou. Mornings are no longer a battle, and she has started to drink some water in school. After six months of non‑attendance, she is now attending school almost three half days a week. Most importantly, she is much happier.

Lisa, Parent Secondary Mainstream

Lou supported my fourteen‑year‑old daughter, whose school attendance had gone down to less than an hour a week. We had tried various professionals, but Freya was reluctant to engage with any of them. Lou worked with Freya’s strengths and her love of History, giving her ownership over which topics she wanted to explore and suggesting she take a short reading break whenever she needed one without having to ask. This helped Freya attend a shortened day each week and feel genuinely happier and more at ease about being in school. Lou built a wonderful trusting relationship not only with Freya but also with me, checking in before and after every session about Freya’s anxiety levels and making sure Freya had a say in her learning and knew exactly what would be happening, when, and in which room. Thank you.

Susie - Parent and Teacher

Dear Lou, I wanted to say a big thank you for all your help, support and kindness over the last few years. You always cheer me up if I’m sad and you’re always there to listen and that makes me feel better. You gave me confidence in my annual review, without you there I would not have been able to talk. I will also miss our chats. Thanks for helping my family as well.

Danny — fifteen‑year‑old young person.

Judging by the changes I have seen implemented in the school since my last visit, your training has obviously had significant impact.

Angela – School Improvement Officer

I just wanted to say an enormous thank you for the webinar yesterday. I’ve already heard so many positive comments about it and how incredibly helpful families found it.

Sarah - CEO, Unique (Understanding Genes and Rare Chromosomes)

Lou has been working with Alun over the last term and has worked alongside the teaching staff to put in strategies and interventions which has greatly supported Alun’s success within a mainstream classroom. She has provided feedback to teachers and support staff throughout her time, both in person, through modelling as well as written feedback and after school workshops. Lou’s expertise and knowledge has been invaluable for ensuring the support we are providing is relevant and to ensure Alun can remain in class for as much learning time as possible. She has also supported us to put really practical strategies in place e.g. calm box and has developed Alun’s knowledge of Zones of Regulation which matches the school’s approach. Lou has also provided us with a detailed and extremely helpful report that we have used as part of our evidence towards his EHCP application.

Jan - Headteacher

I wanted to say a huge thank you for all the hard work and effort you have put in with Josh. The turnaround in his learning has been amazing! We feel that this is in no small way because he had a teacher that ‘got’ him. We know he is not always the easiest child but you have been so understanding of him and as a result he is actually happy to go to school (most days :-). I am also not worried about picking him up each afternoon which is a huge weight off my mind!

Jenny and Pedro - Parents (Mainstream, Year 3)

'Your lectures are always incredibly valuable, and our students gain so much from your knowledge, perspective, and experience.

Laura - Director of ITE SEND, BA Primary Education QTS. Institute of Education, University of Reading.

Lou’s feedback ratings are consistently the highest among our continued professional development trainers.

Amandeep,- Executive Headteacher (Mainstream)

You are such a lovely teacher and so understanding, you are making me feel more confident in school and you always put a smile on my face. You are an amazing most BRILLIANT Science teacher and I don’t know what I am going to do without you. With my Maths you are so understanding but I am really going to miss you.

Grace - Year 6 Mainstream

In partnership with Louise Batalla-Duran

Take your understanding of autism to the next level with our online Autism course, rated 4.5 out of 5 by our community.

OnLine Training

I just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate your work with Hayley this term. I am so pleased that she has been able to access Maths lessons for the first time in over a year, and always comes out excited about what she has been doing. I’ve been amazed to see how well, and confidently she has settled into working with you, and in a new environment, despite previously struggling to attend school. She is attending three hours, three times a week and goes into school without too much anxiety - she no longer gets hives beforehand, and is able to get herself ready and out the house in time without needing a lot of support - which was a huge step for her. I’m sure that having your support is encouraging her to work more independently at home too, and she is now studying biology independently. Thank you.

Charlotte - Parent