Bright Futures School for children with autism

School Staff

Janet

Janet Callander is an experienced teacher with both primary and lower secondary children who until recently was Acting Head at a local preparatory school, where pupils with autism were welcomed.

Throughout her career she has maintained a keen interest in children with additional needs and has been Designated Teacher for Special Needs as well as being responsible for Child Protection issues. As a Teacher Tutor, she has mentored PGCE and BEd students. Using previous experience as a librarian, Janet combines her teaching input with organising the Bright Futures School library, involving pupils in cataloguing the books.

Out of school, Janet produces the weekly community newsletter and bi-monthly magazine. She also liaises with people who wish to volunteer for KCC, a Children’s Orphanage in Kampala, Uganda. This involves contacting those who are interested and giving them all the information they may need to help them raise funds and reach their goal to visit Uganda.

Sheena

Sheena Dodson combined her previous job as Office Manager for a foster agency, with Open University study leading to her degree in Children and Youth Work, 2008.

Sheena brings lots of experience of work with children and young people to her post of Teaching Assistant at Bright Futures School. She is Scout Leader who is now national child protection officer for the Scouts. She runs a local group of 32 cubs, mentors young people who want to be leaders in the Scout movement and, as a member of National Training Team for Cub leaders, supports leaders in learning through play and in developing leadership skills. Other voluntary work includes running children's groups and setting up several Mums and Tots groups.

After all this, Sheena still finds time to play the flute, the guitar and the clarinet….then there is walking and outdoor pursuits.

Jonathan

Jonathan Holland is our Senior Teaching Assistant who has worked in autism education for 5 years, most recently in a Secondary Special school of 100+ pupils in Hackney. Here he tried new ways of working with older children with severe autism. These included inventing games and lesson plans for individuals and small groups to help to develop independence of thought and action. A mixture of non-verbal communication, understanding and patience, play, ad hoc drama therapy and team work has resulted in impressive gains by individual pupils.

Bright Futures School is supporting Jonathan’s training towards qualification as an RDI (Relationship Development Intervention) Consultant.

As a life long musician, Jonathan explores the improvisation aspects of music therapy. As a cartoonist, he makes use of drawing as a quick and easy way of communication.

Angela

Angela Trewinnard has a nursing background but has worked as a teaching assistant within primary schools for many years where she has done lots of work 1:1 and with small groups. For the last two years she has been working with pupils with autism.

Angela has developed an interest in dyslexia, attending appropriate courses as well as securing NVQ Level 3 qualification for TA’s and achieving Levels 1 and 2 in British Sign Language.

As a volunteer, Angela supported the teaching of travellers who were unable to read, never having attended school. She is currently very active as the Coordinator for a team of community volunteers in Stalybridge which entails a great deal of organisational skill as well as supporting and encouraging the 21 volunteers who work in the team.

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