Inclusion and SEND

Inclusive Education. Expert SEND Support.

Founded by Alan Cottington; an experienced teacher, tutor, former SENDCo and parent of a neuro-atypical child, inclusion is the driving force of Another Level Tutors. Education has the power to transform lives and should be a universal right for all. Every child - regardless of race, gender, social class, sexuality, or additional need - deserves an education that nurtures confidence, builds independence, and opens new opportunities.

Another Level Tutors is committed to equal opportunities and specialises in supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND); working closely with families to ensure learners feel understood, supported, and able to thrive.

Please read onto learn more about the Another Level Tutors approach to tuition that supports all learners to make real progress.

A positive, non‑threatening, familiar, and safe learning environment is particularly important for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. For this reason, we recommend face‑to‑face tutoring in the student’s home for the majority of learners with SEND. Learning in a familiar environment helps reduce anxiety, build trust, and maximise engagement.

Ideally, sessions should take place in a quiet room with minimal distractions and be held in the same space each week, providing consistency and predictability. This structure supports emotional regulation and allows students to feel secure, confident, and ready to learn.

While face‑to‑face sessions are often the most effective for students with SEND, online tutoring can be appropriate in certain circumstances, for example:

• When a student feels more comfortable engaging from behind a screen
• For older students who are confident using technology and benefit from digital tools
• When health, mobility, or geographical factors make in‑person sessions impractical
• For short‑term support, revision sessions, or check‑ins

Online sessions are carefully adapted to ensure they remain structured, engaging, and supportive. The suitability of online tuition is always considered on an individual basis, with the student’s emotional wellbeing, needs, and learning profile at the centre of any decision.

Before meeting with your child for the first time, the tutor will contact you to discuss your desired outcomes from tuition and to gain a deeper understanding of your child as an individual.

This includes learning about your child’s:

• Likes and dislikes
• Hobbies and areas of interest
• Preferred ways of learning
• Any topics or approaches that may cause anxiety or should be avoided

This information allows the tutor to plan lessons that are personalised, motivating, and meaningful, incorporating your child’s interests wherever possible to support engagement and emotional safety.

All lessons are carefully adapted to suit your child’s individual learning style, needs, and strengths. 

Teaching is flexible and responsive, ensuring that sessions remain accessible, supportive, and appropriately paced.

Regular, informal assessment is used to monitor progress and identify any gaps in understanding, allowing learning to be revisited and consolidated as needed. This approach reduces pressure and supports confidence.

Another Level Tutors approach to tuition is informed by SEND best practice, including principles outlined in the SEND Code of Practice, with a strong emphasis on:

• Individualised support
• Predictability and structure
• Building positive relationships
• Reducing barriers to learning
• Supporting emotional wellbeing alongside academic progress

By placing the child at the centre of planning and adapting teaching responsively, we aim to create an environment where learners feel safe, understood, and capable of success.

Children and young people with SEND learn best when they feel safe, understood, and supported as individuals. This approach is designed to remove common barriers to learning while building confidence, trust, and motivation.

• Familiarity and consistency help reduce anxiety. Learning in the same space, with the same adult, and a predictable session structure allows students to focus their energy on learning rather than managing uncertainty.
• Personalised planning means lessons are built around the child, not a generic programme. By incorporating interests, preferred learning styles, and sensory needs, learning becomes meaningful and engaging rather than overwhelming.
• Flexible, responsive teaching ensures that sessions move at the child’s pace. Concepts are revisited when needed, pressure is reduced, and progress is built securely over time.
• Regular, low‑stakes assessment helps identify gaps in understanding early, preventing small misunderstandings from becoming long‑term barriers. This approach supports steady progress without damaging confidence or self‑esteem.
• Strong relationships and emotional safety are central. Many SEND learners have experienced frustration, failure, or anxiety around education. A calm, supportive, and respectful relationship allows students to take risks, ask questions, and re‑engage with learning.

By combining structure with flexibility, and academic support with emotional understanding, this approach enables SEND learners to make progress in a way that feels achievable, empowering, and sustainable.

Our dyslexia screening provides an indication of whether your child may show signs associated with dyslexia, as well as the potential severity of some of the most common traits.

Important:  
This screening is not a formal diagnostic assessment. Its purpose is to offer insight and guidance only.
If you would like advice on how to obtain a full dyslexia diagnosis, please get in touch if you would like further infromation about the the process. However, only qualified specialist practitioners are able to carry out a formal diagnostic assessment.

Because I have experienced the SEND process from both a professional and parental perspective, I am uniquely placed to support families through complex and often stressful systems.

I offer SEND consultancy and advice services at competitive rates, including support with:

• Understanding SEND processes and provision
• EHCP applications and reviews
• Communicating effectively with schools and local authorities
• Interpreting reports and recommendations
• Advocating for appropriate support and reasonable adjustments

My approach is honest, supportive, and focused on empowering parents to feel confident and informed.