Nicky Gumbs

I have lived in Camberley for 27 years during which time by 4 children attended local schools. I worked as a Teaching Assistant for 11years at a local junior school and the last few years as a HLTA.

My roles within school for the first 6 years were to do with behaviour and classroom support.  For the last 5 yrs I worked with children on the Special Educational Needs (SEN) register, planning and delivering lessons and working with teachers to write and develop targets for the children’s Individal Education Plan’s (IEP).  Additionally, I delivered literacy and numeracy intervention programmes to groups of up to eight children.
Also during this time I ran a lunchtime games club.
          
For the last 4 years I worked closely with the SENCO then during the last year mentored new SENCO’s into this role.  I coordinated meetings with outside agencies supporting children on the SEN register and discussed their progress and future targets.  I organised and attended annual reviews for statemented pupils.

Before coming to work in a school I worked at a local church. As the first port of call for queries I learnt how to deal with a range of people and situations.   During this time I had to organise many different types of events including church services, teaching groups and outreach events.  I was also fortunate to be part of the setting up of a Nursery for 2-5yr olds. In getting the Nursery set up I had to liaise closely with different outside agencies and parents.

In a voluntary capacity over many years I have run youth and children’s groups and clubs for children between 2-17 year olds.  I helped to organise events such as holiday programmes, weekends away and funding raising. Over the last 6 years I have also facilitated teaching groups for adults in groups of up to 50.

Recently I set up and now facilitate parenting groups using the Family Links Parenting Puzzle course material.   This was a new venture so my first step was obtain funding. The courses were widely promoted through schools, health centres, nursery schools and churches and are continuing to grow across Surrey Heath Borough.