I am currently teaching mathematics at a secondary school in Bournemouth, but my degree is in music. My main instruments are clarinet and piano, which I have been playing for over 20 years. I used to work as a teaching assistant at a special needs school in Poole, which I came across whilst working in the Participate team at the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Before this, I taught music in a variety of settings in Greater Manchester. I am passionate about music education because I understand that music has the power to inspire others and to change lives.

I follow a student-led approach, which means I listen to what a student wants to learn, explore, and play. I encourage them to think about and track their own progress, helping them to set their own goals and to have some control in the direction they are going. I can focus on guiding a pupil through graded exams or concentrate on exploring new repertoire and creative music-making - whichever route will help them to reach their full musical potential. I always play my instrument with a student when I am teaching and encourage them to experiment and listen to new music.

As I have experience of working in a special education school, I am confident teaching music to students with physical and/or learning disabilities. If my student has a disability, I will work with them to explore the best way to make music. My lesson structure and approach can be adjusted to suit the needs of any pupil, as I believe it is important to make music lessons accessible to everyone.