“My love for children is expressed through kindness, empathy, and creative, playful expression within an educationally focused, softly structured, emotionally safe environment.”
Creative Education, Mentoring & Enrichment, Confidence Building.
Creative Education, Mentoring & Enrichment, Confidence Building.
Creative Education, Mentoring & Enrichment, Confidence Building.For children & young people 5-15, especially neurodivergent & sensitive.
Sessions from 1 hour to 6 hours per day/weekly, etc. All children welcome.
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BACKGROUND AND MISSION
My mission is to guide and support children and young people to develop their skills, feel happiness while they learn and experience their creative flow.
With over 30 years of professional teaching experience, I am excited to now be at the helm of my own world of creative education for children and young people, in a dedicated space in Forest Row, East Sussex.
I guide children through bespoke projects, inspired by their interests and create space for play and exploration.
I love creating a unique learning experience for each child, achieving this through the building of confidence, via tailored and free flow learning and playful activities.
My priority is to create a stimulating yet relaxing physical environment which is chemical free, with healthy lighting, ventilation and low technology use.
At the core of my work is the emotional wellbeing of the child. Only when that is fully supported, can easeful learning take place.
I consistently found learning in primary schools to be so fast paced, that just when a child was in a moment of flow or deep interest in a task, the direction changed, or they were, asked to stop, to line up, etc.
Then there was the ubiquitous use of of fluorescent lighting, playtimes cancelled due to light rain (severance from nature), a focus on being seated when children love to move. All this felt incongruous to me and, eventually I had to leave. Schools do their best, but if a child has an especially expressive nature, or difficulty with sustained concentration, then school can become very challenging indeed.
Children can then often feel that they are ‘behind’ or ‘not clever’ - and it is not the child’s issue but the system struggling to meet their needs.
I have also taught in special needs schools and, again, found, in many that there was little access to nature, strip lighting, poor ventilation, low quality food. I struggled in those environments and it was clear that many of the children did too.
My creative education and mentoring service may serve as a bridge between educational establishments, form part of a Home School network schedule, provide an opportunity to power up on skills missed from being out of school, or transform negative school experiences.
Please note that I do not ‘tutor’ children for exams and I have no wish to enforce any kind of learning that engenders anxiety in a child.
In the past I have tutored children for scholarships and exams, but…my joy lies in a different realm of education; my mission is to raise a child’s confidence through exciting, fun, creative learning.
I want children to feel safe, happy and honoured for every little step they make - with no judgement. This approach is vital when a child is sensitive.
Attainment will occur naturally when a child grows in confidence through the right support and encouragement.
QUESTIONS ANSWERED:
WHAT is a ‘sensitive child’? A sensitive child is a term I use to describe a child that may benefit from some 1:1 time, where the pressure is off, and their individual needs met. Your child may attend a mainstream, state or private school and just require some specialist time and attention to grow in confidence, and thereby raise attainment. Other children may be struggling to attend school, or be waiting for a special needs school place. At some level, we all have ‘special needs’ and my role is to support each child with what ever is needed.
HOW do I teach?
I create a free flowing educational experience, tailor-made for each child.
I integrate many kinaesthetic activities and as much art and craft as possible. I am able to flow creatively ‘in the moment’ and have no wish to stick to any plan if it does not support the child. I will always honour the flow of the child and be ready to change direction in the moment.
I use healing instruments, such as chimes, flutes etc., which I have found to greatly support regulation. These may also be used with creative storytelling to support imagination and language.
I place emphasis on the promotion of emotional language and expression.
WHAT do I teach?
Each child is different. I may loosely follow the National Curriculum and integrate elements of the Waldorf Steiner approach, which may include a free flowing, project-based learning style. The key reason for choosing to leave the school system is because I want to support children to follow their passion and their interests - creating a genuine keenness for learning and raising their confidence in the process. For some children, a play-based curriculum may be their main access to learning. For other children, more structured sessions may be needed and the approach will be discussed with parents first and then followed up with regular check ins.
WHAT resources do I have?
I have a great range of resources to support access to learning, including a small library with fiction and non fiction books, books from other cultures and books for emotional support.
I also have a vast array of art and craft materials, basic woodwork, textiles, items from nature, items for small world play, (supporting imaginative play, where children create miniature, pretend environments using small toys and props), as well as a range of kinaesthetic and sensory toys to promote regulation and calmness.
WHY do I choose to teach like this?
I love creating sensitive and welcoming environments for children and young people. After decades of teaching under strip lights, with linear rows of chairs, ’Smart’ Boards, photocopied work sheets… I want to do what my heart desires: to see children flourishing and gaining confidence, enjoying learning and progressing at their natural pace. The individual approach means that a child is relieved of any feeling that they ‘should’ be at a certain rank, within their peer group, and dissapates any negative comparison.
I love working in a different way. And a happy educator helps create happy children.
WHO do I teach?
I work with children and young people from age 5 and up. Due to my extensive experience (see below), I am able to accommodate almost all character types, and children and young people with a great range of abilities. I meet with parents and children first to discuss intentions and hopes for the educator-child relationship. I also teach some ‘straight’ education areas, such as phonics. I have a good range of resources for this. Again, my overall message to parents is that, I intend to increase the skills of children by raising their confidence; I pay attention to speaking and listening, the sharing of feelings, and the use of emotionally focused language. I have utilised techniques such as Circle Time and drama, over decades, to support the development of emotional language.
WHEN do I work?
I take children Mondays-Thursdays during term time, and also during school holidays. Time tables are arranged with families according to need and availability. Weekend sessions can also be considered on an, ad hoc basis.
WHERE do I work?
Sessions take place in a dedicated education room in my home, Forest Row, East Sussex. I also utilise part of my home (an additional zone, adjacent to the garden) as a relaxing, nurturing, cosy space, with sheepskins cushions, and floor play.
The space is chemical free. Organic fruit and spring water are available.
WHAT is the cost of sessions?
£50 for one hour.
£40 per hour when there is more than 1 hour.
Sessions can be shared with other pupils of a similar ability, enabling parents to share the cost - this is arranged externally by the parents.
Contact Rebecca to make an appointment to view the space and to discuss your child.
“I’ve spent a lifetime, dedicated to the education and well being of children, in the UK and globally.”
Here are some nitty gritty details sharing some of life working with children.
B.A.Hons (Humanities),1986
P.G.C.E Goldsmiths, University of London 1994
Other: Level 2 Counselling, 2025
Foundation training: NVC (Non Violent Communication) 2023, Further training: 2024
Foundation training in Systemic Constellations, The Whole Partnership, 2023.
Counselling, Level 2, 2025
Overview of a life of work with children, UK and worldwide.
Current: SEN Private Educator, since September 2025
Bespoke creative education and mentoring for sensitive children and young people, who may be; out of school, home educated, needing support for a return to school, delivered by a very experienced, kind, super creative, fun educator.
> 2021-2024 Facilitating creative education sessions, locally, interweaving, nature, ceremony, craft with groups of children.
> Holistic Children’s Party’s
established 2023
> Professional teacher since 1994, in schools, teaching; EYFS, KS1, KS2, KS3, S.E.N; MLD, SLD, SEMH & Private ‘Prep’ schools, and private tuition, London, East Susses, West Sussex, Kent.
> Management Leader for KS2, primary school, London SE1.
Whilst still teaching, I was also involved in a great array of projects and initiatives with children:
> 2023 - summer 2025 teaching in Sussex primary schools, primary, secondary, SEN, SEMH and APC (Alternative Provision Service).
> 2022 School Presentations and workshops for grant funded ecology and environment issues, East Sussex primary schools for FoRM (Friends of the River Medway).
> 2020 Delivered creative education workshops for children 5-9 at Yogi Art School, Arambol, Goa, India.
> 2019 - 2025 Well Being Director for The Academy of Hope (UK based charity), educating and housing impoverished children in India.
> 2017, 1:1 working with a child with SLD to access activities and be supported emotionally, in a play setting.
> 2014-2017 Co founded Peace Button - The Mindful Movement for Children, delivering workshops to thousands of children, teachers & parents in England.
> 2014-2017 Private work in schools in SE England for yoga and creative storytelling.
> 2015 Governess, SW London, supporting a child at home to return to school.
> 2010, 2019 Teaching in NW India. Voluntary.
> 2010-2012 Nutrition and craft skills workshops for children and families.
> 2007 Teaching in primary school, The Gambia, West Africa,Voluntary.
> 2007 Training of teachers from Sierra Leone, in The Gambia, West Africa.
> 1994 - 2025 Professional teaching career (still going!)
> 1990/1 English Language Teacher to adults, London, UK.
> 1988/89 English Language Teacher for children and adults, Japan
> 1988, Nanny, Australia.
> 1983, Children’s support worker, in loco parentis, residential camp, New York, USA.
> 1982 Children’s support worker, in loco parentis, residential setting, (kibbutz) Israel.
> 1981 Long term voluntary support for Down’s Syndrome children, for which I won an award from Bucks CC to visit the USSR.
Specialist skills with children:
> Mindfulness Educator,
> Emotional Development Educator, using Circle Time, Art, Role Play,
> Storytelling,
> Yoga, (Trained 2007)
> Sound Healing, utilising percussion instruments to support regulation,
> Music and Movement facilitator, for children age 3 upwards,
> Sewing and craft,
> Creative poetry,
> Creative writing,
> Drama and Role Play,
> Singing,
> Gardening,
> Bringing awareness to being a global citizen,
> Respect for Self, Respect for others, Respect for the World,
> The cultivation of Awe and Wonder.
“My love for children is expressed through kindness, empathy, and creative, playful expression within an educationally focused, softly structured, emotionally safe environment.”
Contact:
hello@rebeccarainbow.com
Photos below of Rebecca in action with children, over the years :)
Education Outreach for Friends of The River Medway, East Sussex schools,2022
Sharing Peace Button at filming for Uplift Connect, 2015
Community workshops for nutrition and health, South London, 2007
The Dougon, Mali, West Africa, 2007
Exploring Mindfulness and calm breathing, with children from The Academy of Hope, Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, NW India, 2019
Front cover of The Teacher magazine, 1995