Rachael completed a degree in law and a year in industry before realising that she couldn’t work at a desk. She completed her PGCE in Primary education with High Force Education in Barnard Castle in 2007 and MA in Education in 2012. Coming from a background working in outdoor education, holding many NGB qualifications notably Level 4 Kayak instructor, she was always keen to take her classroom outdoors, therefore gaining her Forest School leadership award in 2019.

Rachael loves watching pupils thrive in the outdoor environment, facilitating their learning in different ways and helping them achieve their potential. Let’s face it, nothing beats toasting a marshmallow on a fire.

Stacey is a qualified and experienced counsellor and has been based in schools for five years. She counsels children on a one-to-one basis using a non-directive integrative model that blends psychoanalysis and person-centred theory, also using cognitive behavioural techniques if they are helpful for individual children’s needs. Stacey has experience in delivering group therapy, running a playtime listening service, supporting teachers and parents, and delivering training to teaching assistants.

Paula is a Trained Counsellor and Associate of the BABCP, a qualified Freedom Programme Facilitator and Autism Specialist. She is also a qualified Business Development Consultant and Managing Director of her own Social Enterprise, specialising in trauma counselling. She has a flexible and person-centred approach and thoroughly enjoys children with complex needs.

Paula has previously managed Adult Day Care services for a large charity in the region and has extensive experience of learning disabilities as well as domestic abuse. She worked for years in the funeral sector and has passed her exams in the Theory of Embalming the Deceased.

Paula commented – “I know that I am passionate about helping others to find their way through the ups and downs of life and it’s what we don’t see that I find really interesting in people and children. Working within some of the units has been really tough and every day has its highs and lows. I love it when I see a small breakthrough with a child and they start to develop that resilience which, as parents, we all take for granted. Sometimes a child may come to us with anxiety and then, when we start to unpick what’s happening in their life, it can be compounded trauma tied up with the loss of a loved one. It’s so rewarding when a child feels they can use me to offload their thoughts and feelings and then see an improvement in their behaviours within school.”