Having worked in biochemical research for a short period of time, Penny’s career began as a class teacher progressing very quickly to senior management and ultimately headship, where she became an outstanding headteacher.
During her 26 years in education, she became specifically interested in how children learn and how to support difficulties in the classroom and so became a specialist teacher working in the autism outreach team, in addition to widening her skills as a speech, language and communication specialist and a specific learning difficulties assessor. Her interest led her to take qualifications in psychology and counselling and so her academic career began.
Penny has completed her doctorate in development psychology, specialising in neurodiversity and with a focus on assessing and supporting children holistically. Penny takes her research and practice to her teaching where she trains in the area of special educational needs, disability and inclusion to a wide range of students including SENCOs, and specialists in the areas of literacy and dyslexia.