ABOUT

Emma Jayne Pursey

Though I aim to be Mary Poppins, I must confess to being more like Maria von Trapp. Either way, my obsession with Julie Andrews is such that music and whimsy play a large role in my practice. I gain so much joy from working with children of all ages and my absolute priority is to form positive relationships with my pupils so that I am best placed to facilitate their love of learning. 

I am a fully qualified teacher with experience of teaching all age groups. After starting my career as a secondary school English teacher, I transitioned to primary teaching, and have spent the last 9 years working in EYFS, KS1 and KS2. MY PGCE is in evidence-based practice and this is how I approach education.

My philosophy of education stems primarily from the Suzuki method of music instruction which I experienced from the age of 4, and whose principles apply to all forms of teaching. Using this underpinning philosophy, I also integrate play-based learning, Kagan Cooperative Learning structures, De Bono’s Thinking Hats, and the Donaldson approach in my practice.

I have always enjoyed experimenting with and refining approaches to teaching, and I am keen to continuously challenge my own beliefs about the efficacy of different approaches. I regularly reflect on my practice, using John Hattie’s Visible Learning meta-analysis to prioritise the most effective elements of my practice.

OTHER SKILLS

English:

  • I hold an undergraduate degree from Durham University in English Literature, a Masters’ degree from Swansea University in English Language and Applied Linguistics, and a PGCE from Brighton University in Evidence-based Practice (for which I conducted a research project on the teaching of poetry).

  • I am as confident in introducing initial sounds to 2-year-olds as I am teaching English literature and language to A Level students.

Maths:

  • Despite having personally thrived in the arts as a student, I found myself intrigued by maths teaching when I became a primary school teacher. I had the opportunity to work with some exceptional maths specialists, and I drew on as much of their experience as I could in order to become the best maths teacher possible.

  • I attended extensive training throughout my early primary teaching career, and was Head of Maths for EYFS and KS1 in my last school-based role. I enjoy sharing this specialism with my current tutees, and am particularly passionate about developing mastery whilst eliminating maths anxiety.

Music:

  • I grew up playing the violin in orchestras, singing in choirs, playing the cornet in brasbands, and pretending to be Julie Andrews with my guitar. I excelled as a violinist, playing in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and working professionally as a freelancer for several years.

  • One of my favourite things about teaching primary age children has been sharing this love of music with them. I am now developing my skills as a violin teacher, drawing heavily on the Suzuki method which served me so well as a child.

Performing Arts:

  • As well as my skills as a musician, I have also spent many years developing my skills as a dancer, singer and actress. In my teens and twenties, I was a competitive dancer, and also performed in many musical theatre shows. At Durham University, I dedicated much of my time to both musical theatre and straight acting. As a teacher, I have loved sharing these experiences and skills with children through group performances, whole-school shows, and a highly successful EYFS/KS1 dance club.

  • Some of my current tutees love to break up their academic sessions with dancing and singing performances, whilst I tutor others exclusively in performing arts.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:

  • I am a highly successful competitor in Jiu Jitsu, and have won numerous national and European titles. Since 2019, I have been coached jiu jitsu at multiple clubs, sharing my extensive expertise with younger generations. I co-own a highly successful Jiu Jitsu club in South Ealing, West London where I coach an over-subscribed children’s programme.

Yoga:

  • I have practised yoga for around 15 years, and began teaching in 2013. I qualified as a Rainbow Kids’ Yoga teacher in 2015, and have since taught children’s yoga in various settings. 

 

Football:

  • I am Level 1 football coach; after completing my training at St George’s Park, I went on to coach children football for local teams for several years as well as utilising my coaching skills in various school-based roles. I often apply the skills and games from football coaching to other areas of learning.