Katharine has 25 years’ experience working in various roles in SEMH settings, most recently as Assistant Principal.
With a background in psychology and counselling, she led a team in a residential provision, enjoying the challenges and rewards in working with young people with a range of different social, emotional and mental health needs.
Katharine then completed her training to become a teacher and taught several subjects whilst supporting pupils' social and emotional development. This led to her setting up a therapeutic department in one SEMH setting which included training the whole staff team towards a more pupil-centred approach.
In moving schools, Katharine became the ‘Teaching and Learning’ lead whilst still developing whole school priorities around Nurture and Restorative Practise. As MAPA was introduced, Katharine witnessed the way the programme shifted mindsets and helped develop a much more positive culture within the school. She then trained to be a Certified Instructor and saw how the principles in the programme, now Safety Intervention, lay the foundations for other whole school initiatives around positive behaviour support
