Heba Al-Jayoosi

Heba is the Assistant Headteacher and inclusion and research leader at London’s Mayflower Primary School. She has taught in inner London primary schools since 2007, and holds a Masters in Special and Inclusive Education from University College London Institute of Education (IOE) . As a specialist leader, Heba provides support to schools locally and more widely through her secondment role as a deputy regional lead at Whole School SEND (NASEN). Heba is passionate about research and implementing innovative practice.  She has secured funding for a variety of school projects including the use of sensory integration to provide whole class support for children aged 3-7 years and helping children with  special educational needs improve their recall strategies.  She was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2019 to look at inclusive practices in mainstream schools in New York for autistic pupils.  She subsequently received  another grant from the same trust to pilot a project at her school on the use of flexible seating in collaboration with the Centre of Research in Autism Education (CRAE), UCL.   Heba is also a PHD student at CRAE (Centre for Research in Autism Education) UCL , exploring the collaboration of caregivers of autistic children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds with school professionals.