Hello, I'm Sandra
My passion to start Jigsaw Phonics Tutoring is simply about helping children learn to read. As a veteran teacher, tutor, level 7 qualified dyslexia specialist and parent of a child with literacy challenges, it's also personal.
Now I'm channelling my years of experience into helping educators like you to start your own tutoring business so you can continue to give children the high quality support they need. But as a tutor - and take a moment to imagine this - you'll be teaching completely on your own terms.
Some things that surprised me about starting my own business and may surprise you too, in a good way, are:
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marketing is simply starting a conversation with someone in order to help solve their problems, there's no hard sell necessary at all
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there's no "right" time to start your own business - the most important thing is just to do it. Confidence, or lack of it, is the thing that holds back very able, talented teachers and educators - so there's huge power in thinking "I'm just going to do this!"
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"expense or investment" is a mindset thing. In my journey, I came to realize it's ok to ask for - and pay for - help, because we are never going to know everything. And getting help means we find our new tribe in the process.
I hope you join us on our shared mission to turn learning to read into reading to learn because we know that's the way to set our children up for a lifetime of success.
And we know tutoring is a great way for you to have more impact, income and fulfilment. If that sounds like something you'd like, please
book a free, no-obligation call with me here.
Sandra Pyne, M.A. (Hons)
Postgraduate Certificate in Structured Teaching Intervention for Dyslexia and Literacy
Certificate of Psychometric Assessment, Literacy-related Difficulties
Hello, I'm Barbara
I'm an artist, graphic designer and printer and I've run my own design and printing business in Wales for 20 years.
I love simple, fuss-free design and that's perfect for our Jigsaw Phonics Tutoring resources. It's important that resources for children are uncluttered and "noise-free" so they can focus on exactly what they need to learn - their letters and sounds. I am also the co-founder of Ditsy Puffin Designs on Etsy where I get to create fun, personlized gifts.
Wales is my adopted home and I love the view of Fishguard Bay from my kitchen window. West Wales is absolutely beautiful and one of my favourite things is taking my rescue dog Shadow for a walk. He's an older gentlemen now, and not always quite with it. That might explain why he won't walk in sunshine but will walk for hours in the rain!
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Barbara Phillips, managing director of Fruit Salad Publishing Ltd., the home of Jigsaw Phonics Tutoring
Hello, I'm Olivia
I'm the very proud co-creator of Jigsaw Phonics.
I'm from the the north-west of England and I've been an EYFS and KS1 classroom and supply teacher since 2017. Teaching phonics and maths is what I love. On Instagram I am @primaryteachuk and you can also check me out on the @jigsawphonics Instagram account. Have a look at the reels to see me in action!
I am a lover of all things KS1! I'm a self confessed phonics nerd, lover of picture books, passionate about developing children’s self-regulation and a HUGE advocate of tutors (and teachers) having a work life balance.
Olivia Monks B.A. (Hons) Primary Mathematics Education with Qualified Teacher Status
Hello, I'm Bríd
You will meet me in the 6 Become a Phonics Expert training courses. Along with Sandra, I'll be busting phonics jargon in a way that directly connects to your teaching and tutoring practice. Our aim is for you to enjoy the confidence that comes with owning your subject expertise. We also want to inspire you with best-practice ideas you can use directly in your tutoring sessions.
The Become a Phonics Expert training courses are ideal if you are tutoring other subjects alongside phonics and need to refresh your knowledge. Equally, if you are a phonics pro and want to find your group of phonics, language and literacy peers, we're here for you.
I am bilingual, and I'm also a specialist advisor in bilingual and second language education. If you work with English as second language speakers, or you're an international teacher, we've got you!
I'm really looking forward to supporting you as a tutor, or you as a parent or carer who needs advice and guidance with dyslexia, language learning and the whole range of learning differences.
Bríd Ní Chatháin B.Ed, Dip in Ed
Diploma in Strategic Support for Dyslexia and Literacy
Certificate of Psychometric Testing, Assessment & Access Arrangements
Member of British Psychological Society (BPS) Register of Qualifications in Educational Test Use, number: 421780
Jigsaw Phonics is our own programme. It matches the way children learn in UK schools and it works in any international setting. The characters and their quirks are the hook into phonics that children love. The characters' extra stroke of genius is signalling strategies that children need to read different kinds of words.
But let's let the characters speak for themselves!
Hello! I'm Puzzle the panda and I love two things in life: food and reading. When I'm not busy trying to get something to eat I'm learning to read. And even if I look a bit clumsy, all my accidents are never really my fault. Children love me because they know I am all about the words they can sound out so I am a big help to them. And they love telling me all about new letters and sounds and helping me learn to read too!
Hello! I'm Wug the alien and I almost didn't make it to your planet! And I had to translate this from Wuggish because I don't speak much English. When I try, I get everything mixed up! Children love calling out "Wuggish, Rubbish! What a lot of nonsense!" when they read my words. They have a lot of fun and they help me learn English!
Hello! I'm Trick the robot! English is the hardest language to learn because the sounds and letters don't match very well. But I've got a computer brain that can read and spell every single word! I help the children to know that they have to read those tricky words in one go. They love finding lots of hard words for me to add to my big collection. I'm trying to teach English to Wug too, but that's another story!
What teachers are saying about Jigsaw Phonics in the classroom ...
"Well what can I say? My children adored meeting Puzzle, Wug and Trick today. They ... laughed so hard when reading Wuggish words."
"Thank you for your resources! TOTAL. GAME. CHANGER."
"This year I have fallen in love with Jigsaw Phonics ... I love the hook of the characters .. it's a great way to give phonics meaning."
"Just wanted to say a massive THANK YOU. We've been using Jigsaw Phonics for over 6 weeks. My children have been loving phonics and improving rapidly."
"...the children love the characters..."
'... the children are so engaged with the fun characters..."
You can find these accredited testimonials on the @jigsawphonics Instagram account.