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Meet Miss Alex Clement, a SEN Teaching Assistant. We spoke to Miss Clement to learn more about her and her new role.
How long have you worked at the school?
I started in my role in September 2023.
What does your role involve?
I am a SEN (Special Educational Needs) Teaching Assistant. I work with children with specific needs who benefit from additional support, 1-1 or within a smaller group. The children I work with have a variety of needs, which might include ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and other difficulties that might affect their learning. I also support Outdoor Learning, which I love to do. I enjoy the opportunity to go outside every day, no matter the weather.
What is your favourite thing at the school?
The staff are incredibly kind and funny; they have supported me since day one. You get a real sense of community at this school, which is evident throughout each day. I also really appreciate the fact that Belmont focuses on wellbeing both for the children and the teachers. It’s something I find very important. They also make great lunches, which is just a bonus for me, having worked in state schools previously (the food was never this good).
Do you have any advice for our pupils which could help them to get the most out of their time at the school?
Honestly, I would say they should make use of everything given to them, like the clubs that are available on a daily basis (the variety is endless). They should also take advantage of the areas within the school, like the library, the computer suites, and the massive sports hall. Belmont has large grounds, which the pupils are very lucky to have access to, so they should definitely make the most of it whilst they can.
What is your favourite book and film for our pupils and why?
Being an avid bookworm, I always have my face in a book, and as a film lover, my weekends are filled with multiple film nights – so this is a very hard question for me to answer. A favourite film I would recommend to the pupils is Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original with Gene Wilder). It’s one of the rare book adaptations I have loved since I was a child, and it’s a film that I feel cosy and warm when watching. I can quote it word for word and have never gotten bored of it to this day. It’s such a beautiful film with so much emotion. I don’t see how it can’t be loved. I hope the pupils give it a go! The book I would choose would be A Series of Unfortunate Events (all 13 of them). They are just brilliant!
Could you share an inspirational quote with us? How does it inspire you?
I have two to share, both from the magnificent Albus Dumbledore from the Harry Potter series (which is one of my all-time favourites, and I even have a tattoo of the Deathly Hallows symbol). The first quote is, “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
And the second is “It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.” These quotes inspire me to be the best person I can be and make the right choices in life no matter what. We are in control of our own life, and we ourselves decide our fate. You might not be the best at something, but choosing to be better and educating yourself further is what matters. We have only one life, so why not make the best out of it?
Can you tell us something that we might not know about you?
I am mixed race; I have a second job as a Fire Officer and Stage Doorkeeper at a West End theatre, and I run my online book club. I also produced an award-winning short film under a production company I started in 2019. The company is no longer active; however, it was amazing having the experience I had and getting to work with such amazingly talented individuals.
