Yoo Sed was founded by Rachel Elder-Smith...
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B.SC (Hons), PGCE, Post Cert (Dylexia & Literacy), Post Dip (Dyslexia & Literacy), Post Cert (Dyscalculia), ATS, AMBDA, AMBDAD, MDG, APC
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...because of her passion for helping children with literacy and numeracy needs.
The name, 'YooSed' is from the two words most often misspelt by her learners. Say it out loud.
Rachel began her career as a primary school teacher and was class-based until her own children arrived. Following this she began covering classes in the school where she was based. This let her observe first-hand that there were some children that just ‘didn’t get it’ or found learning more challenging. She then embarked on her dyslexia qualification and became a specialist in her school.
Since 2015 Rachel has worked for the local authority Dyslexia Team assessing pupils with dyslexia and dyscalculia tendencies in all mainstream schools across the region. This role has allowed her to see a range of needs in the dyslexia continuum and provide help and support for schools, children and families. She has provided training to schools in dyslexia and dyscalculia and has created many resources and training programmes that help support pupils. She has also created videos to help staff in schools deliver programmes and address pupil needs. In 2022 Rachel went onto become a qualified dyscalculia assessor and teacher.
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When she isn’t working Rachel is at home caring for her many pets including miniature sheep, dogs, rabbits, chickens, fish and axolotls. One day she is hoping to sneak in a miniature highland cow… not sure how much ‘sneaking’ is possible with a highland cow!
Will is Rachel's other half. Once upon a time he ran his business from Yoo Sed's classroom only then it wasn't a classroom and Rachel was his long suffering PA / secretary.
Twenty plus years of marriage and two beautiful daughters later the tables are turned and Will does the day to day stuff behind the scenes.
Mostly retired from his own business interests he's still pretty handy around the place. Vacuuming the carpets, cleaning the stairs, fetching the treats to keep the desk of treats full and painting YooSed logos on the walls.
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When not helping Rachel, Will is fairly artistic and a half decent sculptor, especially in metal, and likes to tinker away in his workshop making flowers and birds.
 Spoon Crab |
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 Copper Carnation |
 Copper Carnation Unpainted |
 Aluminium Rose |
 Aluminium Rose Unpainted |
 Cutlery Turtle |
 Metal FlowersCarnations and roses crafted from copper and aluminium respectively |
Lucy is daughter number one. She earned the name 'Grumble' by being a very grumbly baby.
She's currently enjoying a gap year before going to uni to study midwifery and in the meantime is an integral part of the YooSed team. She's artistic like her dad but uses digital media too, which is very handy, and when asked to create a fun and colourful logo for her mum's company she was gone for about ten minutes before presenting us with a logo we all loved at once. Grumble produces original artworks for resources and for around her mum's classrooms.
One of Lucy's favourites. Painting snails with pieces of fruit for shells
Emily is the youngest and is unfailingly called 'Peapod' or simply 'Poddy'. Her nickname was earned for her by her mum before she was even born by her unending suggestions for names for the new baby.
Will got so fed up with this he proposed two names and would'd discuss any others. If it was a boy he'd be called Branston Chillipepper and a girl would be Picalilli Peapod.
Poddy loves bright colours and is also artistic so her input is invaluable in the design of resources.
She is also studying business and so keeps a close eye on how much her mum spends filling the desk of treats.
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Poddy is also a keen metal sculptor and dressmaker.
 Poddy's Carousel Dress |
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 Carousel |
 Steel Seahorse |
 Metal Sculpture |
 Lambing Season |
The household is full of animals and the dogs are very much part of the family.
Three sheepdogs.
Meg is on the left. She's the oldest and definitely in charge of the two boys and as soft a dog as you could wish to meet - until one of the boys steps out of line. She can usually be found snoozing on the most comfortable item she can find in one of the girls' rooms.
In the middle is Otto, Lucy's dog. He's only a pup but has quickly learned from the others how to be a dog.
On the right is Bep. An unusual name but it has a story. When Lucy was small she called grapes 'beps' and when the new sheepdog pup arrived he had large green eyes like grapes and that was that. Bep is all limbs and a natural sheepdog.
 Otto |  Bep & Otto |
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 Meg |
The Sheeps are great fun. They're all real characters and a challenge. Anyone who has ever seen Shaun the Sheep will know how crafty they are and it's true.
These are Ouessant sheep, true miniatures from a small island near Brittany where they just didn't grow for lack of food and are only the size of a smallish dog but that doesn't stop them from being feisty.
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Aries is the man of the flock. Wooly Bully, we call him, because he always has to be first at the food and the girls aren't allowed near until he's finished. He's very affectionate to humans but his idea of affection is to whack your knees with those big horns, often when you're not looking.
The ewes are Gwen (she's the white one) Dotty Lamb and Beep. There's also Winnie, he's a boy sheep minus a couple of important parts.
The ewes lamb in the spring and the lambs are re-homed once they can eat grass.
 Curious Lamb |  Aries and Dotty |
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 Aries and Meg |  Aries Eating Grass |
