I am a very enthusiastic and positive tutor with a successful track record as Specialist SEN tutor and advisor to families and clients.
HAVING FUN AND BUILDING POSITIVE RAPPORT IS CENTRAL TO ALL OF MY SESSIONS :) Before you read on…. my primary focus in all sessions is for my clients to feel secure in our working relationship. I really believe that this underpins every successful lesson and you will hear lots of laughter and fun along with the serious stuff!
My skills and experience boosting students’ motivation and engagement: I have a successful track record (please see reviews) in boosting students’ motivation and engagement in learning. I firmly believe that each and every student has tremendous individual potential and it is my job to unlock it! As well as teaching across the Curriculum My skills and experience delivering the core subjects of Maths and English: I have extensive experience delivering these subjects in both classroom and 1:1 settings. When it comes to the fundamentals of these subjects I never make any assumptions as every student is so deeply unique and varied in their knowledge. I will always start with the basics; embedding confidence in the student at first. I have taught every type of level you can imagine, from teaching an older student to read to delivering sessions boosting writing and comprehension to addressing key gaps within spelling. In terms of story writing, I use a structured approach to boost confidence and visual planners in order to break in down into chunk-sized parts. I use a range of strategies and interventions to boost confidence in more challenging areas such as writing and spelling in particular.
My skills and experience preparing students for Entrance Exams (11+ ISEB, GL, CEM etc): I also have experience in preparing students for the 11+ exams for entry to a number of Grammar Schools both in London and the Home Counties. A personalised approach ensures individualised targeted sessions across the areas of Maths, English and Verbal/Non-Verbal Reasoning. I have a successful track record in working with students to achieve their potential in preparation for these exams and I have had a number of students gain successful entry to some of the top schools in London. My skills and experience teaching organisational skills: As a former Exams Officer and Exam Board Assessor, I have a clear understanding of not only Exam Protocol but the fundamentals of Study Skills and simple yet effective Revision Techniques and Organisational Skills. I really value the importance of Self-Assessment so that students can see what they have achieved, what they are currently working on and where they need to go in the future! Clear and effective organisation is key! My skills and experience supporting students with Sensory Processing Disorder and other Processing Challenges: It essential here to employ a multi-sensory approach; using stimulating resources unique to the student’s interests. Time is of the essence and it is important to ensure that enough time is given for the student to process what is asked of them and how to complete it in a reasonable timeframe. I also work with schools to ensure appropriate measures are in place to aid the student with the provision of extra time and assistive technology where appropriate.
My skills and experience supporting students with Dyslexia and Dyspraxia: During my Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (in which I obtained a First Class Honours), I completed a thesis specifically on Dyslexia. Here I learned about the wide-ranging Interventions and Strategies that can be implemented including the importance of a multi-sensory learning environment to find out what “clicks” for the individual. Some interventions include: providing support with additional recording mechanisms such as appropriate literacy software, charts, diagrams, dictaphones, electronic dictionaries, models, voice recognition software and word processors with spellchecker, and the use of line trackers and/or coloured overlays as appropriate. In terms of Dyspraxia, it runs along a wide spectrum; affecting each individual in a unique way. It may be necessary to work on gross and fine motor skills during the session. Speech and Language may be affected. Again, organisation and planning skills need to embedded throughout the sessions.
My skills and experience supporting students with Autism (across the spectrum): I have vast experience in working with students who have Autism in both classroom and 1-to-1 tuition settings in both Ireland and the UK. I really enjoy getting to know each student and I plan highly-personalised sessions for each student’s individual needs; using a variety of methodologies to promote focus and engagement. I also work with the student’s unique interests in order to promote a positive working rapport. I have an in-depth working knowledge of working with students across the entire spectrum and I really enjoy getting to know them and their unique interests.
My skills and experience working with students with PDA and the importance of student-led learning: I have worked with every extreme of behaviour in settings across Ireland and the UK. I particularly enjoy working with and getting to know students with challenging behaviours. There is always a reason for this and it is key to get to know what makes each student “tick”. This is why I spend so long getting to know the student and building that essential rapport. The key thing here is control and it is essential that the student feels empowered to make choices that are presented to them (with each of these choices being favourable to our session).
My skills and experience working with students with Anxiety: Anxiety is an incredibly common and complex part of our society and it really effects across a wide spectrum; differing in each individual. Most of my students exhibit traits of anxiety, each and every one unique. This is why establishing a positive and solid connection is so important to me as a SEN tutor. My skills and experience boosting students’ self-esteem, confidence, learning and independence: As this can be a very anxious time for students, I ensure that the pastoral and wellbeing fundamentals of exam preparation are addressed; embedding stress and time management. My sessions are light-hearted and fun. Unlocking potential needs to start with boosting one’s self-esteem and confidence and I work hard to ensure a positive and happy working relationship with each client. However, instilling independence is essential and I ensure that I empower each student to give everything a go! My skills and experience supporting students with processing, focus and concentration/, or working memory challenges: This is a case is seeing “what works” for the individual. Most of my clients come to me with at least one of these issues and we work together to see how we can successfully move forward. It is essential to use approaches that appeal to the unique senses of the student and again a multi-sensory learning environment is so vital! Time is of the essence here and it is imperative to ensure the student has enough time to process what is asked in a very clear and concise manner. It is so important to ‘chunk’ the work into manageable amounts to foster self-esteem which will in turn boost their confidence in themselves.
My skills and experience working with students with ADHD: I have worked with a large range of students with ADHD and it is so individual in its effects. It could mean difficulties with concentration, focus, organisation and planning. Or it could affect behaviour in ways that it can present as very challenging..However, again building that rapport with the individual is essential in planning how to proceed. My skills and experience delivering Science: I am also a qualified Science teacher with a First Class Honours PGCE in the subject as well as studying a variety of Sciences at Honours Degree and Diploma Level. I have a successful track record of engaging students in what can be seen as quite an intense subject with quite a vast range of subject material. I bring the subject to life using animations, simulations, videos, quizzes and many more methodologies. I have successfully prepared students for both AQA and Edexcel GCSE Sciences.
My skills and experience developing Social Skills: I have significant experience in developing students’ Social Skills; having delivered many sessions embedding real-life scenarios and how to deal with them. It is more important than ever to work on these skills and how to adapt and evolve with this ever-changing world! In my time working in one of the largest special needs schools in Europe, I worked with a wide variety of needs which also included those with specific medical challenges. My skills and experience working with those who have Medical Needs: In my time working in one of the largest special needs schools in Europe, I worked with a wide variety of needs which also included those with specific medical challenges. This included working with young people with conditions such as cancer, brain injuries, those with seizures, genetic abnormalities and many more. I was therefore trained in a number of medical areas In my time working in one of the largest special needs schools in Europe, I worked with a wide variety of needs which also included those with specific medical challenges. This included working with young people with conditions such as cancer, brain injuries, those with seizures, genetic abnormalities and many more. I was therefore trained in a number of medical areas. However, every student is so unique that I spend significant time understanding what works for them and not to make any assumptions on what will or won’t work!
17 Reviews on “Sarah”
Online tutoring with Sarah has been life changing for our three sons. They have very different SEN needs and she has tutored them separately for over four years now, managing to get them through the 11 plus process with flying colours and supporting them in their transition to Secondary School up to GCSE. Sarah is a wonderful teacher as she makes learning fun and engaging. She is part of the family now.
Sarah’s work online has been amazing. Before meeting Sarah I was a fan of only face to face tutorial sessions but Sarah has
successfully convinced me how online sessions can be even better for SEN kids. She has put in a lot of effort to really get to know my son and her sessions are very targeted and have a variety of content which keeps him engaged throughout – he remains engaged for 1.5 hours which is remarkable! I would highly recommend her for her brilliant online sessions.
We feel that only this one-on-one coaching – and our tutor’s specific care – could achieved these results so quickly. My son clearly enjoys the engagement too, as well as discovering the fun of learning, which was always difficult before. It’s been a joy to watch our son progress so rapidly under Sarah’s caring guidance. Highly recommended.
I cannot recommend our tutor Sarah from SENsational tutors
highly enough. She is working so brilliantly with my daughter
who has challenges at school as a result of having ADHD and
OCD. She spent time getting to know her so she can weave
her hobbies and interests into the lessons to keep her
motivated. She divides the sessions up into shorter segments
as my daughter is unable to focus for long periods of time and
uses great reward tools. She is patient, understanding and
reassuring and I am delighted to have noticed an increase in
confidence in my daughter’s approach to her schoolwork.
SENsational Tutors have been exceptional from the start! They
gathered a full understanding of my son’s considerable learning
needs through phone calls and meetings before matching him
with suitable tutors. Following agreed targets, the tutors, Sarah
and Linda, have both built wonderful rapports with my son
whilst delivering varied, fun and productive lessons. Both tutors
have adapted to online sessions when necessary and we have
been so impressed with how they have managed to engage
Ollie in these. We have seen significant progress in literacy and
maths as well as in Ollie’s confidence which is wonderful! We
are so happy and grateful to have found SENsational tutors.
We were struggling to find an appropriate tutor for our son who has learning difficulties but SENsational tutors went above and beyond to connect us with two wonderful, specialist tutors who completely understand his learning needs and have helped him make significant progress.
SENsational Tutors introduced me to a lovely tutor (Sarah) for my
son who has ASD and SpLD. She has worked with him to gain his
trust and increase his confidence.
My son has only had a few tutor sessions with Sarah, but so far I have been very impressed with her. She is so friendly and has managed to put my son at ease and engage with him very quickly. He really looks forward to his sessions with her and I can already see his confidence growing when taking on new concepts. I would highly recommend her and we will be continuing with sessions for the foreseeable future.
Sarah has worked with my son for a few weeks now. He hasn’t had back the results of his assessments so I don’t know the extent to which there were actual improvements, but I do know that he seemed a lot more relaxed and confident going in to them than was previously the case. She seem gifted at making work fun, which is essential for my ADHD-er to keep the focus – he actively looked forward to sessions with her even at 8am over half term, which is no mean feat! I am intending to continue working with Sarah over the summer and autumn to help my son prepare for the ISEB pre-tests.
From the start Sarah has put my son at ease, she has taken the time to get to know him so that his sessions could be tailored to him. We always get an update and Sarah has even liaised with his school math’s teacher. His confidence is growing and he is starting to enjoy math’s, not dread it! He is very protective over his hours session – I would definitely recommend.
Sarah is a fantastic tutor – she is positive, fun and full of energy! She quickly understood my son’s learning needs and adapts her lessons to fully engage him. He looks forward to her visits and enjoys all the different activities she has planned, her multi-sensory approach has worked brilliantly for him. It’s wonderful to see my son progressing and gaining confidence from Sarah’s tutoring!
It is hard to do justice to the impact Sarah has had as a tutor on our 10 year old in a few words. She combines empathy with a deep knowledge of her subject to provide a rich multi-sensory learning experience for our son, which is enabling him to master skills and fill gaps. We feel that only this one-on-one coaching – and her specific care – could have achieved these results so quickly. He clearly enjoys the engagement too, as well as discovering the fun of learning, which was always difficult before; as with the other reviewers we can only say it has been and is a joy to watch our son progress so rapidly under Sarah’s caring guidance. Highly recommended.
Sarah has done a fantastic job tutoring my year 11 daughter for her biology GCSE. The lessons have been engaging and my daughter has gained confidence in the subject. Sarah has really taken the time to get to know how my daughter best learns so the sessions have been enjoyable for her. Sarah has been flexible, helpful and lovely to work with – I recommend her without hesitation!
Sarah is a delight to work with. She has an upbeat personality and a smiley demeanour, and she has made learning fun for my daughter. Her use of multi-media learning styles, such as songs, videos, and interactive games, have helped my daughter remember her maths concepts. Very communicative with the parents as well.
Very effective, kind and motivational tutoring who adapted to my son’s needs giving him the confidence he needed to access the teaching. She established a lovely rapport with my son who made great progress in a relatively short time. Highly recommended
She really gets me! I can ask all the weird questions I want!
Sarah has been brilliant working with our son (Dyspraxia), a joy to work with, can’t recommend her highly enough.
Our son came to Sarah with pretty low self-esteem – he’s a bright kid, but had internalised that he was ‘no good at english’ and ‘couldn’t play sport’ and that somehow being unable to write was his fault… and every homework had become a painful, traumatic experience for him.
We did online sessions, once per week – Sarah was brilliant at bringing out all his joy and confidence.
The first thing she did was make the sessions FUN. He literally never complained about doing them (no small feat).
The second thing she did was give him confidence in himself, and a joy in learning – helping to build him up and then tutoring him more directly for 11+ exams. She showed him how brilliant he is at storytelling, and actually loves english, taught him all the tricks for approaching exams, worked with his quirky sense of humour, helped him grow into someone who owns and enjoys his own unique neurodiverse brain!
Massive massive thanks, Sarah, you’ve made a huge impact on our family.