About Me

Fully qualified and experienced SEN teacher; experience tutoring English and Mathematics and 11+ preparation to students with autism (high-functioning, verbal and non-verbal), processing challenges, ADD, ADHD, and sensory needs, communication and speech delay, Down Syndrome, PDA, global developmental delay, dyslexia, dyspraxia. Substantial experience successfully preparing students for their 11 + entrance examinations, and teaching Mathematics to KS3 level.
8 Reviews

£90.00 Per Hour

minimum 1.5 hour sessions READ THIS TUTOR'S REVIEWS HERE

Specialist Experience and Skills

My SEN specialist teaching experience: autism (high-functioning, verbal and non-verbal), challenging behaviour, ADD/ ADHD, processing disorder, Down's Syndrome, speech and communication delay, working memory,  PDA, dyslexia, dyspraxia, sensory needs and other Special Educational Needs: I have had extensive experience teaching students with SEN which has allowed me to learn a lot about how to best support children with a variety of additional and special needs. Throughout my experience teaching and tutoring SEN students, including those with autism, they have benefited greatly from my use of vis... Read More
My SEN specialist teaching experience: autism (high-functioning, verbal and non-verbal), challenging behaviour, ADD/ ADHD, processing disorder, Down's Syndrome, speech and communication delay, working memory,  PDA, dyslexia, dyspraxia, sensory needs and other Special Educational Needs: I have had extensive experience teaching students with SEN which has allowed me to learn a lot about how to best support children with a variety of additional and special needs. Throughout my experience teaching and tutoring SEN students, including those with autism, they have benefited greatly from my use of visual aids and resources. As students have a wide range of learning styles, a visual prompt has proven to be very effective which allows students to understand what their learning task is. This gives them the confidence to undertake their learning at their own level and they gain ownership over it almost straight away. With my extensive primary teaching experiences coupled with my skills in working with SEN students, I can give students opportunities to achieve success in the Primary subjects in a structured approach while giving them space to practice the skills independently. My teaching experience has led me to focus on teaching students with ASD (autism) in Special Needs Schools and in my private tutoring roles. I have used a range of different engaging but 'fun' strategies to support ASD, including TEACCH, visual aids and communication aids including PECS, and have a thorough understanding of how to teach social skills and social awareness to all students. I have also had an opportunity to tutor students with a range of emotional needs and also Looked After Children who are living with foster carers.

My specific experience working with students with autism: I also have experience tutoring high functioning ASD students and students with dyspraxia, having had success with supporting their learning and building on their strengths while tackling the areas of improvement. Students feel at ease during my sessions and I have the ability to break down the learning to help the student understand how to work out problems and what operation to use. I enjoy building up a good relationship with each student and they are comfortable in their own environment, ensuring they are equipped with the tools to overcome their barriers to learning. I currently tutor Maths to a student with dyspraxia carrying out online sessions. The sessions are broken down to support the student to understand the concepts taught. I liaise with his parent about the topics that are been covered at school and we work through the questions together. I show him different ways of doing e.g. multiplication and division word problems and use visuals to support his learning. He will choose the way that suits him best as he continues to apply his knowledge of times tables. I have good knowledge and experience working with students with dyspraxia, supporting them to organise their thoughts and ideas to allow them to carry out different writing tasks/projects in English. Students will use a range of graphic organisers to arrange what they are planning to write. This will take the form of a planning format or an outline where they will brainstorm their ideas and get all their thoughts down on paper, asking questions and researching about the topic. Once the student becomes excited and is more comfortable about the topic, then I will support them to begin the writing process where the learning comes to life and the student is taking more ownership over their learning. The brainstorming ides that they have created will be transferred into their writing and they will be given opportunities to edit their work, drafting and re-drafting their writing. Support will be given where necessary and students are proud of their writing. In English, writing and reading are very much linked together and some students will really excel in reading which will support them to use their imagination in their writing tasks, allowing them to make progress and reach their full potential.

Specialist experience working with children with speech and language, and communication delay: As well as working with Key stage 2 and Key Stage 3 students, I have a lot of experience teaching and tutoring Year 1 and Year 2 children including those students who have speech and language delays, providing them with interactive and fun activities which help them to engage with the tasks while incorporating their different learning styles. I have used a range of interactive iPad based activities that the students have enjoyed, supporting both Numeracy and Literacy e.g. telling the time and phonic based activities. Students have been given the opportunity to learn about money by taking part in role play activities. I used this very effectively with a student who had ADHD, with speech and language delays. He wasn't able to access the school setting. I used a role play activity, 'Going to the shop', acting as the shopper or the shopkeeper. This allowed him to learn and handle real money in a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere whilst building on his social and language skills too. Using Lego as a play based activity has really helped in his communication skills and allowed him to give instructions to support what he wanted to build. Both him and students have been enthused by a variety of practical activities involving measuring using a ruler and understanding the importance of getting accurate results whilst also been able to make a sensible estimate of the lengths of different items. When students struggle with paper and pen activities, they can access learning in a range of practical and interactive activities which make the learning enjoyable.

My specific experience working with students with autism and/or ADHD: When working with students with autism and/or ADHD, I enjoy providing differentiated learning tasks that give students the basic skills of Literacy including reading, writing, speaking and listening. Finding a topic of interest that the student is interested in has proved to be a real success for the student, giving them an incentive to engage with the subject in a meaningful way. Students have had a great sense of achievement in their projects and are proud to show off their learning to senior members of staff. In 1:1 sessions, I used Horrid Henry books to support a student with their reading and this really helped their understanding including writing interesting reviews of each chapter which built on their writing skills. With KS2 and KS3 students, I used their interests e.g football, Doctor Who and drama also to support them to achieve successfully in their writing skills which gave them confidence in themselves. This supported them to write about what they were interested in while making good progress on a daily basis.

Specialist experience with non-verbal students: I also have experience teaching non-verbal students and students who are select mute with high levels of anxiety. During my first Special Needs teaching experience, my class were a mixed level of ability including non-verbal students. We incorporated PECS and Makaton in the classroom, at transition periods, whilst meeting them in the morning at the taxi, during play times on the playground and escorting them to their transport in the afternoons. These students were very vulnerable but I ensured that they had the opportunity to be included in the class sessions where they could access activities at their own level. They also had the opportunity to be involved in drama/music sessions in the classroom and were part of the Harvest festival performance.

Integrating visual aids to support students, including those with ASD (autism): Throughout my experiences, I have supported students to be more independent and take more control over their learning. By giving them opportunities to complete tasks with gentle advice and reassurance, they strive to achieve the learning objective at their own level. I have guided students who struggle with 'working memory' tasks e.g. sequencing the events of a story while understanding what the story means. This activity is done through a range of different ways to suit the learning style of the student. Visual prompts with written sentences and going over the text, asking questions to ensure they understand the text is an effective strategy for some students. I have supported students to learn an address e.g. Asda or a library and then navigate their way to this location. A lot of the students I have worked with benefit greatly from the use of visuals. Therefore, I have consistently used visuals in both the classroom and for home tuition to support their visualisation skills. Another effective way is to get students to communicate their struggle by practising what they need to work on. This can be done through teacher modelling or paired work. The student will become more comfortable as they continue to work on the skills they need to improve. Making the learning fun is a key strategy in supporting students to overcome their learning barriers and also making the learning meaningful to students by playing a range of games e.g. simple card games. Students have to remember the rules of the game, also what cards they have and what cards other players have played. I encourage active reading in my sessions for students to take notes or underline important information as they are reading the text so that they understand the text better. During my 1:1 sessions, I have supported students to make connections by giving them a way to remember different things e.g. Trigonometry 'Sohcahtoa'- 'Some Old Horses Can Always Hear Their Owners Approach' Using a planner for students to write tasks down and remember to refer to these when completing e.g. homework tasks or follow up work to ensure students are reminded of what they need to do is an important skill. This will really help with their confidence and independence. I fully support this strategy and believe it will help students in the long term.

Fun and creative, tailor-made sessions: I have used strategies to support these students and built up a trusting relationship with them so when things are difficult we have come together with a plan to support them. Humour and the things that they are interested in e.g. cooking, Art, Forest School, football, Doctor Who, drama, steel band, singing, watching acts on Britain's Got Talent have allowed them to have a better handle on the challenges they face. Teaching them to approach different situations in a different or creative way has helped them in their future learning. When students are given more ownership over their learning and when demands are not made directly at them, they feel less pressure. They are more likely to complete tasks on their terms when they are encouraged in a positive way. Discussing scenarios with these types of students and supporting them to make the right choice has helped them along in their learning journey. Throughout my career in both mainstream and Special Needs teaching, I am passionate about including students through music and drama in class assemblies and end of year shows. Whatever level students are working on, they tend to love showing off their creative side and using their love of drama in the classrooms that I have worked in particular UK and Thailand. SEN students especially thrive in the environment where they can showcase their talents to parents, it is so rewarding giving them opportunities to fullfill their potenial and enjoy their achievements. I take great pride in supporting all students with their scripts and doing various dance routines with them so they can improve in their performances.

My experience working with children with comprehension, reasoning and English (reading) challenges: In terms of supporting students with English-comprehension and their inference skills, I have given students the tools to practice comprehensions at their own level by teaching them ways to understand what it is that they are reading first and foremost. Once they understand the reasoning behind reading and they are prepared for an activity after they have read an extract, students feel comfortable and more confident about the questions they are asked to answer. Incorporating science experiments and having a cross curricular link has also been an effective strategy as the learning becomes really meaningful for children and they get excited about the project they are completing. They have opportunities to improve their logical thinking skills too. This type of project will be very visual for the students and the use of their daily planner, timetables and written/visual reminders can support them to be committed to their learning.

Sometimes students get overwhelmed by verbal instructions and they will struggle to take in the information. I have found that giving students 1 or 2 instructions, giving them reminders to complete the task and if they tick off what they have achieved at the end of the activity supports them in their learning. Breaking down the task and chunking the information for them allows them to feel more at ease with the activity. Students begin to know the areas that they have made progress in and their areas of development through self assessment.

  • How I make reading and writing 'FUN' using music and drama in my sessions: I have also enjoyed using music and drama in my lessons to support SEN students. This tool has been of paramount to students who excel in this area and it is pleasing to see the rewards it brings into the school community. The previous school setting I worked as a SEN Teacher, the students were very fortunate to have Christmas plays and end of year performances including Shakespeare Productions outside of the school. As a teacher, I actively supported the play and prepared all of the students for performances on stage during the school day and evening performances. The whole school benefits greatly doing these yearly shows and it really was an uplifiting community spirit. I enjoy doing daily workout exercises in the morning to get students moving and get them 'ready for the day ahead'. Giving students a 'break out' for when the classroom setting is too noisy and allowing them five to ten minutes is of utmost importance to support their transition to the next task.

My experience working with children with PDA, anxiety and sensory needs: During my teaching experiences in SEN schools, I have taught students with high functioning autism, PDA with high levels of anxiety and sensory needs. These students benefit greatly from an individualised learning plan and timetable where they understand what is happening at each part of the day. Students will be more prepared for the day ahead and can have an agreement with the staff about what the day will look like for them. The challenges that they face on a daily basis are immersed into the school day and they will avoid every day demands that are placed on them e.g. getting up in the morning, their transport to school if disrupted, writing, behaving appropriately on the bus and with staff who are taking them to class, wanting to take toys with them on educational visits.

My experience creating SEN home-tutoring plans and schedules: I can specialise in supporting students with providing them with an engaging structured plan or programme to suit their individual needs. This is essential while dealing with ASD students as they require a structured time tabled approach. I have four years of SEN specialised teaching experience with high functioning ASD students who respond to structure and activities that they are motivated to do. I have seen evidence of how students can learn different skills while they are interested in the topic. My five years of continued tutoring experience has allowed me to build up positive and strong working relationship with families which have involved tutoring high functioning ASD students. It is positive when everyone is involved in their education and are working to support and help them to achieve success at their own individual level.

My experience working with students with sensory needs: In terms of sensory integration for SEN students, I have used a daily sensory circuit to support their sensory needs. This really helped the children to refine and focus their concentration in preparation for the day's learning. The alerting area supports the student to focus or gives them 'a shake up' to get going. The organising section of the routine helps them to organise their body, plan their actions and do more than one thing at a time. It gives them a sense of awareness, focussing on balancing and rolling. The calming area is where the student can end the session by getting a nice, relaxing massage using a big bouncy ball. Pressure is applied on the student using the ball while they are lying on their stomach. The pressed sensation has helped to calm and ground the students. I have worked with students that have SPD and they have been provided with chew toys to support the reaction to their trigger point. I have put together a bag of items for them to help when they are over stimulated or under stimulated. The use of ear defenders are useful for classroom and quiet environments. Using a listening programme helps students to regulate themselves and supports them to focus back on their learning tasks as does a 10-15 minute running programme which is extremely effective and helps students to transition to the next task.

Assessments and feedback to parents and families: At the end of each session, I communicate with the parents and explain how the sessions went, giving positive feedback. The students also have an opportunity to be proud of what they have achieved and understand the areas in which they need to work on. Once a rapport is built up between everyone involved, the sessions become very positive and the atmosphere is relaxing and enjoyable. It's rewarding to see students feel at ease in their learning environment and become confident in their ability.

My experience working with students with dyspraxia and/ or organisational challenges: I also have experience working with students that have dyspraxia to support them with their organisational and study skills. They have been able to use different ways to write e.g. word processors. They also have opportunities to use the pen that works best for them and look at the texture of the paper used. A non slip mat can also benefit their writing and improve their skills. When students are struggling to organise their work, prepared diagrams for them to label and using different templates are effective strategies. This gives them a foundation to work on and builds up their confidence in organising their mind and work which allows them to move forward in their learning.

IT and computing integration: I really enjoy embedding computing and IT (including Apps) into the curriculum. It is fascinating how this subject has evolved and developed so quickly. I enjoy exploring this topic and I find that it is an important tool in everyday life. Throughout my teaching experiences, I have always assisted with IT, supporting the IT technicians and IT Co-ordinators in schools. I enjoy showing the students new applications that will further their knowledge and move their learning on, giving them the confidence to tackle Computing whilst working on other skills e.g. Numeracy, Literacy and Science.

My experience boosting confidence and self-esteem to help children transition back to school: It is important to boost the confidence of ASD students, supporting and encouraging them on a continuous basis, building up their self esteem as they work on areas that they thrive in. I have seen how they progress over time on a daily basis and also monthly when reporting to parents. The students get a great sense of achievement and really enjoy their learning.

I am working with students to support them back into the school environment as I tutor a mix of students online and face to face. The students that I support with using online sessions I have tailored the lessons to suit their learning style and also I am supporting them with any anxieties or worries they may have as they prepare to go back to school. With the right advice and support network, I believe that students will find it easier to make the transition back to school more smoothly. I would fit that into the students sessions as I move forward with their learning and work on their targets where necessary.

11 plus entrance examination experience: I have substantial experience working with students who are preparing for the 11+ exams. I fully understand how important these exams are and I do consider the health of the student too. As each student is unique in their own way, some students will find academic subjects easier than others do. My experience of educating children both in the classroom and in a home setting has supported me to help students build up their confidence. In preparing for 11+, I understand the areas that the students need to cover and have tailored my lessons to suit the needs of the student. I carried out sessions by teaching the skills and used a range of different activities which suited the learning styles of each student.

As the 11+ is not covered in schools, I tutored a range of students in both English and Maths. During the sessions, I would focus on each subject individually. Depending on the needs and areas of development for the student, I would focus on each aspect and work on building up the students' interest and motivation, incorporating exercises and games to enhance core skills throughout the sessions e.g. crosswords, word searches, scrabble and other puzzles that involve word use. Reading poems, selected magazines and stories helped to build up the students' vocabulary and interest in topics. I have worked through Bond Assessment Papers with students and also worked closely with the school's examination papers to establish the different questions students would need to carry out.

My Teaching Philosophy

An enthusiastic, lively and diligent teacher reflected in my reliable, dependable and punctual qualities. Always endeavour to produce an interactive learning environment conducive to meeting the educational needs of my class, with differentiated, engaging lessons. Professional and care about the children’s learning needs whilst incorporating their different learning styles. Very committed to developing the individual child’s love of learning and also to equal opportunities so that each child is included in the curriculum. Consistently hard-working, easily forming and maintaining strong relationships with colleagues, pupils and parents.
During my teaching experiences, I have learned about outdoor learning including forest school and feel that this is an excellent way to enthuse and motivate children to learn. It is beneficial and essential for children to be able to learn about the outside environment and to be able to look after themselves when they go e.g. camping, learn how to make a fire, develop their cooking skills and build different things e.g. a den. Throughout my career, I have thoroughly enjoyed been creative and having the opportunity to get involved in Forest School in two different educational settings. The students have the responsibility of remembering to change into their outdoor uniform and they are actively encouraged to join in with learning about this area of the Curriculum. As I feel that it is very important for children to build on their Numeracy and Literacy skills, I also believe children need to know about the outside environment and be prepared for this when they do leave school in the future.

During my personal life, I have been on many travelling adventures around the world and I truly believe that it is important to experience different cultures and to fully embrace their society. During my teaching experiences, I have actively participated in the extra-curricular programme and I really enjoyed teaching different clubs to the students e.g. Irish Dancing, Keep Fit, Glass Painting and Art. My other passion is in Yoga and I have completed Yoga Teacher Training in Delhi, India. I believe that this practice is beneficial to keeping the mind active while training your body to do different poses.

Additionally, growing up in Ireland, I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to learn how to swim and I am a strong swimmer. I have completed the teacher swimming qualification including the health and safety certificate which has supported me further when I worked as a SEN Teacher. I engaged with the students' swimming lessons, the students had a qualified swimming teacher at the swimming pool but I was also teaching them from the side and swimming with the students to support them in the water if necessary. I understand how important it is for lifeguards and every member of staff at the pool to be aware of any health conditions that the students have.

With a worldwide pandemic happening currently, it is even more important that all the necessary health and safety checks are put in place to support students safely. Throughout my experiences as a teacher/tutor, I now am understanding more about what it was like for my parents and grandparents growing up and how difficult it must have been for them. It has been brought to my attention even more now that most parents/carers want the best for their children or the children that are in their care and will seek out areas to support them for their future. This in my eyes can only be a positive and a way to all move forward together.

Something Sensational About Me

Irish! Grew up on a farm, experienced Forest School as a SEN teacher, currently doing the Forest School Leader training. Sport - GAA, Gaelic football, basketball, hiking and hill walking

Ran a marathon in Dublin
Cycle around London as my method of transport
Irish culture - Music and musical instruments, Tin whistle and piano
Interested in all music genres, pop, regaee and relaxing tunes
Great sense of humour and practical
Sport – Hill walking, swimming, cycling and team games, Football, Basketball, Netball
Adventurous activities - Scuba Diving and Kayaking
Travelling to see diverse cultures.

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    • Monday 13:30 - 20:00
    • Tuesday 13:30 - 20:00
    • Wednesday 13:30 - 20:00
    • Thursday 13:30 - 21:00
    • Friday 13:30 - 20:00
    • Saturday 8:00 - 20:00
    • Sunday 8:00 - 20:00

    Qualifications and Training

    • Forest School experience as a teacher in an SEN school and a mainstream school
    • Qualified Teacher Status
    • Team Teach (January 2017)
    • LGFL Training (February 2017)
    • Inclusion (December 2016)
    • Special Educational Needs – Providing for the needs of individual pupils (March 2011)
    • Child Protection (March 2012)
    • PE (March 2011)
    • Writing (Feb 2011)
    • PSHE and circle time in the classroom (Feb 2011)
    • Assessment (Feb 2011)
    • Logging positive and negative behaviour on the school
    ... Read More
    • Qualified Teacher Status
    • Team Teach (January 2017)
    • LGFL Training (February 2017)
    • Inclusion (December 2016)
    • Child Protection (March 2012)
    • PE (March 2011)
    • Writing (Feb 2011)
    • PSHE and circle time in the classroom (Feb 2011)
    • Assessment (Feb 2011)
    • Logging positive and negative behaviour on the school system (Jan 2011)
    • Using Interactive whiteboards effectively (Jan 2011)
    • Verbal Behaviour and using ABC (Antecedent, Behaviour, Consequence data) Jan 2011
    • Behaviour Management (Jan 2011 & Feb 2011)
    • Managing pupils with challenging behaviour (Nov 2010)
    • Science (Nov 2010)
    • Reading (Nov 2010)
    • Phonics (Nov 2010)
    • Maths (Oct 2010)
    • Epilepsy (Oct 2010)
    • Child Protection (Jan 2009)
    • Swim Teach Cert Beginners (STCB) (April 2009)
    • NARS Pool Safety Award for Teachers (April 2009)
    • Gavin Reid: Dyslexia (February 2009)
    • Excel Workshop (February 2009)
    • SMART board training (September 2008)
    • Grammar Awareness Certificate (August 2007)
    • Teaching English to Young Learners Certificate (June 2007)
    • Teaching Business English (July 2007)
    • Teaching with Limited Resources (July 2007)
    • Online TEFL Certificate (November 2006)
    • Good Practice and Child Protection (July 2005)
    • Child Protection for Educational Settings (July 2005)
    • Long Term Athlete Development Programme (July 2005)

    Choose me if…

    • Maths Co-coordinator in a mainstream school, enjoy teaching Maths to students. Yoga trained teacher.
    • Team player - working with the student, parents/carers and school is very important.
    • Using Computing including interactive whiteboard as part of main class lesson, have experience in a range of applications to support the education of students, effectively able to use IT and have passed this knowledge to children, young people and adults
    • Managing and organising after school clubs; Keep Fit, Irish dancing, Art, Glass Painting , Yoga and team games
    • Knowledgeable about Special Educational Needs in both mainstream schools and Special Education Needs schools, including the writing and implementing of Individual Educational Plans, attending meetings to support the children's education


    Bromley, Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley, Southwark, Croydon


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    Contact us to book this tutor



      Sarah is personally known to me since 2008. As far as I’m concerned, Sarah is really a teacher sent from above to handle ADHD students and students with different spectrums of autism. I have closely observed her interest to be with students teaching them to know right from basics as she showered not only knowledge but care while teaching and went above and beyond to ensure the students had a grasp of the English language. I would recommend Sarah to parents who are in search of a quality Maths and English tutor who can cater for a range of different abilities.


      Sarah helped my son with Math and English when preparing for 7+ and she was amazing. She was very patient with him and helped him harness and build further on his strength. He got into the school that was his first choice and was really delighted


      Sarah worked with SEN students particularly those with an ASD diagnosis including High Functioning ASD. Throughout her work she was both professionally thorough and completed everything to a high standard. Great observational skills were used to gauge her approach and levels of work. Each student were given individualised focus on how they personally learned tasks were broken down so that the outcome was achieved and achievable.The students were engaged in their classwork and brought back to task when required. In my experience she is a good team player and works well with others on all levels. The students were empowered by her manner and guidance. Sarah is punctual and often early showing dedication and enthusiasm. She is hardworking and approachable. I have often witnessed her going above and beyond in her role as a teacher. I would not hesitate to recommend Sarah.


      Sarah tutored my daughter in maths before the sats exams. My daughter could be difficult at times as she is high-functioning autism but Sarah established a working relationship in no time. Sarah is very patient and dedicated teacher. Her lessons and teaching style was tailored to my child's needs. Sarah's ability to break things down to a digestible level is peerless.


      Sarah has tutored my son for the last 2 years. She is very reliable and has a very calm, patient manner. My son was very negative about maths but since working with Sarah his confidence has greatly increased. I recently received an email from his school telling me about how much his maths work has improved which is fantastic as he starts his GCSE years.


      Sarah is always reliable. She has a calm approach to tutoring my son who has gained confidence in Maths as a result. He always enjoys his tutorials with Sarah and she has provided excellent support from 11+ level through to beyond 13+


      Sarah is an outstanding teacher who has passion and patience in abundance. Her ability to differentiate work to make it fun, engaging, stimulating and appropriate is a real strength. Sarah’s calm nature lends itself well to teaching those who have SEN. Her understanding of individual needs based on her vast experience of teaching both 1:1 and whole classes of children with additional needs makes her an asset to any family looking for a tutor. Sarah’s communication with parents/carers and ability to work with them collaboratively ensures that the child is able to reach their full potential, whilst feeling safe with someone who fully understands their strengths, barriers and how they learn best.


      Sarah tutored two of my foster children for over a year. She was patient, empathic, consistent and worked exceptionally well with one who had borderline EHCP needs and brought the academic levels up of his sibling. She has a great energy and I’ll always highly recommend her. When you meet her it will be evident that she loves what she does.

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