Sarah O

My Passion & How I Inspire

I believe that enthusiasm, energy and humour are the best tools to help students engage in learning.  Making the content relatable, so it ties into a student's interests and life experience, also makes lessons more enjoyable and information easier to remember, as it easily slots into a student's understanding of the world around them.  Particularly with core subjects, the best way to excel in exams is to master exam technique and curriculum content.  We will therefore start with the syllabus and build a learning scheme around it, incorporating any of your individual goals and objectives.  By working together, we can get the best possible outcome.

My Experience

TEACHING

- Rowing Coach for London Youth Rowing since 2008.

- Debate Mate Mentor/Debating Coach since 2012.  My Primary School students won both the National League and National Cup last year.

- English Speaking Union Mentor since 2016.  Recently represented the UK on a teaching tour of Japan.

- Involved with various formal and informal tutoring and mentoring schemes throughout my academic life.

I've taught students aged 9 to 65+, from complete beginners to national champions, in 3 continents, and with special educational needs ranging from reduced mobility to visual impairment to severe autism.  I am now focussing my teaching skills on my personal area of expertise, academic excellence.

 

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

I graduated from Brasenose College, Oxford, with a First in Law with Spanish Law.  This involved studying Law at Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona for a year, where I was awarded a 'Matrícula de Honor' for the highest mark in a module.  At City of London School for Girls I won the Lord Mayor's Prize for Best A Level Results and excelled in my academic qualifications (listed below).  I was also offered full academic scholarships by all private schools to which I applied (CLSG, JAGS, and Streatham and Clapham High School).

Independent learning has played a big role in my studies.  I taught myself most of the 3-year syllabus for my Oxford First at home in 6 months during some time out for personal reasons, only returning to sit exams.  At secondary school, I studied Spanish AS off-timetable due to scheduling constraints.  During primary school, I took Y3-Y5 out of mainstream education as the schools in my area suffered from behavioural issues.  My parents would set me essay topics and buy me books, and I would use Google and common sense to teach myself the material.  This gave me the foundation that led to my impressive 11+ performances.

I understand how to study for and excel in exams outside of or along-side a regimented school system, and am keen to teach you how to do the same.

 

SUPER-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

In addition to academics, I have also

- represented the UK at the International Linguistics Olympiad

- debated, mooted, rowed and competed at maths at a national level

- played and captained football, cricket and tennis at a regional level

- acted in lead roles

- captained the Oxford University Gliding Club

If you share any of these interests and would like to build them into our lessons, let me know!

Subjects That I Teach

  • Biology
  • Biology - GCSE
  • Biology - Undergraduate
  • Biology - 11+
  • Chemistry
  • Chemistry - GCSE
  • Chemistry - Undergraduate
  • Chemistry - 11+
  • Economics
  • Economics - GCSE
  • Economics - Undergraduate
  • Economics - 11+
  • Latin
  • Latin - GCSE
  • Latin - Undergraduate
  • Latin - 11+
  • Law
  • Law - GCSE
  • Law - Undergraduate
  • Law - 11+
  • Maths
  • Maths - GCSE
  • Maths - Undergraduate
  • Maths - 11+
  • Physics
  • Physics - GCSE
  • Physics - Undergraduate
  • Physics - 11+
  • Public Speaking
  • Public Speaking - GCSE
  • Public Speaking - Undergraduate
  • Public Speaking - 11+
  • Spanish
  • Spanish - GCSE
  • Spanish - Undergraduate
  • Spanish - 11+

My Qualifications

RESULTS

A Level: Spanish (A*), Economics (A*), Latin (A*), History (A), Mathematics (A)

Extended Project Qualification: 'To what extent are the commonly recognised sociolinguistic differences between men and women present during the teenage years?' (A*)

AS Level: Spanish (A), Latin (A), History (A), Economics (A), Mathematics (A), Thinking Skills (A)

Mathematics Advanced Extension Award: Merit

Advanced Free-Standing Mathematics Qualification: A

GCSE: Spanish (A*), Classical Greek (A*), Latin (A*), English Language (A*), English Literature (A*), History (A*), Geography (A*), Maths (A*), Biology (A*), Chemistry (A*), Physics (A*), PE (A*)

SCHOLARSHIPS

Lloyds Banking Group Scholarship (2012)

Corporation of London Leaving Scholarship (2012)

Worshipful Company of Innholders Academic Scholarship (2005-12)

OTHER NOTABLE HONOURS AND AWARDS

Freeman of the City of London and the Worshipful Company of Innholders (2017)

The City of London Lord Mayor’s Prize for A Level Results (2012)

School Prizes in Economics, Mathematics, Geography, Drama, Debating, and Public Speaking (2005-12)

My Video Introduction

Fun fact

I used to play football with Millwall.