Our tutors - Io Oswald

Io Oswald - English literature, University of Oxford

Hi, I’m Io. I graduated with a First Class degree in English Literature from the University of Oxford in 2024. Following that, I lived and worked in Paris as a nanny to improve my French and to gain experience working with children, including tutoring them in all subjects after school. I have since decided to return to education and the UK for an Msc in Human Rights at LSE.

The classroom has always felt like the place I’m meant to be. I thoroughly enjoyed my undergraduate experience, gaining awards for recognition of my work and contributions within college. I am grateful to the teachers in my life who have helped kindle my passion for learning and pushed me in the right direction. I love teaching because it allows me to give back to a profession that has meant so much to me. I particularly enjoyed my experience as a nanny because it allowed for a holistic approach to the education and growth of the children in my care.

I achieved the highest marks in all my GCSE’s and A Levels in English Literature, Philosophy and Psychology. I also achieved an A * for my EPQ on the carnivalesque in Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children.

I am a linguist as well as a literature enthusiast. I speak French, Spanish, Portuguese and some Arabic, all of which I taught myself. I find languages a thrilling way to gain confidence and discover different sides of yourself. Teaching English in Colombia and French in the UK has shown me the benefit to young people of getting out of their shell in the classroom. My pedagogical style therefore emphasises active engagement and practice over rote learning.

Educational access has been a central concern of mine for many years, from my voluntary work for the Oxford Armenia Foundation, implementing educational programmes for children in Armenia affected by conflict, to teaching English to children in rural Colombia. I am particularly experienced in early years education and care. As a tutor, I believe in a pupil centred approach that responds to the needs of my client.