Maths Olympiad Coaching and Tuition at SEN Specialists

Why a coach matters for Olympiads

Olympiad problems demand creative reasoning, deep pattern spotting, and multi‑step argumentation. A good coach focuses on habits of thought: exploring cases, building invariants, constructing counterexamples, and writing clean solutions. They help students learn when to generalise or specialise, how to “play” with a problem, and how to turn intuition into a rigorous proof.

The central role of proofs

Proofs are the language of Olympiad mathematics. Being “right” isn’t enough — you must show why. Our coaching puts clear, complete, and elegant proofs at the centre. Students practise core methods such as direct and contrapositive arguments, induction (including strong and invariant‑based forms), contradiction, construction, extremal and invariant arguments, and geometric proof techniques. Regular write‑ups with feedback build the discipline to communicate ideas at competition standard.

Our team: tutors and coaches

We offer both Olympiad tutors and Olympiad coaches. Many of our coaches have participated in national and international Olympiads themselves and bring first‑hand insight into training and competition. Our wider team includes university students active in problem‑solving societies as well as specialist mathematicians experienced in mentoring gifted learners. If you’re early in your journey, a tutor can help solidify foundations; as you progress, a coach will push technique, strategy, and mathematical writing.

Bespoke resources for every learner

Every student receives a personalised resource pack aligned to their goals and pacing. This includes curated problem sets sequenced by theme and difficulty, mini‑notes on key techniques, annotated model solutions, targeted drills for common bottlenecks, and timed mock papers with marking rubrics. Where helpful, we create custom variants of past problems to strengthen specific heuristics or to bridge from foundational to Olympiad‑level reasoning.

Inclusive coaching for SEND learners

As SEN Specialists, we adapt our approach to the learner. That can include scaffolded problem breakdowns, alternative representations (visual, manipulative, or step‑wise), flexible pacing, short sprints with structured breaks, and clarity of language and layout. We collaborate with families and schools to understand individual strengths, needs, and any existing support plans, and we adjust materials and communication styles to suit attention, processing, or sensory profiles without diluting mathematical depth.

What training looks like

We tailor programmes to the student’s level and target competitions (for example, UKMT Junior/Intermediate/Senior Challenges, BMO, APMO, and IMO‑style problems). Sessions blend short tactical drills with longer, investigative problems across number theory, combinatorics, geometry, and algebra. Students learn standard tools — the Pigeonhole Principle, invariants and monovariants, bounding and inequalities, graph methods, constructive algorithms — and, crucially, when and why to use them. Reflection is built in: comparing multiple methods, isolating key ideas, and building a personal “toolbox.”

How we work?

We begin with a short diagnostic and goal‑setting chat to understand current level, learning profile, and targets. Based on this, we suggest a coach or tutor, set a schedule, and share a plan with milestones and curated resources. Between sessions, students receive targeted homework, solution reviews focused on proof quality, and, where appropriate, timed mock papers to build exam temperament.

Outcomes you can expect

Over time, students develop sharper heuristics, faster idea generation, stronger proof writing, and greater confidence with unseen problems. Results often follow — improved performance on UKMT rounds, BMO qualifiers, and university problem‑solving contests — but our core aim is durable mathematical maturity and a positive, resilient problem‑solving mindset.

Get started with SEN Specialists

If you’re considering Olympiad coaching or tuition for your child or your school, we’d love to help. Tell us the student’s year group, target competitions, recent scores, and any learning needs, and we’ll recommend whether to start with a tutor or go straight to a coach, along with a sample 4–6 week plan and bespoke resources.

Visit us at www.senspecialists.org to enquire or book an initial consultation.

Contact Us

Have questions? We're here to help—let today be the day for change.

Email: james@senspecialists.org

UK Phone: +44 742 1201 281