Our Story

Otio Academy was founded by Kwai Chi, inspired initially by an idea from his wife, Yiki Chi, to revolutionise online education.

The inspiration for Otio Academy came from Kwai and Yiki's personal journey as parents to Deor, an international-level junior tennis player. When Deor was in Year 5, he took the Kent Test (11+) and initially scored just 16%. Determined to find a better solution, Yiki discovered the power of mastery-based learning—where students fully understand a topic before moving forward.

Together, Kwai and Yiki—drawing upon their backgrounds in science, pharmacy, investment banking, marketing, higher education, and Kwai's experience lecturing at leading universities—spent four intensive weeks working closely with Deor using mastery techniques. Remarkably, Deor improved to a score of 93% in his actual exam, proving that with the right learning approach, any student can unlock their true potential.

Deor then enrolled at a traditional online school, but Kwai and Yiki quickly realised it was essentially a regular school replicated online, complete with rigid schedules and limited adaptability. Fast learners were bored; slower learners struggled to keep up.

To address these limitations and inspired by Yiki's original idea, Kwai took action—launching Otio Academy to create a genuinely adaptive and personalised learning platform. Otio Academy is dedicated to helping faster learners thrive and supporting slower learners with patience and genuine care. The academy's core mission is simple yet powerful: no child left behind, and no child held back.

About Our Founder, Kwai Chi

Kwai Chi has spent over two years building and moderating thriving online communities supporting more than 2,000 parents of homeschooled and online learners. Formerly the UK's number-one parent blogger, Kwai is deeply committed to helping families navigate the challenges of modern education, using his experience as both a parent and a leader within online educational communities.

Alongside Otio Academy, Kwai also runs an AI-focused software development company and an education-focused publishing company — bringing together expertise in technology, learning, and content to support families and educators from every angle.