There are two students: a boy of 14 in grade 8, and a girl of 12 in grade 7. Both students are intelligent, articulate, able and well-motivated. They already have well-disciplined study habits and are charming young people. Such students offer a top-notch educator a challenging and satisfying opportunity.

The boy
The male student is a confident and engaging young man with a strong desire to understand all that he encounters. He has an inquisitive mind and strives for perfection. His favourite subjects are Maths and Science, and he also enjoys History. He has been learning piano, and would like to add Spanish to the Latin he has studied this year.

The boy enjoys the process of learning as much as the knowledge he gains, and prefers to acquire information through an understanding of purpose and context. He will respond best to a tutor who challenges him. His weakest area is in organising his thoughts, especially in writing and verbal presentation, and so suitable support and encouragement will need to be given in these areas. His interests include golf, computers, dinosaurs, travel and astronomy.

The girl
The female student is a thoughtful young lady who loves English literature, acting, and drama. She would like to learn French and, although she claims to dislike Maths, has demonstrated that she is capable of applying herself with considerable success.

The girl will respond best to a tutor with whom she can relate and share experiences, and it is essential the tutor share some of her interests. She is a keen horseback rider and despite her relative inexperience in the sport has shown immense success, winning champion in several shows. She also likes to travel, and to play with her dog.

Until now the children have been following the US curriculum, but there is no requirement to remain attached to this as they will not join the education system until college. The tutor will be free to develop the children�s breadth of knowledge by taking advantage of their personal interests and strengths, and should be eclectic in selecting materials from across the US, UK and IB curricula.

Whatever pathway is followed, the tutor will need to plan a curriculum and maintain accurate records of progress, together with a portfolio of materials. Regular meetings with the parents will ensure that all is running smoothly, and that the tutor�s plans fit with the client�s expectations. There is a dedicated schoolroom, which is well-equipped, and the tutor will be responsible for ensuring that this remains organised and properly-stocked.

The post carries with it a significant opportunity to extend the teaching beyond the classroom, through local and more distant excursions to locations of interest that fit into the curriculum � it is better to study the Egyptians in Egypt than from a textbook. Such educational travel will need to be planned carefully, and with the approval of the clients. Since the opportunity for such educationally-orientated travel will usually occur during the standard school vacation times, the tutor should expect to have to take their own holiday at non-standard times.

The tutor will be able to teach the core academic subjects through GCSEs to A-level. Ideally, the tutor will have at least one modern European language, Spanish and/or French preferred. The boy is learning piano, so an interest or ability in Music would be an advantage. However, it is not expected that the tutor be personally capable of delivering all possible subjects − should a language or music specialist be required it will be the responsibility of the tutor to ensure that these arrangements fit into the educational schedule.

The school day will begin at 8am and finish at 2pm. The children will expect to have homework in the afternoon and the tutor may then return for an hour, before dinner, to follow up on set work. Meals during teaching times will be taken with the family.

This is a full time position. The tutor should expect to be working with the children for at least 35 hours per week, and to fit preparation time in during evenings and afternoons as needed. The tutor must be able to respond flexibly to the clients� requirements in terms of availability and working time.

The tutor will have two days off a week � these will normally be Sundays, and either Saturday or Monday.

The tutor should expect to travel with the family several times a year, for a few weeks at a time. At these times the client will cover all expenses for the tutor. The tutor will also be entitled to 9 weeks� paid holiday per annum.

Fully furnished and pleasant accommodation with all modern conveniences, including broadband Internet, will be arranged and provided by the client.

There will be a car for the personal use of the tutor throughout their contract. The client will cover all expenses involved in running the car for work-related purposes, including comprehensive insurance. The tutor, though, will be responsible for their own personal use, and for any damage they cause which is not covered by insurance.

The family are active Christians whose commitment to their faith plays a central role in their lives. While it is not a requirement that the tutor be of any particular faith, it is essential he or she is sympathetic and open-minded, and certainly has no agenda of their own in this regard.

The family have a dog and the girl rides horses. The tutor will therefore need to be comfortable around animals.

A non-smoker, who leads a healthy lifestyle including taking regular exercise is preferred.

This position would suit a male or female tutor, single or married, and all ages and nationalities will be considered.

The position will start in January 2008 unless a suitable candidate is identified sooner.

The client is prepared to offer a one-off payment to release a candidate from their current contractual situation if appropriate.