There are two children, girls ages 9 and 4. Both girls are delightful young people, well behaved, engaging, bright and polite. They will be a pleasure for an able educator to work with every day. Both girls are physically active, enjoying a range of sports including running and skiing, dance and music (piano).

The girls have been raised both in English and French-speaking environments. They have lived in Geneva all their lives except for the summers, which are spent in Vancouver. This timing has meant that both girls’ English language development has been affected by learning French at the same time. The effect on the older girl is obviously less than on the younger. The family are aware of this and are not unduly concerned, but the London prep schools into which the children will move from September 2016 are not as understanding. The need has arisen to provide a well-spoken, mother-tongue English Tutor to support the girls’ school work with a view to developing their English language to a level that means that they will be more fairly assessed by comparison to their native English peers when they make application at London schools.

There is some evidence that the younger girl may have some kind of speech or language weakness that will benefit from targeted support. A specialist will be retained to work in an advisory role with the Tutor to guide specific work in this area.

This position starts immediately, and may be filled between now and June by several different tutors if needed to be able to provide continuous coverage. Applicants for the role should indicate the dates that they are available to start and when they could work up to. The role will initially be to support the girls after school and at weekends, with an emphasis on their English language skills.

The children attend local schools in Geneva during the week, finishing at 3.20pm every day except Wednesday, which is a half-day ending around noon. On Wednesdays the younger girl may take the whole day off for extra tuition by the Tutor. At weekends, the family generally travel to Courcheval to ski. The Tutor will work with the children after school and at weekends, with two days off per week as their ‘weekend’. These will likely be Monday and Tuesday, so that the Tutor can be available for the family after school Wednesday-Sunday inclusive. The Tutor will need to be flexible in this regard, since the family may change plans at short notice.

The younger girl has a second assessment at her intended school in England on January 21st, which is why there is such urgency to start the tutoring as soon as possible.

On weekdays, the tutoring will likely start soon after the children return from school and may finish when the children start their bedtime routines. Obviously the younger girl will tire sooner than her older sister, so there should be ample time for one-on-one tutoring support. Both children have homework (in French). When the homework is completed, the Tutor will be able to work on the general language skills of reading, listening, speaking, reading comprehension, writing as needed to develop vocabulary, grammar, confidence, and fluency.

The Tutor need not be a French speaker, and if they are, it might be best not to let the children know this; if the children find that their Tutor can converse in French, this will not help them improve their English! Instead, it would be useful if the Tutor could offer Spanish, since this will be the next language for the children to learn and their mother is keen to improve her level before the family travel from next fall. The ideal Tutor will play a musical instrument, piano or violin preferred, or singing is fine too. It would also be helpful if the Tutor enjoys taking part in a range of sports including skiing.

The family has a much-loved, committed and highly protective nanny who they will be retaining indefinitely. They are concerned that the nanny might feel displaced by the arrival of the Tutor, and it is therefore essential that the Tutor be aware of this and behave with appropriate tact. The nanny’s English is not strong, and she will be moving to London with the family in 2016. Part of the Tutor’s remit will be to offer the nanny help with her English too.

The Tutor should expect to work all day on Wednesdays and from 3.30pm to 8pm on Thursdays and Fridays. Saturdays and Sundays are somewhat governed by snow conditions, but the Tutor should expect to be available Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday (9am – 6pm, with appropriate breaks). This means that the average contact time will be approximately 40 hours per week. Preparation time for the Tutor is in addition to this.

The Tutor is entitled to two consecutive days off per week on average. These are mostly likely to be Monday and Tuesday, but could vary with the Client’s changes of plans or other sports or extracurricular activities.

The Tutor is also entitled to 45 paid working days off per annum. This time off will be calculated pro rata based on the duration of each tutoring assignment, with the proviso that no time off will be included in assignments shorter than 3 weeks. All time off will be at times agreed with the Client. Where vacation allowance has accrued but not been taken, the Tutor will be compensated by payment in lieu of notice at the prevailing rate.

The Tutor will be provided room within the Client’s homes or in nearby accommodation arranged by the Client in the Geneva area, and in the family’s chalet in Courchevel. Meals are included, although the Tutor will not usually dine with the family.

The Client will reimburse the Tutor for all local public transport, and may be able to make a car available for excursions as needed. In general, though, the Tutor should not expect to have access to a vehicle for her personal use.

The Tutor must be fit and healthy, a non-smoker.

The Tutor must be organised, self-reliant, and independent. She should not require ‘hand-holding’ for any aspect of the position. This role requires a Tutor who is flexible and able to adapt their plans to the different locations and the needs of the family, without fuss.

It is important that the Tutor hold a passport/nationality that allows them to travel with the family if needed. The Client will reimburse the costs of any tourist visas or visa applications required for such travel.