There are two children – a girl, aged 6, and her brother, who will be 4. The family is of Russian origin, but they currently live in Monaco where the girl attends an International School. The family have not settled particularly well in their current location, and spend a lot of time traveling between Monaco and Saint Petersburg, as well as time visiting their properties in London, the Caribbean, Piedmont, Latin America and the USA.

The girl is a charming young lady who is enjoying school life and has a good group of friends in her current class. However, with English as a second language, she has been struggling to keep up with her cohort academically, and the school recently suggested that she should re-sit this academic year. Although they subsequently capitulated, it is clear that the girl needs a lot of help and support with her English language skills. Given her reluctance to talk in English, it is difficult to gauge her levels of comprehension. However, it is clear she understands more than she is willing to let on, but her low confidence and natural shyness are potential barriers to fluency.

The girl is very comfortable communicating in Russian, but even then is displaying an academic position which is below what would be expected from a child of a similar age at a good London preparatory school. She clearly has the capacity to learn, but perhaps not in the way that groups of children are taught through formal schooling and large class sizes. It is anticipated that by working with a private Tutor, both her confidence and ability will soar.

The boy is almost the polar opposite to his quiet and calm sister. He is lively, animated, interesting and entertaining. He communicates very well in Russian and it clear that he has a lot to say. Like his sister, he does not have full command of the English language, which is only to be expected in a predominantly Russian-speaking household, and this places him at a disadvantage amongst his peers.

The boy has not had a smooth start to his school career, and has at times been very distressed when leaving for school. He has gone through a phase whereby he simply refused to go to school, stating very clearly that he did not like it. It is likely that this behaviour was not the fault of the school and that he was using it as a mechanism to get more attention from his mother – certainly, he acts in a very different way when his father takes him to school – but these things are rarely the fault of just one party and it is very possible that his school experience allied with the family’s antipathy towards Monaco did little to disavow him of his negative view of the situation and enabled him to take advantage.

This position takes over from an interim Tutor, employed in a short-term role from May 2016 and has at its goal to improve the children’s English skills. As with the short-term position, given that the family speak Russian at home, the ideal Tutor for this long-term role will have a good grounding in Russian, but speak flawless English (with Received Pronunciation) as their own mother tongue. She or she should be a qualified and experienced educator who has a demonstrably successful history working with children of similar ages.

The family are keen to travel more, and enjoy the lifestyle benefits that come with having a private Tutor. They have no fixed preference for curriculum pathways, and no fixed plan for reintegrating their children into mainstream education at a later date. This means that the remit for the role is particularly broad and carries with it a high level of responsibility. The ideal Tutor will be skilled in curriculum design, able to identify the best parts of a range of curricula in order to create a bespoke program that combines the international ethos of the IB pathway with the breadth of subjects offered in American schools, and the depth of knowledge and understanding offered by top level British private schools.

This long-term role, renewable on an annual basis, may see the children continue in home-schooling until they are 18. Equally, the family may decide that they want to reintegrate their children much earlier, and as such, the Tutor needs to keep their learning on par with, if not slightly ahead of their peers in schools (clearly a bridging period will be needed when and if a school entry decision is made to prepare the children for the standards expected of that new school). To this end, the Tutor must be an excellent record-keeper in case evidence of work covered is required at a later date. This should include any observed strengths and weaknesses in both children as well as recording of completed work, projects, vocabulary learned and any excursions or activities undertaken. There is considerable scope for themed learning in this role, but it needs to be well planned and accurately recorded so as to be credible to any potential school admissions board in the future.

Although likely to be based in Monaco and Saint Petersburg, the family have multiple houses in various locations across the globe, and the Tutor should be prepared for extensive travel between these properties. The Tutor should embrace any opportunity for travel or visiting a new city, taking the children to local exhibitions and sites of interest, and using their locations as a basis for their lessons. Although the children will be traveling extensively, it is important that they make and maintain friendships with other children. The Tutor will need to actively seek out opportunities for the children to socialise with others of a similar age group in activities locally, or to incorporate other local children in activities planned for them.

In addition to a good grasp of Russian language, the Tutor should have a wide range of extracurricular skills and interests that they can share with the family and children. This can include anything from playing a musical instrument to recreational fencing, expert knowledge about art history to a talent in cartoon creation. The successful candidate should be upbeat, energetic, kind and caring. They should be a natural communicator, able to explain concepts simply and clearly, and able to encourage a love of learning in both children. They should be interested in the world around them, and their enthusiasm for any given subject should be infectious.

This role requires a resourceful, intelligent and knowledgeable educator who is relaxed and easy-going with a sunny disposition on the one hand while firm, encouraging and directed on the other. He or she should set a good example for the children through their behaviour and conduct as much as through their academic abilities. Although the family and working environment may be relaxed compared to formal schooling in Monaco, and even by comparison to many private service positions, it is essential that the Tutor remain professional at all times and respectful of the family’s privacy.

The Tutor is expected to work up to an average of 40 hours per week contact time, with preparation time in addition. For the most part the hours will follow a stable timetable agreed with the parents, but the Tutor should also allow for flexibility, especially regarding travel. The tutoring periods are not expected to be all formal study and should include excursions, periods of outdoor activities and plenty of hands-on project work. Travel time does not form part of the tutoring time unless tutoring takes place while traveling.

The Tutor will normally get two consecutive days off per week, but this will not always be possible due to travel commitments. Also, the Tutor should be aware that days off may not be the same days from week to week. Flexibility in this regard is essential.

The Tutor is entitled a holiday allowance of 9 weeks per annum, but is expected to work on any public holidays Monday-Friday unless these are part of their holiday allowance.

While in Monaco and St Petersburg, the Client will provide private, furnished accommodation near to their family home.

The Client will pay for all bills on this accommodation, except for the Tutor’s personal phone bills. The Tutor will be provided with a car for his or her personal use in St Petersburg.

In any other location, accommodation may be a furnished apartment, a guest room in the family house, a cabin on a yacht or a room at a local hotel.

The Tutor must ensure that he or she has the requisite travel and health insurance, has received the required vaccinations, and has the necessary visas.

The Client will be responsible Tutor’s full expenses arising from any travel required for the position throughout the contract term.

The Tutor should be a non-smoker, lead a physically active lifestyle, and be healthy and fit. He or she should be engaging, have a good sense of humour and a sunny disposition, and yet be a serious educator who understands his or her responsibility in this important role.