The family have three sons, aged 13, 11 and 9, all of whom have been attending a well-known school in SE London. The family has lived in London for approximately nine years and is now relocating to Monaco. The move has been arranged relatively quickly, and educational arrangements for the two other boys are therefore still being finalised. The family is considering international school options in the Monaco and Nice area, but at the time of agreeing this Specification those school places have not yet been confirmed.

The principal student, aged 11, will be the focus of this appointment. He is a talented and serious tennis player who will begin training at a prestigious tennis academy in September. Were he remaining in the British system, he would be entering Year 7. His new tennis programme requires him to enrol in an American-system online school and maintain strong academic results, specifically As and Bs, in order to remain within the tennis programme. The family does not, however, want his academic education to be limited by the requirements of the online school.

The student is an extremely well-behaved and pleasant young man. In person he was somewhat reserved and did not always find it easy to articulate his thoughts, but he engaged thoughtfully when given time to consider questions. He described his preferred teachers as those who are supportive, encouraging and kind, have a good sense of humour, and make him feel capable of achieving the targets they set. At the same time, he recognises the value of being pushed and is accustomed to demanding coaching through tennis. He therefore appears likely to respond well to an adult who combines encouragement and humour with appropriately high expectations.

This will represent an enormous transition for the student. In a short period, he will be leaving his established school, moving country, beginning an intensive tennis academy, and changing from conventional classroom teaching to online education supported by a private Tutor. He understands that making the arrangement successful will require him to communicate openly with the adults around him, particularly if he is struggling or unhappy. The family is conscious that excessive academic stress would also be counterproductive to his tennis and therefore wants the educational and sporting elements of his life to complement rather than compete with one another.

The family is ambitious for the student both academically and athletically. One possible future pathway would involve applying to a leading American university such as Stanford while continuing to play tennis at a high level within the US collegiate system. Equally, the family recognises the inherent uncertainty of pursuing elite sport and wants to preserve excellent academic alternatives should his tennis pathway change, including as the result of injury.

Music also forms part of the student’s education. He plays the piano and has achieved Grade 3. His experience in both music and tennis suggests that, while he is not a lazy student, he benefits from adults who are prepared to push him towards goals he might not necessarily reach without encouragement and persistence.

The student’s brothers will not initially be the principal focus of this role, but could be involved at some level as the family's plans crystallise. The nine-year-old brother is described as relatively independent educationally and the parents currently have few concerns about his progress. Arrangements for the 13-year-old are less certain, with the family considering international schools in the Monaco/Nice area while hoping, at least for the moment, to maintain his education within the British system. It is possible that the Tutor could provide some support to the eldest boy, particularly at the beginning of the placement, although this will depend upon his eventual schooling arrangements and the principal student’s tennis schedule.

The Tutor’s immediate responsibility will be to provide academic structure and continuity for the student as he makes the transition from a leading British school to an American online programme alongside an intensive tennis schedule. The successful candidate will need to familiarise themselves quickly with the online curriculum, supervise and support the student’s work, monitor his progress closely, and ensure that he consistently achieves the high grades required for continued participation in the tennis academy.

The online programme should not define the limits of the student’s education. Alongside ensuring excellent performance within the American system, the Tutor will begin developing a broader academic programme designed to keep future educational pathways open. The parents would like him, over time, to prepare for a full and academically rigorous range of IGCSEs, reflecting the type of pathway commonly found in leading international schools before progression to the IB Diploma. This is particularly important because there is no certainty that the student will remain within the American system indefinitely.

The successful Tutor should therefore be confident operating across different educational systems and able to look beyond the student’s immediate online assignments to his longer-term academic development. The family wants him to retain the possibility of progressing through an international or British academic route as well as potentially pursuing the American university pathway. The Tutor should ensure that the demands of elite tennis do not result in narrowing his education or creating gaps that would be difficult to remedy later.

French will be an important component of the programme, particularly given the family’s relocation to Monaco and the student’s training in France. The family would like him to develop his French and would be interested in the possibility of completing the relevant GCSE or IGCSE qualification comparatively early if appropriate.

The Tutor will need to establish an effective working relationship with the student very quickly. The ideal Tutor will combine warmth and patience with considerable academic ambition. An important part of the role will be communication. The student is entering an unusually demanding educational and sporting environment, and the Tutor should encourage him to become increasingly confident in articulating what is and is not working for him. The Tutor will also need to communicate effectively with his parents, the tennis academy, online school and, where appropriate, other professionals involved in his education and training. The aim should be to create a coherent team around the student rather than allowing the different academic and sporting demands upon him to operate independently.

As this is an interim appointment, the successful candidate must be capable of arriving at short notice, assessing the situation quickly, and providing immediate stability while the full recruitment for the long-term role takes place. They should maintain clear records of the student’s academic work, progress and longer-term priorities so that, if a different Tutor subsequently takes over, the transition can be managed smoothly.

The Tutor’s working timetable will need to be structured around the student’s intensive tennis training and tournament schedule. Academic work will therefore need to be delivered flexibly around his sporting commitments, with the Tutor ensuring that sufficient time and concentration are devoted to his online programme and broader academic studies without compromising the demands of elite training.

This is an intensive short-term appointment, and considerable flexibility will be required. The Tutor will be entitled to two consecutive days off per week, normally to be taken on weekdays due to tournament commitments. Further, due to tournaments, the Tutor should anticipate irregular hours and travel, and the Tutor should be comfortable adapting the academic timetable accordingly. The precise weekly schedule and arrangements for days off will be agreed once the tennis academy timetable is available.

Working hours are to average at 40 week and for the purposes of this assignment a 'working hour' defined by any period in which the Tutor has direct responsibility for the student. Travel time is counted as 50% of working time. Preparation is in addition to working/travel time.

Given the anticipated duration of approximately three to five months, holiday arrangements will be agreed with the successful candidate according to the final length and timing of the placement.

The role will be based principally in the south of France, with the family relocating to Monaco and the student attending the prestigious Tennis Academy in France. The current intention is to provide the Tutor with an appropriate accommodation stipend, enabling them to secure suitable private accommodation locally, most likely in the form of a furnished apartment or Airbnb. The precise amount and arrangements remain to be confirmed.

The Tutor will need to travel regularly between the family’s base, the student’s tennis academy, and other locations associated with his education and training. A car will therefore be required. The precise arrangements for provision of a vehicle have yet to be confirmed.

As the student progresses within the tennis programme, tournament travel is expected to become an important element of the position. The Tutor must be willing and able to accompany him as required, maintaining academic continuity while he is competing away from his usual base. Appropriate accommodation and reasonable work-related travel expenses will be provided during such trips.

The successful candidate should be energetic, adaptable, highly organised and comfortable operating within the unusual demands of elite junior sport. They should understand that the student’s education and tennis cannot be treated as separate undertakings; the purpose of the role is to ensure that both can develop successfully alongside one another.

The Tutor will be physically fit and healthy, a non-smoker. Experience working with talented young athletes would be particularly valuable, although the most important qualities will be academic breadth, flexibility, excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to balance encouragement with high expectations.