Tutors International LLP

The Good Schools Guide Review of Tutors International LLP, Oxford, OX1 3HJ

Our View

What do Tutors International offer?

Full time residential tutors for families all over the world, including help with school or university entrance and special needs. Most clients have explored more inexpensive options first and many have had a bad experience with another company. Families tend to call on Tutors International when local schooling options don’t work – perhaps because they are sailing round the world, because their children have very particular needs, such as someone who can offer speech therapy as well as physics, or because they need preparation for applying to Westminster School or Harvard or Cambridge.

Children of very wealthy peripatetic international families may well need a tutor who is something of a therapist as well as best friend and confidante, so Adam’s knack for choosing someone with the right social as well as academic attributes is crucial. ‘Very often the kids latch onto the tutor as their most dependable, reliable relationship.’

Tutors are mostly in their 30s – ‘we are looking for established, proven skills and professional experience as educators’ – though the ages of those on their books range from early 20s to late 60s.


Tutors International say:

‘Long term private tuition relies as much on successful personal relationships as it does on educational expertise.’ Their selling point is finding the right match and keeping in very close contact thereafter. This is a niche market – ‘but a much bigger niche than you would think. No-one else is doing exactly what we do.’ They aim to provide tutoring in virtually any subject or combination of subjects at any level. ‘Some of our clients make extraordinary demands, but one of the most rewarding parts of the job is turning around children who have been struggling.’


The Good Schools Guide say:

This is the Dom Perignon rather than the Cava end of the market. Clients – who quite likely are already employing butlers, housekeepers and cooks – are uniformly enthusiastic. ‘We know about education and we’re pretty discerning. But when we met Adam we realised he knew even more than we did.’ ‘He will never rush. He will always make sure that he finds the right match.’ ‘We had some challenges along the way and the back-up was excellent.’ ‘Our daughter was accepted by all the schools she applied for. We didn’t realise until afterwards what a coup that was.’ ‘Adam has always been the student advocate. He never compromised on what he felt was best for her – even if it wasn’t what I wanted – and I really respect him for that.' 'He’s the best there is.’

Tutors International staff

Senior partner Adam Caller was a science teacher in the ‘90s when he was tempted away by the prospect of tutoring in Greece. His unsatisfactory experience there was, he realised, due to lack of back-up: ‘there was no-one the client or tutor could turn to’. He thought he could do better, and in 1997 he started placing contacts from his teaching days with friends of the international family he had tutored. ‘I had a knack for finding a good match and providing ongoing support. The chemistry between tutor and pupil must be right.’

The office manager is Victoria Gibbs who positively loves admin. She has a background which includes teaching, administration, finance and management. Victoria relishes the fussy detail involved in organising visas, flights and legal documents, which ensures that arrangements go smoothly and everyone knows where they stand. ‘I will do a job well first time, however complicated it is.’

The third member of staff is an American: Nathaniel Hannan. He does some tutoring work but also looks after job adverts, reference-checking, and interviews. Nathaniel is a graduate of Notre Dame and Oxford; he is an experienced teacher and tutor with a passion for fast cars. ‘He is extremely hard-working and endlessly patient and diplomatic.’

Supporting operations is Andrew Knight, who has been a friend of Adam’s since teacher-training days. Andrew has an understanding of tutoring along with highly-developed skills in computing. Far more than a ‘techie’, he is a fully-qualified systems architect, the ideal person to have in a company with a busy webserver. Andrew is improving many back-office functions and developing new ones, increasing efficiency and providing more online facilities for tutors.

Background and Atmosphere

Adam visits all potential clients, even if this involves flying around the world. He finds out about the family, their lifestyle and particular needs, and writes a very detailed job description. ‘It describes what a typical day will involve, all about travel and accommodation, and about the family.’ This description, which is agreed with the family, may involve some tactful wording if the job is likely to be less-than-straightforward. Then an advertisement, usually in the TES, directs applicants to the details on the Tutors International website.

They keep a register of some 10,000 tutors who have successfully completed their very detailed registration process – ‘it puts off people who are wasting time’. Once registered, the tutors are eligible to apply for jobs. ‘I might contact them if they have a great or unusual subject range, but I will still advertise the job and they have to apply for it.’

Adam selects candidates on the basis of their registered information – which include details of hobbies, interests and special skills as well as teaching experience – plus their covering letter and answers to job-specific questions. He interviews several - ‘I fill them in on the worst aspects of the job as well as the best’ - and short-lists two or three. They provide details of three referees, sign confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements, and are screened by Kroll International risk assessment company as well as having full CRB checks.

The top two candidates meet the family members, who make the final choice. The company finalises the paperwork, including a nine-page legal contract, visas and travel arrangements. The first month is probationary on both sides. ‘If it doesn’t work then I know what has gone wrong, and who else to choose from my short-list.’

This is not a quick process: it typically takes two to three months to complete a full recruitment. The ideal time-frame from first enquiry to tutor’s start date is nine months. They can, however, often supply an emergency stop-gap tutor whilst they recruit the long-term tutor.

Adam stays in close contact with both tutor and family throughout the entire contract, no matter how long it runs. He requires weekly reports from tutors, which he will pass on to clients who request them as long as the tutor agrees.

Money Matters

As you would imagine, this is not a budget option. The client pays Adam’s airfare for his initial visit, and a fee of around £5000 for the recruitment process. The cost of a year’s tutoring varies. ‘I price the job by working out what I need to offer to attract the right calibre of tutor, then I add my fee.’ This tends to come out at around £60,000 - £100,000 a year, of which the agency takes 25 per cent and the tutor the rest. ‘We are totally transparent: both client and tutor know how much we are charging and who gets what.’

Special Education Needs Survey

SEN Statement

Tutors International offers a completely tailored approach when it comes to finding a tutor for a particular student. This means that we can cater for any student, no matter how complex their learning differences may be.

We also have a great deal of experience supporting young people who have lost their way, or who may be recovering from drug or alcohol problems.

November 2011

Autistic Spectrum Disorder

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Aspergers Syndrome Mild
Aspergers Syndrome Moderate
Aspergers Syndrome Severe
Autism Mild
Autism Moderate
Autism Severe
Semantic Pragmatic Disorder
Other Autistic

Behavioural Difficulties

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Attention Deficit Disorder Mild
Attention Deficit Disorder Moderate
Attention Deficit Disorder Severe
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorders Mild
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorders Moderate
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorders Severe
Emotional and behavioural difficulties Mild
Emotional and behavioural difficulties Moderate
Emotional and behavioural difficulties Severe
Conduct Disorders
Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
Oppositional Defiant Disorders
Tourettes and other tic disorders

Genetic and related Disorders

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Down's Syndrome Mild
Down's Syndrome Moderate
Down's Syndrome Severe
Fragile X
Other genetic

Learning difficulties

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Moderate learning difficulties
Profound and multiple learning difficulties
Severe learning difficulties

Specific learning difficulties

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Dyscalculia Mild
Dyscalculia Moderate
Dyscalculia Severe
Dyslexia Mild
Dyslexia Moderate
Dyslexia Severe
Dyspraxia Mild
Dyspraxia Moderate
Dyspraxia Severe
Other Specific Learning Difficulties Mild
Other Specific Learning Difficulties Moderate
Other Specific Learning Difficulties Severe
English as an additional language

Sensory Impairment

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Hearing Impairment Mild
Hearing Impairment Moderate
Hearing Impairment Severe
Multi-sensory Impairment
Speech and Language Difficulties
Visual Impairment Mild
Visual Impairment Moderate
Visual Impairment Severe

Medical and Related Needs

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Cerebral Palsy Mild
Cerebral Palsy Moderate
Cerebral Palsy Severe
"Delicate" children
Epilepsy
Eating disorders
Physical Difficulties (Not indicated elsewhere.)
Other

General Questions

Are all children tested for SEN on entry to the school?
Please outline the screening programmes used by the school.
How many children with statements of need or equivalent do you have in the school?
Do you make special provision for exceptionally gifted children?
Please outline what is on offer for such children		A tailored tutor is provided, someone who has precisely the skills and experience required by the student.
Please indicate if the school has or has available to it any of the following:
Behaviour Support Unit.
Learning Support Unit.
Pupil Referral Unit.
Other withdrawal.
Specialist language centre
Schemes or Initiatives such as SHARE or Playing for Success.
Please indicate if the school has any of the following characteristics:
SEN accreditation, for example by CRESTED?
Centre of excellence for SEN that is Not already outlined?
Good wheelchair access
Provides outreach support?
Receives outreach support?
Do children with SEN participate fully in sport and other extracurricular activities?
Please provide information on staffing. Does the school have:
A SENCO or equivalent?
Staff who will administer prescription medicines to a child
Qualified teaching staff with learning support or SEN commitment(please say how many, in full-time equivalent).
Non-teaching staff with learning support or SEN commitment(please say how many, in full-time equivalent).
Please list specialist qualifications held by teaching staff with learning support or SEN commitment.		We recruit individuals with whatever specific skills are required for each individual student.
Please list specialist qualifications held by non-teaching staff with learning support or SEN commitment.

School Features

Curricula

American

International Baccalaureate: Diploma

GCSE - standard English curriculum

A level - standard English curriculum

Standard English primary school curriculum

GCSE - International

International Bacclaureate: Middle Years

International Baccalureate: Primary Years

Scottish curriculum

Cambridge Pre-U

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