One family’s much-discussed request for a private tutor was never about ‘lessons for a baby’, but the headlines all missed the point.
In recent weeks, Tutors International has found itself at the eye of a global story: a London-based family offering £180,000 per year for a private tutor to support their one-year-old son. Headlines appeared in major outlets in The Guardian, The Times, The Independent, Sky News, Business Insider, and Fortune, among many others.
As ever, some coverage has been thoughtful. Others, less so. Some saw it as an absurd symbol of privilege. A few commentators mocked the idea of “tutoring a baby”, while others recognised that what’s really being sought is something far more meaningful: a long-term educational foundation, steeped in values, language, and culture.
At Tutors International, we design every placement from scratch. Each family we work with has a different goal, shaped by their child’s future and their cultural context. As CEO and founder, Adam Caller, explained when Times Radio invited him in to talk about it:
“I don’t just take on a client because they’re willing to pay me to do a job. I have to believe that what they want to do is reasonable and doable.”
A long-term vision, not a lesson plan for a baby
The family in question, whose roots are not British, wanted to ensure their child would grow up surrounded by the language, manners, and interests traditionally associated with a British education. We’re not talking about lessons in Latin declensions or etiquette drills for toddlers, but rather an environment that feels naturally English, experienced through play, conversation, outings, and the routine of young daily life.
As Adam clarified:
“It’s a long-term job. Chances are one tutor or another will be doing this for 12 years. It would be perfectly reasonable to involve a six-year-old in trips to the theatre and learning to ride — things that are quintessentially British. What he won’t be doing is formal lessons at one, which is the headline everyone’s been screaming about, which is obviously absurd.”
So, the aim is cultural immersion, clearly not academics. “It’s a much more osmotic process,” Adam added. “It’s about making sure the family have somebody around the child who has the qualities they’d like him to pick up.”
The wider conversation
Some articles (including The Guardian’s and Fortune’s coverage) understood that. They recognised that while the salary caught attention, the story underneath was about education: how families choose to invest in it, and the values they hope to pass on.
Others saw it as a symbol of excess. That’s fine too. Debate around education, privilege and access is necessary, and we welcome it. But what matters most to us is intent. When a family makes this kind of investment for thoughtful, child-centered reasons, it can lead to something extraordinary.
As The Guardian put it, this story is “about wealth, yes, but also about values — a belief that education begins long before the classroom.”
Understanding what Tutors International does
This kind of bespoke tutoring placement is exactly what Tutors International was founded to provide: education that fits the child, not the other way around. Every tutor we place is chosen for their academic excellence, cultural understanding, and ability to integrate seamlessly into the family’s life. Take a look at our previously filled positions.
We are proud that this story has sparked a broader conversation about the nature of education, privilege, and parenting priorities. But most of all, we’re glad it’s prompted people to reflect on one simple truth: a good education is not to be found in a school timetable, but is fluid, adaptable and is something that starts at home.
