This was an interesting assignment as the family was absolutely charming. The father was a very successful, but eccentric advertising copywriter, who had been hired by a huge Indian conglomerate to improve its advertising. 

Matthew and Ian, their 10 and 12 year old sons were simply not going to get into Eton. They had been at the best private school in India for two years. The curriculum was entirely different to that of English public schools and, despite the fact that they were both bright young boys, they did not take their work seriously. I was called in to save the situation. 

Matthew was fun, but at the same time serious-minded; Ian was all over the place and couldn’t concentrate, although I suspected that deep down he was also intelligent. 

Luckily I got on with them very well immediately and, as is always recommended by Tutors from England, soon after I arrived I started playing squash with them; Matthew had played a bit at school, but Ian not at all. They both loved it and we had great competitive fun playing it, so much so that they both became somewhat addicted to it. 

Their parents wondered why on earth I was wasting so much time playing squash with them; the answer was that I taught them concentration that way. They learned that if they did not concentrate they could not win any points. Step-by-step I transferred their concentration to schoolwork and the results were astonishing – Matthew’s improved, but Ian’s improved beyond recognition and, as I had suspected all along, he was quite intelligent. They both enjoyed their work with me – they said that they looked forward to it! – and their parents were very pleased. I had a very happy two months with the family. 

From then on they both loved their studies; both got into Eton and their parents were very proud of them. KL