Governess Agency: Hire Elite Childcare Professionals

At our London-based Governess Agency, we work with British and International families to place exclusive nanny candidates and governesses worldwide.

A governor or governess will develop a child’s English education with diverse and interesting topics. Typical duties include: planning lessons, days out and accompanying children to school and other activities.

A governess will prepare a child for his adult life with regards to behaviour, etiquette and education. At EED recruitment agency, our British and international household staff often liaise with a child’s schoolteachers to ensure their home education complements that which they receive at school. In this way, we make sure that a child reaches his full social and linguistic potential.

Employing a native speaking governor or governess will help your child to acquire a second language like a native speaker.
The immersive nature of being around a governess means that the child begins to read, converse and ultimately think in English whilst being under the supervision of a great behavioural role model. The candidate may support the charge in sports and keep them busy with arts and crafts, music or even learning additional languages.

Employ a nanny, governess, tutor or teacher

Click Here to arrange a consultation

What does a Governess do?

Through time spent with a governor or governess, your child will have the best possible start in their language education.

With native level language skills and a clean accent, the child will be well placed to later study overseas or work in an international role. They will develop an interest in other cultures and a talent for languages.

Hiring a governor or governess with our agency is the first step in giving your child the best possible opportunityties in an increasingly demanding international sphere. It is a decision that opens many doors for a child and puts them on the right track to success.

Working conditions if I hire a governess or governor?

Governors or Governesses are ready to work an average of 8-10 hours a day, 5 days a week, with one or two days off per week.

Weekends can be working days according to the needs of the family. Shift work is also possible (for example, 1 week on/off or month on/off). Again, this is to be decided when discussing the needs of the family in our initial consultation. The salary for the employee is calculated from the number of children in the family, the work schedule, and special requirements for the candidate (for example, knowledge of additional languages in perfection, music or sports education, etc.)

The governor or governess is generally provided with a one-room apartment, with an organised transfer to the place of work (if this is a country house). If you need a nanny with accommodation in the family, then a separate room with amenities and internet access is provided. Employees are provided annual paid leave, medical insurance and visa costs if applicable.

What tasks does a governor or governess usually take care of?

If the charges are of school age, a full-time candidate will usually work a 5-day or 6-day week according to requirements.

A typical weekend for a governor or governess might be a Sunday, a weekend day and a weekday off (example, Fridays and Saturdays off), two weekdays off, or Saturdays and Sundays off.

As a general rule, a week-day in work may begin by the governor or governess heading to the kids’ school with a driver or family member to collect the charge(s).

The governess may liaise with a teacher at this point, to ask about the charge’s day at school, any homework they have, or simply to sign them out. The governess will also make sure the kids have dressed appropriately according to the weather and their parents’ wishes.

After school the governor or governess may go home or accompany the charge(s) to after-school activities such as swimming lessons, horse-riding, dance, singing, chess or martial arts.

The candidate may take part in the activity with the charge (depending on what the activity is) or may simply oversee the child’s wellbeing, general behaviour and speak to them in English (or other languages).

When at home, evenings often consist of language lessons (perhaps following school guidelines, homework or a syllabus prepared specifically for the charge by the governess) or tutoring in maths and other school subjects. The candidate may prepare an evening meal, depending on your preference.

After dinner is often a more relaxing activity – perhaps English reading or an English language film, some form of games or leisure activities and bed, again all according to the children’s ages or the family’s individual preferences. The governess may prepare the children for bed (a night-time routine including changing, washing, brushing teeth etc.) or this may be the role of a nanny or family member.

Weekend days tend to offer much more time for the governess to spend valuable speaking time with the charge(s).

Many families take advantage of the extra free time to travel to parks, leisure centres, take part in extra sports activities or even to travel to their dacha together. Typically extra time is allotted to catching up on homework, language lessons or any other relevant tutoring.

Typically families see language progression with a governor or governess within a few months, and from a year onwards can expect to see English (or other language fluency) for the child.

A governor or governess is perfect for a family who have their own busy commitments, as they tend to work around the family schedule, fitting in lessons, conversation and games whenever they see an opportunity whilst all the time providing an English language environment and being an appropriate role model for their charge(s).