Nannies who can speak a second language, play the violin or cook like Jamie Oliver are commanding record salaries in the childcare market, driven by the desires of ambitious parents to give their children a head start.

Research conducted by the recruitment website Gumtree found a threefold increase in advertisements for nannies with qualifications well beyond the usual childcare diplomas and first-aid certificates.

The site, which hosts 10,000 ads for nannying jobs at any time, found that nannies who speak Spanish, French and German are now so in demand that they can earn more than £500 a week, well above the £305 national average.

Two thirds of the adverts that sought nannies with extra qualifications stipulated fluency in a second language. And while the main European languages remain the most popular, there is increasing demand for Mandarin speakers, perhaps reflecting parents’ recognition of China’s emergence as an economic superpower.

Fifty-eight per cent of the adverts required a nanny with artistic flair, 35 per cent specifically requested a nanny who could cook to professional standards and 10 per cent wanted someone who could play or teach a musical instrument.

Sophy Silver, a spokes-woman for Gumtree, said that there had been a surge in demand for “super-nannies” on the site. “Parents want the best for their children. Nannies spend a lot of time with them and parents increasingly want some added value – someone to teach their children something they would themselves if they were at home, or a new skill they don’t have,” she said.

“There is also a lot of pressure to make sure children eat well, take exercise and are well-rounded individuals, so nannies who can develop language or musical skills are heavily in demand.”

The extra skills do not come cheap. The survey found that 10 per cent of parents were willing to pay more than £500 a week for a super-nanny.

Because most parents foot the bill for a nanny’s tax and national insurance, a highly skilled nanny can be on a gross salary of £33,000 – far higher than the £20,000 a year earned by newly qualified teachers. Other perks to attract a super-nanny include a car, offered by 25 per cent of the parents, free access to a computer (24 per cent) and even membership of a spa (5 per cent), to make sure that the nannies did not get not worn out by the extra work.

Vanessa Cook, director of the Little Ones nanny agency, in central London, which specialises in finding bilingual nannies, said that demand had rocketed. “Typically, we get parents who have struggled as adults to learn a foreign language, usually so they can use it on holiday. They are very keen that their children should be able to do it and know it is best to start young,” she said.

“They think it will make their children more worldly and well-rounded, with a better understanding of other cultures. We would recommend everyone has a bilingual nanny. If you are paying over £400 a week, you may as well get something extra, and what better than a second language?” Ms Cook said that her agency had also experienced an increase in the number of requests for nannies with other skills, in particular those who could play the violin or tennis.

“Parents are prepared to play a lot for music tuition and tennis lessons. If their nanny can help too that is great. And nannies with these skills have such advantages. They can earn well over the odds,” she said.

‘I speak to the children only in French’

Filsane Gure, 34 and originally from Somalia, speaks fluent French as well as perfect English. With her impeccable qualifications and eight years’ experience of childcare she is much in demand (Rosemary Bennett writes).

“Interest has really picked up in French-speaking nannies in London,” she said. “I have worked for a number of French families, but my current job is for an English mother and French father who want to make sure their children stay bilingual. The children’s English is stronger, so I speak to them exclusively in French.”

She earns more than £450 a week looking after the three children, aged from two to six, in North London for 11 hours a day.

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