Cambridge University offers £850 course to teach teenagers table manners

The £850 course at Cambridge University includes directions on how to use a knife and fork as well as how other basic skills such as using a washing machine.

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They are also being coaxed away from bad habits such as eating with their mouths open, licking their fingers and using their hands to eat.

A top London butler is among those employed to get 16 to 18-year-olds "ready for the transition into adulthood" through the courses.

Organisers say young people are not entirely to blame for having bad table manners, because it is the responsibility of parents to pass on table etiquette.

Sean Davoren, who is head butler at the Lanesborough Hotel in Knightsbridge, said: "The problem these days is that both parents are busy working, and they don't have the time to be a home-maker.

"Schools are trying their best, but it isn't their job to teach them how to use a knife and fork - it is up to the parents.

"The course and workshops are about table etiquette, and it will give teenagers more confidence to handle themselves in formal situations.

"Manners are an important social code, and they are imperative to happiness and success in adult life."

Mr Davoren, who has also been asked to train the Queen's butlers, said one of the problems was the popularity of fast food.

Instead of using a knife and fork properly, teenagers have become used to eating meals out of cartons.

He was initially inspired to teach better manners after giving an impromptu lesson to a badly-behaved boy in a restaurant, and later published a book called Manners from Heaven.

During his own upbringing in Limerick, Ireland, he was sent to milk the cows if he did not hold his knife and fork correctly.

The four-day course, during which teenagers stay at St Edmund's College, Cambridge, also teaches them how to budget, cook basic meals, wash clothes and look after a flat.

They are also given tips on personal hygiene.

It is run by American businesswoman Linda Thomson, who claims her courses "provide parents with a selection of comprehensive training to build confidence and prepare their sons and daughters for the transition into adulthood".

For just over £200 a day, it boasts a "high impact" curriculum and a range of "practical subjects".

Miss Thomson, whose business, Ready4Life, is based in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, said: "Most young adults are not prepared for what will face them when they leave school or college.

"This age group is pressured to make some very important life decisions, and they need to develop goals for their future, communicate with a wide variety of new people, prepare for job or university interviews and handle lots of other issues relating to living on their own.

"That's a lot to think about, and it can be overwhelming if you are not fully prepared.

"We can help these young people realise their life goals by making them more confident people by teaching them skills, such as communicating properly in different situations, reading body language and showing respect, empathy and compassion for others."