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"Parents based in north London seeks an remarkable and skilled educator to assist their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily overlook the wording "first-steps" as just an expression.

However, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a one-year-old.

Numerous of responses have already been received since the anonymous family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".

Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted attention in the news, with many asking why?

Progressive Approach

Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, said that in spite of first scepticism, he found the concept "visionary", and "advanced".

When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the unusual character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.

However, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already set in".

What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?

It's "everything", he replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".

He explained the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their infant.

The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.

Subtle Influence

"Much of the education at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the expert.

It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to instil.

The consultant noted the tutor had to be someone who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".

"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.

Money No Object

The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.

Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an instrument by the time they are around three years old".

In the family's view, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.

"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.

But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?

"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The parents know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.

Impractical

Several in the tutoring industry who have these doubts.

Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."

Peter wrote that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to study at Cambridge University.

"The notion that one individual can act as a representation of English culture, someone who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he commented.

"In my experience, having a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will does not instantly produce the result they want.

"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live numerous of the situations they hope for their son."

He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."

Purchasing UK Culture

Naturally, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and sold.

"I believe the reality that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating