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"Parents based in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and experienced tutor to assist their smallest child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."

When reading this advertisement, you might easily skip the term "initial stages" as mere an expression.

But, it may be the most significant part of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.

Hundreds of responses have now been submitted since the unnamed family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".

During the past few weeks, the post has attracted notice in the press, with several asking why?

Innovative Idea

Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, said that in spite of first skepticism, he found the concept "visionary", and "advanced".

When he met the family, he noted they understood the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how immature their son is.

But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already taken hold".

What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?

It's "everything", the expert answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".

He said the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told Adam they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their infant.

The intention: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from the very start.

Osmotic Learning

"A great deal of the development at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," said the CEO.

It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to instil.

The consultant said the tutor must be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.

Cost Not Relevant

The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.

Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's minds, guiding their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to accomplishment and create opportunities.

"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.

But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", could the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the international family he lives with regardless?

"Certainly", answered he. "They know this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.

Impractical

A number of in the private teaching field who express these doubts.

Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."

The expert wrote that he had relocated from China to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.

"The idea that an individual can serve as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can in some way transplant the characteristics of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.

"Based on my background, having a quintessentially English tutor from early childhood will does not instantly produce the result they want.

"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the situations they desire for their son."

He stated: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."

Acquiring Englishness

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

"In my view the reality that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating