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"A family located in north London wants to find an extraordinary and qualified tutor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."

When reading this listing, you might naturally skip the phrase "first-steps" as mere figurative language.

But, it could be the most important element of this unique position posting, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.

Numerous of applications have now been received since the unidentified family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".

Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted interest across the news, with many questioning why?

Progressive Approach

A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that despite initial skepticism, he considered the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".

When he met the family, he said they appreciated the atypical character of their demand, and how young their son is.

However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then become established".

What exactly did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?

It's "comprehensive", he answered. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".

He said the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told Adam they did not want this pattern to happen again with their new baby.

The plan: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from the very start.

Subtle Influence

"A great deal of the development at the beginning here is rather osmotic," stated the CEO.

It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to impart.

He said the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.

Money No Object

The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, skiing, the arts and music so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.

Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register 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 view, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.

"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.

However, despite all this instruction in "English culture", could the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?

"Yes", said Adam. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he stated.

Impractical

Several in the private teaching field who express similar doubts.

Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."

Peter noted that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and living both cultures. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.

"The concept that one individual can function as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can somehow transfer the attributes of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.

"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily achieve the outcome they want.

"I never had such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."

He added: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."

Buying Britishness

Of course, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and commercialized.

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