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"A family located in North London seeks an exceptional and qualified instructor to guide their smallest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."

When reading this post, you might naturally miss the phrase "beginning" as simple an expression.

Yet, it could be the crucial aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a 12-month-old.

Hundreds of responses have now been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".

Over the last few weeks, the post has received attention in the media, with numerous questioning why?

Progressive Approach

A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that in spite of first doubt, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".

When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how young their son is.

But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already become established".

What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?

It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "The manner you eat, how you speak".

He said the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed him they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.

The intention: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.

Natural Absorption

"A lot of the development at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," said the CEO.

It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to impart.

Adam noted the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

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

Cost Not Relevant

The family told the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.

Additionally though, he said the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".

In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and open doors.

"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.

Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", might the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?

"Absolutely", answered he. "They know this could fail, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.

Overly Optimistic

A number of in the private teaching field who express similar concerns.

An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."

Peter explained that he had relocated from China to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and living dual heritages. He continued to study at Cambridge University.

"The concept that an individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can in some way impart the attributes of a British gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as naive and unfeasible," he stated.

"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly British tutor from infancy will does not necessarily achieve the outcome they want.

"I did not have such a tutor, and however I have been lucky enough to experience several of the experiences they aspire for their son."

He continued: "The truth is, personal identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."

Acquiring Englishness

Naturally, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be educated – and sold.

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