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"Parents based in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and experienced tutor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally miss the phrase "initial stages" as just an expression.

However, it could be the most significant element of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.

Numerous of applications have already been sent in since the anonymous family posted their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".

In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted notice throughout the press, with many asking why?

Forward-Thinking Method

Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, said that despite initial doubt, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".

When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unconventional character of their request, and how early in age their son is.

However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".

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

It's "everything", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, how you speak".

He stated the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their younger child.

The strategy: To engage a UK tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.

Natural Absorption

"A great deal of the learning at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.

It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they aim to impart.

The consultant explained the tutor needed to be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".

"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.

Expense Not a Factor

The family explained to him the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.

More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.

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

But, despite all this instruction in "English culture", might the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by anyway?

"Yes", answered the CEO. "The family know this may not work, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.

Impractical

There are some in the education sector who express those concerns.

An education leader, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."

He noted that he had relocated from China to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised experiencing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to be educated at the University of Cambridge.

"The notion that a single person can serve as a representation of English culture, someone who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he stated.

"In my experience, employing a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily create the outcome they desire.

"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience several of the experiences they aspire for their son."

He stated: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."

Buying Britishness

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

"I believe the reality that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating