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"A household based in north London wants to find an exceptional and skilled instructor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."

Looking at this advertisement, you might readily skip the phrase "beginning" as mere figurative language.

But, it may be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it attempts to find a teacher for a one-year-old.

Hundreds of responses have already been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".

Over the last few weeks, the advert has received interest throughout the media, with numerous asking why?

Innovative Idea

Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that despite initial scepticism, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "innovative".

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

However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".

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

It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".

He explained the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family told him they did not want this pattern to happen again with their younger child.

The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.

Natural Absorption

"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," said the CEO.

It's by means of this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will adopt the UK customs they aim to impart.

Adam explained the tutor must be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".

"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.

Money No Object

The family informed Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of interests.

Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".

In the family's minds, guiding their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and provide access.

"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.

However, in spite of all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?

"Yes", replied the CEO. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.

Impractical

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

An education leader, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."

He wrote that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and living dual heritages. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.

"The concept that one individual can act as a living vessel of UK identity, an individual who can somehow transplant the attributes of a English gentleman onto a infant child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he commented.

"From my perspective, having a typically English tutor from babyhood will does not automatically achieve the outcome they desire.

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

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

Purchasing UK Culture

Of course, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and sold.

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