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"A household located in north London seeks an extraordinary and experienced tutor to support their most junior child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."

Upon seeing this post, you might easily miss the phrase "first-steps" as mere figurative language.

However, it may be the most important part of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.

Hundreds of applications have already been received since the anonymous family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".

In recent few weeks, the advert has gained attention across the news, with numerous asking why?

Forward-Thinking Method

Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that in spite of initial scepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".

When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual character of their demand, and how immature their son is.

Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".

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

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

He explained the elder child had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid history to happen again with their infant.

The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.

Subtle Influence

"Much of the education at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," said the CEO.

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

Adam noted the tutor had to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".

"The instructor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.

Expense Not a Factor

The family informed Adam the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.

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

In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.

"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.

But, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?

"Certainly", said he. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.

Idealistic and Unrealistic

There are some in the education sector who share these concerns.

An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."

Peter explained that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.

"The concept that one individual can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can in some way impart the attributes of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, appears naive and impractical," he commented.

"Based on my background, having a typically English tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily achieve the outcome they desire.

"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the situations they hope for their son."

He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."

Acquiring Englishness

Of course, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and marketed.

"I believe the situation that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating