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"A family based in the northern part of London wants to find an exceptional and qualified educator to support their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this post, you might naturally miss the phrase "first-steps" as just an expression.

However, it could be the most important part of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.

Hundreds of responses have already been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".

During the past few weeks, the post has gained interest in the news, with many questioning why?

Forward-Thinking Method

Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".

When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.

Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already set in".

What exactly does the family mean by "cultural bias"?

It's "everything", he replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".

He said the elder child had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed him they did not want history to repeat itself with their new baby.

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

Subtle Influence

"A lot of the learning at the start here is kind of osmotic," explained Adam.

It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they want to impart.

He noted the tutor had to be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.

Money No Object

The family informed him the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.

Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".

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

"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.

But, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", would the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the international family he lives with regardless?

"Absolutely", said the CEO. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he explained.

Impractical

There are some in the private teaching field who have those concerns.

Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."

Peter wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the period of seven, and had been brought up knowing and living both cultures. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.

"The concept that an individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can possibly transfer the qualities of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he commented.

"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will will not instantly produce the goal they desire.

"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience many of the opportunities they hope for their son."

He added: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be dictated from the outside; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."

Buying Britishness

Of course, English culture is something Adam thinks can be instructed – and marketed.

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