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"A family located in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and experienced educator to support their smallest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily overlook the wording "first-steps" as simple figurative language.

However, it could be the most significant element of this distinctive employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a infant.

Hundreds of responses have since been received since the unnamed family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "someone very special".

During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted attention across the news, with numerous wondering why?

Innovative Idea

A tutoring expert, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that in spite of initial scepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "innovative".

When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unusual aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.

But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had by then become established".

But what did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?

It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".

He stated the elder child had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their new baby.

The intention: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.

Osmotic Learning

"A lot of the learning at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," explained the expert.

It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they wish to cultivate.

Adam said the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.

Money No Object

The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.

Furthermore though, he said the family wanted 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 view, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and open doors.

"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he notes.

However, despite all this guidance in "English culture", could the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?

"Certainly", answered he. "The parents understand this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.

Impractical

There are some in the private teaching field who share those reservations.

Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."

Peter noted that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to study at the University of Cambridge.

"The idea that one individual can function as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can somehow transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he stated.

"In my experience, having a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will does not automatically achieve the result they hope for.

"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to experience many of the experiences they desire for their son."

He continued: "The truth is, self-identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."

Acquiring Englishness

Of course, English culture is something the expert believes can be instructed – and sold.

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