🔗 Share this article

"A family located in north London is looking for an remarkable and qualified tutor to support their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this listing, you might easily overlook the phrase "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.

Yet, it might be the most significant part of this unique employment listing, as it aims to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.

Many of applications have since been submitted since the anonymous family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".

During the past few weeks, the post has attracted notice across the news, with many asking why?

Progressive Approach

Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that despite initial doubt, he found the plan "far sighted", and "innovative".

When he met the family, he said they understood the atypical nature of their requirement, and how young their son is.

But, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had by then taken hold".

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

It's "everything", he answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".

He explained the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they did not want history to happen again with their new baby.

The intention: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.

Osmotic Learning

"A lot of the education at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," said Adam.

It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to cultivate.

He noted the tutor must be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".

"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.

Money No Object

The family informed the expert the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.

More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection 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 view, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about achievement and open doors.

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

Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?

"Certainly", answered the CEO. "They know this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.

Overly Optimistic

Several in the private teaching field who have similar doubts.

An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."

He wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and living two backgrounds. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.

"The notion that an individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can in some way transfer the attributes of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he commented.

"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will will not necessarily produce the outcome they hope for.

"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."

He added: "The reality is, personal identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."

Purchasing UK Culture

Of course, English culture is something the CEO believes can be educated – and commercialized.

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