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"A family residing in north London is looking for an remarkable and qualified tutor to guide their smallest child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."

Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily overlook the term "first-steps" as just an expression.

Yet, it might be the most important part of this unusual employment listing, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.

Hundreds of submissions have now been received since the unidentified family advertised their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".

During the past few weeks, the post has gained notice in the press, with several asking why?

Forward-Thinking Method

Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding first skepticism, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".

When he consulted the family, he said they recognized the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how immature their son is.

Nevertheless, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".

But what does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?

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

He said the firstborn had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to him they did not want history to repeat itself with their younger child.

The plan: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby from the very start.

Natural Absorption

"A lot of the development at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," stated the CEO.

It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they aim to instil.

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

"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he added.

Expense Not a Factor

The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.

More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".

In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.

"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.

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

"Certainly", answered Adam. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.

Overly Optimistic

There are some in the private teaching field who express these concerns.

Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."

Peter noted that he had relocated from China to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and living both cultures. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.

"The notion that one individual can function as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can possibly transfer the qualities of a English gentleman upon a infant child, appears naive and unrealistic," he commented.

"In my experience, having a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will does not instantly create the outcome they hope for.

"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the experiences they aspire for their son."

He added: "The fact is, self-identity can not be imposed 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 sold.

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