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"Parents located in North London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled tutor to guide their smallest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."

Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally miss the term "beginning" as just a turn of phrase.

Yet, it may be the crucial part of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.

Hundreds of applications have since been submitted since the unidentified family posted their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".

During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted interest throughout the media, with many asking why?

Innovative Idea

A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that despite initial skepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "innovative".

When he met the family, he said they recognized the atypical aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.

But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".

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

It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "How you eat, how you speak".

He explained the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their younger child.

The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.

Subtle Influence

"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," said the CEO.

It's through this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to cultivate.

The consultant noted the tutor needed to be an individual who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".

"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.

Cost Not Relevant

The family informed him the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in riding, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of interests.

Furthermore though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and provide access.

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

But, despite all this instruction in "English culture", would the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by regardless?

"Yes", answered he. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.

Idealistic and Unrealistic

There are some in the tutoring industry who share similar reservations.

Peter Cui, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."

He noted that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been educated knowing and practicing both cultures. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.

"The notion that one individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, a person who can possibly impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a infant child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he wrote.

"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will not necessarily produce the outcome they desire.

"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live many of the opportunities they desire for their son."

He continued: "The reality is, personal identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."

Purchasing UK Culture

Naturally, English culture is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and sold.

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