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"Parents based in North London wants to find an extraordinary and qualified instructor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."

Looking at this post, you might easily skip the phrase "first-steps" as just figurative language.

Yet, it could be the most important element of this unusual employment listing, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.

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

During the past few weeks, the post has gained attention in the media, with many asking why?

Forward-Thinking Method

The CEO, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that in spite of first doubt, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".

When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the atypical character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.

But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already set in".

What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?

It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".

He stated the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to him they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.

The plan: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from the very start.

Natural Absorption

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

It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to instil.

The consultant said the tutor must be somebody who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.

Cost Not Relevant

The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.

Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of classes 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 develop into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and provide access.

"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.

Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?

"Yes", replied he. "They know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view 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.

Idealistic and Unrealistic

There are some in the education sector who share similar doubts.

Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."

He noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and embodying dual heritages. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.

"The concept that a single person can function as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can possibly impart the attributes of a British gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he wrote.

"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will not automatically create the result they hope for.

"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."

He stated: "The truth is, self-identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."

Acquiring Englishness

Certainly, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and sold.

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