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"A household located in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and skilled educator to support their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."

Looking at this listing, you might easily skip the wording "first-steps" as mere figurative language.

But, it may be the most significant element of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a infant.

Many of applications have already been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".

During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted interest in the news, with numerous questioning why?

Progressive Approach

Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding first scepticism, he found the plan "visionary", and "progressive".

When he met the family, he said they understood the unusual nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.

But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then taken hold".

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

It's "everything", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, how you speak".

He explained the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their new baby.

The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.

Osmotic Learning

"A lot of the development at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the expert.

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

He said the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".

"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.

Cost Not Relevant

The family told him the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.

Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".

In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in success and provide access.

"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.

But, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?

"Certainly", said the CEO. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.

Overly Optimistic

Several in the tutoring industry who have those doubts.

An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."

The expert explained that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the time of seven, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.

"The concept that one individual can act as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can somehow impart the attributes of a British gentleman to a infant child, appears optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.

"From my perspective, having a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will does not automatically create the goal they desire.

"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."

He added: "The truth is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."

Buying Britishness

Certainly, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be taught – and sold.

"I think the fact that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating