Coaching a Baby to Grow into an 'English Gentleman' – Is It Worth the Investment?

Child education concept
The firm behind the listing states that what seems like "extravagance or peculiarity" is actually "deliberate commitment in initial instruction".

"A family located in North London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced educator to support their most junior child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."

Looking at this listing, you might easily miss the term "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.

But, it might be the most significant element of this unique position posting, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.

Many of responses have already been sent in since the anonymous family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".

In recent few weeks, the post has gained notice across the press, with several wondering why?

Forward-Thinking Method

The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite first scepticism, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "advanced".

When he met the family, he said they appreciated the atypical nature of their request, and how immature their son is.

Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already become established".

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

It's "everything", Adam responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".

He stated the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to him they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.

The intention: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.

Tutoring discussion
The education firm claim the listing has initiated a larger discussion about how parents view learning, elitism and the role of family background in education.

Osmotic Learning

"Much of the development at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.

It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they want to cultivate.

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

"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.

Money No Object

The family informed Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.

More than that though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and open doors.

"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.

However, despite all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?

"Certainly", answered he. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he explained.

Impractical

A number of in the tutoring industry who share similar reservations.

Peter Cui, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."

The expert noted that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been educated knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.

Peter Cui portrait
The educator was the pioneer born in the People's Republic of China to be elected to the role of Treasurer of the Cambridge Union.

"The concept that a single person can function as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can possibly impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he commented.

"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly British tutor from infancy will will not necessarily achieve the goal they want.

"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live many of the opportunities they aspire for their son."

He stated: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must come from within."

Buying Britishness

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

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

Elizabeth Quinn
Elizabeth Quinn

Eleanor Vance is a disability rights advocate and writer with over a decade of experience in social policy and inclusion initiatives across the UK.