Educating an Infant to Become an 'British Gentleman' – Is It Worth the Cost?

Child education concept
The company responsible for the listing claims that what seems like "extravagance or oddity" is actually "purposeful commitment in initial education".

"Parents located in north London wants to find an extraordinary and skilled educator to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."

When reading this post, you might naturally overlook the term "initial stages" as mere an expression.

However, it may be the most significant part of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a teacher for a infant.

Many of applications have already been received since the anonymous family posted their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".

During the past few weeks, the listing has received interest throughout the media, with several questioning why?

Forward-Thinking Method

The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that despite initial scepticism, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".

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

However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had by then taken hold".

What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?

It's "everything", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".

He explained the elder child had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid history to recur with their younger child.

The plan: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.

Tutoring discussion
The tutoring agency claim the post has initiated a wider debate about how families view learning, elitism and the part of family background in learning.

Subtle Influence

"A great deal of the development at the outset here is rather absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.

It's via this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to cultivate.

Adam explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".

"The instructor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.

Expense Not a Factor

The family informed Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.

Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".

In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and open doors.

"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.

However, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by in any case?

"Certainly", said the CEO. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.

Impractical

A number of in the tutoring industry who have those reservations.

Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, wrote that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."

The expert explained that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been educated understanding and living dual heritages. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.

Peter Cui portrait
Peter Cui was the pioneer originating from China to be elected to the post of Treasurer of the university debating society.

"The concept that an individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can somehow transfer the attributes of a English gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.

"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will will not automatically create the result they want.

"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the experiences they hope for their son."

He added: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."

Buying Britishness

Certainly, Britishness is something Adam believes can be instructed – and marketed.

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

James Patterson
James Patterson

A tech journalist with over a decade of experience covering consumer electronics and digital innovation across Europe.