Tutoring a Toddler to Become an 'English Gentleman' – Is It Worth the Investment?

Child education concept
The company behind the advert states that what appears like "luxury or oddity" is actually "intentional investment in early-stage instruction".

"A household based in north London wants to find an exceptional and skilled tutor to guide their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."

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

But, it may be the crucial element of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.

Numerous of submissions have already been received since the unidentified family posted their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".

During the past few weeks, the listing has received attention across the media, with several asking why?

Innovative Idea

Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, said that despite early scepticism, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "innovative".

When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.

However, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already become established".

But what did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?

It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".

He explained the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their new baby.

The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.

Tutoring discussion
The tutoring agency state the listing has sparked a larger discussion about how families perceive education, advantage and the part of cultural environment in learning.

Subtle Influence

"A lot of the education at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," explained the CEO.

It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to impart.

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

"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.

Cost Not Relevant

The family informed him the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.

More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".

In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.

"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.

But, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with anyway?

"Yes", answered Adam. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.

Overly Optimistic

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

An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."

He noted that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the time of seven, and had been brought up understanding and practicing two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.

Peter Cui portrait
Peter Cui was the first person hailing from mainland China to be chosen to the post of Finance Head of the Cambridge Union Society.

"The notion that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, an individual who can in some way transplant the qualities of a British gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he wrote.

"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will does not automatically achieve the result they desire.

"I never had such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to experience several of the opportunities they desire for their son."

He stated: "The reality is, self-identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must come from within."

Acquiring Englishness

Naturally, Britishness is something Adam believes can be instructed – and commercialized.

"I think the situation that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating

Aaron Anderson
Aaron Anderson

Award-winning journalist and political analyst with over a decade of experience covering UK and European affairs.