Coaching an Infant to Develop into an 'English Gentleman' – Is It Worth the Money?

Child education concept
The organization responsible for the advert claims that what seems like "extravagance or peculiarity" is actually "deliberate investment in initial education".

"A household residing in North London is looking for an exceptional and experienced instructor to support their youngest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."

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

But, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual position posting, as it aims to find a teacher for a one-year-old.

Many of responses have now been submitted since the anonymous family posted their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".

In recent few weeks, the post has gained interest across the press, with numerous questioning why?

Forward-Thinking Method

Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that despite first scepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "advanced".

When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the atypical nature of their request, and how young their son is.

However, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".

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

It's "everything", he answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".

He stated the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their infant.

The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.

Tutoring discussion
Tutors International claim the post has started a broader discussion about how families view learning, privilege and the function of home and culture in education.

Osmotic Learning

"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.

It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the British traits they want to impart.

Adam explained the tutor must be someone who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".

"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.

Expense Not a Factor

The family explained to him the selected educator should preferably also have familiarity of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.

Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".

In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.

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

Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "UK identity", could the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the international family he is raised by anyway?

"Absolutely", replied he. "They understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.

Overly Optimistic

A number of in the private teaching field who share similar reservations.

Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who provides private tutors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."

The expert noted that he had moved from China to the Britain at the age of seven, and had been educated knowing and living two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.

Peter Cui portrait
The educator was the pioneer born in China to be selected to the post of Treasurer of the Cambridge Union Society.

"The idea that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, an individual who can in some way impart the attributes of a English gentleman onto a infant child, seems to me naive and impractical," he stated.

"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will not automatically create the result they want.

"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the situations they hope for their son."

He continued: "The truth is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."

Purchasing UK Culture

Of course, UK identity is something the expert believes can be instructed – and commercialized.

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

Jeffrey Strickland
Jeffrey Strickland

A financial analyst with over a decade of experience in global banking and credit card markets, specializing in consumer finance strategies.