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London family seeks £180k tutor to shape one-year-old into 'British gentleman'
A north London family is offering £180,000 annually for a tutor to instill British cultural traits in their one-year-old son, aiming to mold him into an "English gentleman" from infancy. The unusual job posting, handled by Tutors International, has drawn hundreds of applicants and widespread media attention.
Why start at one year old?
The family, who remain anonymous, told Adam Caller, CEO of Tutors International, they wanted to avoid repeating what they saw as a mistake with their older child. By waiting until age five to hire a tutor, they believed "cultural bias had already set in."
"It's everything-the way you eat, the way you speak," Caller explained. The family observed their elder child absorbing subtle, non-verbal cultural cues from them and now seek to preempt this with their youngest.
Requirements: Received pronunciation and elite schooling
The ideal candidate must speak with received pronunciation and have attended "the right kinds of schools"-those the family aspires to for their son. The tutor's influence is expected to be "osmotic," shaping the child's behavior through daily interaction.
Beyond accent and mannerisms, the tutor should introduce the child to horse-riding, skiing, the arts, and music, with the goal of having him "pony-riding and picking up an instrument by age three." The family views these traits as gateways to future success, despite acknowledging the class implications.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a class statement."
Adam Caller, Tutors International
Criticism: Can 'Britishness' be engineered?
Peter Cui, CEO of Blue Education and a Cambridge graduate who moved from China to the UK at age seven, called the approach "idealistic and unrealistic." In a blog post, he argued cultural identity "must be chosen, and it must come from within," not imposed by a tutor.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live many of the experiences they aspire for their son," Cui wrote, emphasizing that biculturalism develops through lived experience, not instruction.
Market for 'Britishness': Etiquette academies thrive
The demand for British cultural training extends beyond tutoring. Laura Windsor, founder of the Etiquette Academy, teaches clients-primarily international business professionals-how to navigate British social norms, from afternoon tea to conversation etiquette.
"Being polite means you respect other people," Windsor said. "When you make people feel important, you're liked, and that opens doors." While she rarely works with infants, she agreed that starting at age one could embed manners as innate behavior rather than learned adjustments.
Alternative approach: Rejecting the 'British straitjacket'
Not all parents share this goal. Daniel (a pseudonym), who employs a "super-tutor" for his three children, criticized the UK school system as "not fit for purpose." His family prioritizes emotional intelligence and adaptability over traditional British etiquette, even planning to relocate abroad with their tutor next year.
With private school fees rising-exacerbated by January's VAT increase-Daniel argued that hiring a top-tier tutor for three children now costs comparably to tuition. "My kids could have one-20th of a very average person's attention in school, or one-third of an exceptional person's," he said. "It's a no-brainer."
Uncertainty and experimentation
Caller admitted the family's plan may fail, as the child could still absorb cultural influences from his international household. Yet they view the £180,000 annual investment as worthwhile. "The cost of it is not relevant," Caller said. "They've taken the view of, 'Let's give it a go, and let's go as early as we can.'"
For now, the search continues for a tutor willing-and able-to shape a toddler's future through received pronunciation, polo lessons, and the elusive art of British gentlemanhood.
