"Parents based in north London seeks an remarkable and experienced tutor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally miss the term "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
Yet, it could be the crucial element of this unique job advert, as it aims to find a tutor for a infant.
Many of submissions have since been sent in since the unnamed family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained attention in the press, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that notwithstanding first skepticism, he viewed the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the atypical character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", the expert replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid history to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the start here is rather osmotic," explained Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they want to instil.
He noted the tutor must be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Money No Object
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection 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 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 social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child adopt alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express these reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been brought up understanding and living two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can act as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can in some way impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, appears naive and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a typically UK tutor from infancy will will not automatically achieve the goal they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the global community views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
