"A family residing in north London is looking for an remarkable and experienced educator to support their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might readily overlook the term "initial stages" as simple an expression.
However, it might be the most significant part of this unique employment listing, as it aims to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of applications have already been submitted since the anonymous family published their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received interest 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, explained that despite first scepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the start here is somewhat osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor had to be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
But, despite all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", replied he. "They know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who have similar doubts.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides private tutors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
The expert noted that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the period of seven, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying both cultures. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that one individual can act as a living vessel of Britishness, an individual who can in some way impart the attributes of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a typically English tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily produce the goal they want.
"I never had such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the expert believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the situation that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
