"Parents located in North London is looking for an exceptional and experienced instructor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily overlook the wording "beginning" as just figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most important aspect of this unique employment listing, as it attempts to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of responses have now been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted attention across the press, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, said that despite first scepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the unusual nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
But what does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the beginning here is rather osmotic," explained the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will adopt the UK customs they want to instil.
He explained the tutor must be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Money No Object
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", might the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", said he. "They understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who express similar reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies personal educators, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the period of seven, and had been brought up understanding and living two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can function as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can in some way transplant the attributes of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will will not instantly achieve the outcome they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the world views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
