"A household located in North London wants to find an remarkable and skilled tutor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily miss the phrase "initial stages" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the most significant part of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a infant.
Many of applications have now been sent in since the unnamed family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained attention in the news, with numerous wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that despite initial doubt, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the atypical aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already taken hold".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family told him they did not want this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
He noted the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Yes", answered he. "They know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express these reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated experiencing and living dual heritages. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The notion that one individual can function as a representation of Britishness, a person who can possibly impart the attributes of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, employing a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will does not automatically produce the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
