"Parents based in north London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified tutor to assist their most junior child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily overlook the term "beginning" as mere an expression.
But, it could be the most important element of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have since been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted interest throughout the media, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding early skepticism, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual aspect of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already set in".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is kind of osmotic," explained Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will adopt the UK customs they aim to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor must be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in riding, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
However, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", could the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The family understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who share these concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and living two backgrounds. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can act as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can somehow transplant the qualities of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"In my experience, engaging a distinctly English tutor from infancy will will not automatically create the goal they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience several of the situations they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
