"A family located in north London wants to find an exceptional and qualified instructor to guide their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily miss the term "initial stages" as just figurative language.
But, it might be the crucial aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it seeks to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have already been sent in since the anonymous family published their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received attention throughout the press, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that despite first scepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the atypical aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
However, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then set in".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", he responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed him they hoped to prevent history to recur with their infant.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the learning at the start here is rather osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to impart.
He said the tutor had to be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in success and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "English culture", might the child adopt what is termed cultural influence from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", replied Adam. "The family realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who have similar doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been raised experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can possibly transplant the qualities of a English gentleman upon a infant child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a typically UK tutor from infancy will does not automatically produce the outcome they desire.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, personal identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something Adam believes can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
