"A household based in north London wants to find an remarkable and qualified tutor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily skip the phrase "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
Yet, it could be the most significant element of this unique position posting, as it seeks to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of responses have now been submitted since the unnamed family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received notice throughout the media, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that in spite of early skepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their request, 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 held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
But what did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To hire a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is kind of osmotic," said Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the UK customs they wish to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
But, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", answered Adam. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
Several in the private teaching field who have similar concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can possibly transplant the qualities of a English gentleman upon a infant child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a typically English tutor from babyhood will will not automatically produce the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the reality that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
