"A family located in North London seeks an extraordinary and experienced educator to support their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily miss the wording "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most important aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to hire a mentor for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained notice across the press, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their hunt, stated that despite first skepticism, he found the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional character of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed him they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the education at the outset here is rather osmotic," stated the CEO.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they aim to cultivate.
He noted the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", could the child pick up so-called cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "The family understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who express those concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He explained that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the period of seven, and had been brought up understanding and living both cultures. He went on to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can somehow impart the attributes of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, having a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will will not instantly achieve the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the situations they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the fact that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
