"A household residing in North London wants to find an exceptional and qualified instructor to guide their smallest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally miss the phrase "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the most important part of this unique position posting, as it seeks to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of submissions have already been submitted since the unidentified family posted their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained notice in the press, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that despite early skepticism, he found the concept "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then become established".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", he responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to him they did not want the same situation to recur with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the learning at the outset here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to impart.
He explained the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Money No Object
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
But, despite all this guidance in "English culture", would the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The parents know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who have similar doubts.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He noted that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can act as a embodiment of English culture, an individual who can somehow impart the qualities of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and impractical," he wrote.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will not automatically create the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience numerous of the situations they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something the expert believes can be taught – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
