"Parents residing in North London seeks an extraordinary and qualified tutor to guide their youngest child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily miss the term "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it could be the most important element of this unique position posting, as it aims to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of applications have already been sent in since the unnamed family published their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received interest across the press, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their hunt, stated that in spite of initial skepticism, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
What precisely did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told Adam they did not want this pattern to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they aim to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be an individual who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?
"Certainly", answered Adam. "The family know this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express similar doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He wrote that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can act as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can possibly impart the qualities of a British gentleman to a infant child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he stated.
"In my experience, having a distinctly UK tutor from babyhood will will not automatically produce the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
