"Parents located in North London wants to find an exceptional and experienced educator to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily miss the term "beginning" as just figurative language.
Yet, it may be the most important aspect of this unique job advert, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have already been received since the unnamed family advertised their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained interest throughout the media, with many questioning why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, stated that in spite of early skepticism, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the unusual nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the outset here is rather osmotic," stated the expert.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to impart.
Adam said the tutor must be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with anyway?
"Certainly", answered he. "The parents know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who share these doubts.
An education leader, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the age of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can in some way impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, appears optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a typically British tutor from early childhood will will not instantly create the goal they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
