"A household based in north London wants to find an extraordinary and qualified tutor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily miss the term "beginning" as simple an expression.
However, it may be the most important part of this unique job advert, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a infant.
Numerous of submissions have since been submitted since the unidentified family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted attention throughout the media, with numerous wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding early skepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the unusual aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's via this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to impart.
Adam noted the tutor must be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about success and create opportunities.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
However, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", answered he. "They understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who express similar doubts.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been educated understanding and living two backgrounds. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can possibly impart the qualities of a British gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly English tutor from babyhood will not instantly achieve the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
