"Parents residing in North London is looking for an exceptional and experienced instructor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily miss the term "beginning" as mere figurative language.
Yet, it may be the crucial aspect of this unique position posting, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have now been submitted since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received interest across the press, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, stated that despite early skepticism, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he said they appreciated the unusual aspect of their requirement, and how young their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What precisely did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family explained to him they did not want the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to instil.
He said the tutor must be somebody who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or passion in riding, winter sports, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about success and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he notes.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", said Adam. "The parents understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who have those doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been raised knowing and living both cultures. He progressed to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, an individual who can somehow transfer the qualities of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, employing a typically UK tutor from babyhood will does not necessarily create the outcome they hope for.
"I never had such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to live many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something Adam believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
