"A family residing in north London seeks an extraordinary and skilled educator to support their smallest child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily skip the wording "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the crucial element of this unique job advert, as it seeks to recruit a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have since been sent in since the anonymous family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted attention throughout the press, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding initial scepticism, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had by then set in".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the English characteristics they want to instil.
Adam said the tutor needed to be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.
However, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "They understand this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express similar reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
He explained that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and practicing both cultures. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can function as a representation of Britishness, someone who can somehow transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a typically English tutor from infancy will not automatically create the outcome they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
