"A household located in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and experienced tutor to assist their youngest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might naturally miss the phrase "initial stages" as just figurative language.
But, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have already been submitted since the unidentified family posted their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained interest across the press, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding early doubt, he considered the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family told him they did not want history to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," said Adam.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they aim to instil.
He explained the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "They know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who express similar reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
The expert wrote that he had moved from China to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can act as a representation of Britishness, a person who can somehow impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, appears idealistic and impractical," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a typically UK tutor from babyhood will does not instantly create the result they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the reality that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
