"A family based in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and skilled tutor to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily overlook the term "initial stages" as just an expression.
Yet, it might be the crucial element of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have now been received since the anonymous family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted interest throughout the media, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that in spite of initial scepticism, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he mentioned they understood the atypical nature of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they did not want this pattern to recur with their new baby.
The plan: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is kind of osmotic," stated the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor must be someone who went to "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should preferably also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
But, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The family realize this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
A number of in the education sector who express these concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
He explained that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been raised knowing and living dual heritages. He continued to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can act as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can in some way impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, appears naive and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a typically UK tutor from babyhood will not necessarily create the result they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the global community views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
