"A household based in North London wants to find an remarkable and skilled tutor to support their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally miss the term "beginning" as just figurative language.
But, it could be the most important aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been sent in since the anonymous family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained interest in the press, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that in spite of initial doubt, he viewed the concept "visionary", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unusual nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", the expert responded. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told him they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the British traits they wish to impart.
The consultant said the tutor had to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting 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 class statement," he adds.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", answered he. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who express similar reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the time of childhood, and had been raised understanding and living dual heritages. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can function as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can possibly transfer the qualities of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"From my perspective, having a distinctly British tutor from infancy will will not instantly produce the outcome they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to live numerous of the experiences they hope 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."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something Adam thinks can be educated – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
