"A household residing in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and skilled educator to support their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily skip the term "first-steps" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it could be the most important aspect of this unusual job advert, as it aims to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Many of applications have now been submitted since the unnamed family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained notice in the news, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, explained that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he considered the plan "visionary", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the atypical nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the education at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they wish to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will result in success and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he comments.
However, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied he. "The parents know this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the tutoring industry who express similar reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
The expert noted that he had relocated from China to the UK at the period of seven, and had been raised experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that a single person can function as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can possibly transfer the qualities of a English gentleman to a infant child, seems to me naive and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a typically UK tutor from early childhood will not necessarily achieve the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been lucky enough to live many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity can not be dictated from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, English culture is something the expert believes can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I think the fact that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
