"A family residing in north London is looking for an remarkable and qualified instructor to support their most junior child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might easily overlook the wording "initial stages" as just a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the most significant part of this unusual employment listing, as it aims to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have since been received since the unidentified family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received notice throughout the news, with several asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that in spite of early doubt, he found the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they recognized the unconventional nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had already taken hold".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam replied. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family told him they wished to avoid this pattern to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they want to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor must be someone who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "Britishness", might the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered he. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who share those doubts.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies personal educators, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
The expert wrote that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been brought up understanding and living both cultures. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can function as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can possibly transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a typically British tutor from infancy will does not instantly create the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to experience many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
