"A family residing in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and skilled tutor to assist their most junior child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily skip the wording "initial stages" as just an expression.
Yet, it may be the most important element of this distinctive job advert, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been received since the anonymous family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted interest throughout the press, with numerous questioning why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their hunt, stated that notwithstanding first doubt, he viewed the concept "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the unusual nature of their request, and how young their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the development at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they want to instil.
Adam said the tutor had to be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Money No Object
The family explained to the expert the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "The family know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who share those concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer personal educators, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been educated knowing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that a single person can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can possibly impart the qualities of a English gentleman to a 12-month-old child, strikes me as naive and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a typically British tutor from early childhood will not necessarily achieve the result they desire.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, English culture is something Adam thinks can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the reality that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
