"Parents residing in North London seeks an exceptional and qualified tutor to support their youngest child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily miss the term "initial stages" as simple an expression.
But, it may be the most important element of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of responses have since been submitted since the unidentified family advertised their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has received notice in the media, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that in spite of first doubt, he viewed the concept "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical aspect of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained 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 age "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed him they hoped to prevent the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they aim to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be somebody who attended "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in horse riding, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to success and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
However, despite all this tutelage in "UK identity", would the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?
"Yes", answered Adam. "The family know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who express similar concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter wrote that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been educated experiencing and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can serve as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can possibly impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a distinctly UK tutor from babyhood will not instantly produce the goal they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something the expert believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the international society views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
