"A family residing in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified instructor to support their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might naturally overlook the wording "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
Yet, it could be the most important aspect of this unusual job advert, as it aims to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have already been received since the unnamed family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has received notice across the news, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He stated the elder child had adopted "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent history to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's via this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they aim to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", would the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Yes", answered the CEO. "The parents realize this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who share these doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the time of childhood, and had been raised knowing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a representation of English culture, a person who can in some way impart the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a distinctly British tutor from babyhood will does not automatically create the result they hope for.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to live many of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the global community views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
