"A family based in North London is looking for an extraordinary and skilled educator to assist their most junior child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally overlook the wording "initial stages" as simple an expression.
However, it may be the crucial element of this unique job advert, as it aims to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have already been received since the unnamed family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted notice in the press, with numerous wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that notwithstanding initial scepticism, he considered the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the unusual character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already taken hold".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the development at the beginning here is somewhat osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he adds.
However, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who have these concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He explained that he had moved from China to the Britain at the time of childhood, and had been raised understanding and embodying both cultures. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can function as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a distinctly British tutor from infancy will will not automatically produce the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, personal identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"In my view the reality that the international society views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
