"A family residing in north London is looking for an exceptional and experienced educator to guide their most junior child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily miss the phrase "beginning" as just a turn of phrase.
However, it may be the crucial part of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of responses have already been sent in since the anonymous family published their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained interest in the media, with numerous asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their quest, said that in spite of initial doubt, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had by then become established".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to the consultant they hoped to prevent this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," stated the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they aim to instil.
The consultant said the tutor must be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he adds.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child pick up alleged cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", said Adam. "The parents realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the private teaching field who have similar doubts.
Another CEO, chief executive of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter explained that he had relocated from China to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been raised knowing and living both cultures. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can serve as a representation of Britishness, someone who can in some way transplant the qualities of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will will not instantly produce the outcome they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the situations they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be educated – and sold.
"I think the fact that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
