"A household located in North London wants to find an remarkable and experienced tutor to guide their most junior child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might naturally skip the term "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
But, it might be the most important part of this unusual position posting, as it aims to find a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been received since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the listing has gained interest throughout the media, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, said that despite early doubt, he considered the concept "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with RP, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they want to instil.
Adam said the tutor must be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", replied he. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who express these reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
Peter wrote that he had moved from China to the Britain at the period of seven, and had been raised understanding and living dual heritages. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can possibly impart the characteristics of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will not instantly achieve the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the situations they desire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity should not be forced from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something Adam believes can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
