"Parents residing in north London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced tutor to support their most junior child on his first steps to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally miss the wording "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
However, it may be the most important element of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have already been submitted since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the listing has gained notice across the press, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the unconventional nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", he replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the elder child had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is rather osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will adopt the UK customs they wish to instil.
He said the tutor had to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to him the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about success and open doors.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", would the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", said he. "The family realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who express these doubts.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides private tutors, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
He noted that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that one individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly British tutor from infancy will will not automatically create the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, English culture is something the expert believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the world views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
