"Parents based in the northern part of London is looking for an extraordinary and experienced tutor to support their smallest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily miss the phrase "beginning" as simple figurative language.
But, it might be the most important element of this unusual job advert, as it attempts to find a teacher for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have now been sent in since the anonymous family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted attention across the news, with several wondering why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that despite first doubt, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the start here is somewhat osmotic," said the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the UK customs they want to instil.
The consultant said the tutor must be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical 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 success and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he comments.
However, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", said he. "The parents know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who express those concerns.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
Peter wrote that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and living dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, a person who can possibly transplant the attributes of a British gentleman onto a infant child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will not necessarily create the outcome they desire.
"I never had such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, English culture is something Adam hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
