"A family located in north London seeks an remarkable and skilled tutor to guide their smallest child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might easily overlook the term "initial stages" as just figurative language.
However, it could be the most important element of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have now been submitted since the unidentified family published their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has gained attention in the media, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, explained that notwithstanding first skepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already become established".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," stated Adam.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will adopt the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
Adam said the tutor must be somebody who went to "prestigious academies – the same kinds 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 doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to him the successful candidate should preferably also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses 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 perspective, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he notes.
Yet, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child pick up alleged cultural bias from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "The parents know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who express these reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can somehow transplant the attributes of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will will not automatically create the result they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, self-identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
