"Parents based in north London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified instructor to guide their most junior child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily miss the term "beginning" as mere figurative language.
But, it may be the most important part of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have already been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained interest throughout the media, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that despite initial doubt, he considered the concept "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unusual nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed the consultant they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.
The strategy: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the learning at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will adopt the UK customs they want to impart.
Adam noted the tutor must be an individual who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he adds.
But, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", might the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "They know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who express those reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who supplies individual instructors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
He wrote that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and practicing dual heritages. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can act as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can somehow transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, appears naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will not instantly produce the result they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the situation that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
