"A family residing in North London seeks an remarkable and experienced instructor to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily overlook the wording "initial stages" as mere an expression.
Yet, it may be the most important element of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to find a mentor for a infant.
Many of submissions have since been sent in since the unidentified family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained attention in the news, with several asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of first doubt, he considered the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional nature of their request, and how young their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already become established".
What precisely did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they wished to avoid history to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the learning at the beginning here is kind of osmotic," explained Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they wish to instil.
He explained the tutor had to be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Money No Object
The family explained to him the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", could the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the globally influenced family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", said the CEO. "The parents know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as early as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the education sector who have similar reservations.
An education leader, chief executive of a tutoring service, who also offer personal educators, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
Peter explained that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and living two backgrounds. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can act as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can possibly impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a infant child, strikes me as naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a typically UK tutor from babyhood will does not instantly create the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, personal identity can not be imposed from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
