"A family located in north London seeks an exceptional and skilled tutor to assist their most junior child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily miss the wording "beginning" as mere figurative language.
But, it may be the crucial part of this distinctive job advert, as it aims to find a teacher for a infant.
Many of applications have since been submitted since the anonymous family posted their call for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the post has gained interest throughout the media, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their hunt, stated that despite initial doubt, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the unusual nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", he replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family informed him they wished to avoid history to recur with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who should speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is rather absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will pick up the UK customs they want to instil.
Adam explained the tutor needed to be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in riding, skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in success and open doors.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "UK identity", could the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the international family he lives with anyway?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "The parents understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who share these reservations.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He wrote that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and practicing both cultures. He went on to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can act as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can possibly transplant the attributes of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily create the result they hope for.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the reality that the world holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
