"Parents based in the northern part of London wants to find an remarkable and qualified educator to support their most junior child on his initial journey to growing into an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily overlook the term "beginning" as mere a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most important part of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a one-year-old.
Numerous of submissions have since been sent in since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has gained attention throughout the press, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that in spite of early doubt, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the unconventional nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He stated the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor must be somebody who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in horse riding, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Certainly", answered the CEO. "They know this could fail, but they've merely embraced the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
Several in the tutoring industry who express these reservations.
Peter Cui, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the development of embracing two identities, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter noted that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the time of seven, and had been raised understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can act as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can in some way transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly UK tutor from infancy will will not instantly create the outcome they hope for.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to live many of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, Britishness is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
