"A household based in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified educator to guide their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily miss the wording "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most significant aspect of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a infant.
Numerous of responses have now been submitted since the unidentified family posted their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received interest throughout the news, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that in spite of initial skepticism, he considered the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had by then become established".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family explained to him they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the development at the start here is somewhat osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to instil.
Adam explained the tutor must be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the selected educator should preferably also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he comments.
However, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Certainly", replied the CEO. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who express similar reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of a tutoring service, who supplies personal educators, commented that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He noted that he had moved from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been raised knowing and practicing dual heritages. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a representation of UK identity, a person who can in some way transfer the qualities of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, strikes me as naive and unfeasible," he stated.
"From my perspective, having a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will does not automatically produce the goal they desire.
"I never had such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to experience many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"In my view the fact that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
