"A household located in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and qualified instructor to support their most junior child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the phrase "first-steps" as just an expression.
However, it may be the most important part of this unique job advert, as it attempts to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of submissions have since been sent in since the unnamed family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted interest in the press, with many wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, said that in spite of initial skepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional character of their requirement, and how young their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already set in".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they did not want history to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is somewhat osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they want to impart.
He noted the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed him the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and musical activities so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about success and provide access.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
However, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "They know this could fail, but they've just taken the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the education sector who share those doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer individual instructors, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
Peter noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been educated understanding and embodying dual heritages. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can act as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can possibly impart the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a infant child, appears optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, employing a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will does not instantly produce the result they want.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to live several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something the expert hopes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the fact that the global community views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
