"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an remarkable and experienced tutor to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally miss the wording "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the most significant part of this unique position posting, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have since been received since the anonymous family published their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted notice in the media, with several wondering why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that notwithstanding first scepticism, he considered the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unusual character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they clarified 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 age "cultural influence had by then taken hold".
What precisely did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told Adam they did not want history to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
He explained the tutor must be an individual who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family explained to him the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will bring about accomplishment and provide access.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
But, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "UK identity", might the child absorb what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he resides with anyway?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The family understand this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the cost of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
A number of in the private teaching field who express those concerns.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, stated that "the process of becoming bicultural, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not manufactured."
He explained that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the period of seven, and had been brought up understanding and practicing both cultures. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can in some way transfer the attributes of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears naive and impractical," he wrote.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly British tutor from infancy will will not instantly create the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something the expert hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the international society views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
