"Parents based in north London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced educator to guide their smallest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might readily skip the phrase "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
But, it might be the most important part of this unique position posting, as it aims to find a tutor for a infant.
Numerous of submissions have since been received since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has received notice in the media, with several questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, said that despite initial skepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "progressive".
When he consulted the family, he noted they understood the unconventional character of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already set in".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural ways. The family told Adam they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the outset here is rather osmotic," said the CEO.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to impart.
Adam explained the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.
However, despite all this guidance in "English culture", could the child adopt what is termed cultural bias from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "They know this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who express similar concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, wrote that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
He wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the time of seven, and had been brought up understanding and living both cultures. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that a single person can act as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can in some way transfer the qualities of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, strikes me as naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"From my perspective, having a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily create the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the reality that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
