"A family residing in North London is looking for an exceptional and skilled educator to assist their most junior child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily miss the wording "beginning" as just an expression.
But, it could be the most significant element of this unusual position posting, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have now been sent in since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the post has gained attention in the press, with numerous wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is assisting the family in their search, said that in spite of first scepticism, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the atypical nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already become established".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed him they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the development at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's via this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will pick up the UK customs they want to instil.
The consultant said the tutor had to be someone who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", might the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", said he. "They know this may not work, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who have those doubts.
An education leader, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He explained that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and embodying dual heritages. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a living vessel of English culture, someone who can in some way impart the characteristics of a English gentleman to a infant child, appears idealistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a typically British tutor from infancy will does not instantly produce the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be forced from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, English culture is something the expert hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
