"A household located in North London is looking for an exceptional and qualified educator to support their youngest child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might naturally skip the phrase "first-steps" as just figurative language.
But, it might be the most significant part of this unusual job advert, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a infant.
Numerous of applications have now been received since the unnamed family advertised their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has attracted interest in the media, with several asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he found the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the unusual nature of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had by then become established".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they aim to instil.
He noted the tutor needed to be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told him the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son become a "British gentleman" will result in success and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
But, despite all this guidance in "Britishness", might the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the private teaching field who have those doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer personal educators, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the Britain at the age of seven, and had been raised understanding and living dual heritages. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, an individual who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unfeasible," he commented.
"In my experience, employing a typically English tutor from early childhood will does not instantly produce the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a figure, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"In my view the reality that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
