"A family residing in North London seeks an extraordinary and skilled educator to guide their youngest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily miss the wording "initial stages" as mere figurative language.
But, it might be the crucial part of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Numerous of responses have now been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
In recent few weeks, the advert has gained attention across the media, with several wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that despite first scepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he said they understood the unusual character of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had by then taken hold".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam answered. "How you eat, how you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To hire a English tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the learning at the start here is somewhat osmotic," said the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they wish to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be an individual who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", could the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Absolutely", said Adam. "The family realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who share similar reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had relocated from China to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and living both cultures. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can function as a embodiment of UK identity, someone who can in some way transplant the attributes of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, appears naive and unrealistic," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will will not automatically produce the outcome they desire.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to live several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be forced from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
