"A household located in North London seeks an exceptional and experienced tutor to support their youngest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily miss the term "initial stages" as simple an expression.
However, it could be the most significant part of this unusual employment listing, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have already been received since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received notice across the news, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of early doubt, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they recognized the unusual nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family explained to the consultant they did not want history to repeat itself with their infant.
The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the education at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to cultivate.
Adam noted the tutor must be somebody who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Money No Object
The family told him the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he adds.
But, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child adopt alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "The parents know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the education sector who share similar doubts.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who supplies individual instructors, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
Peter noted that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the time of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and embodying both cultures. He progressed to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that an individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, someone who can possibly impart the attributes of a UK sophisticate to a one-year-old child, seems to me naive and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will will not necessarily produce the goal they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and however I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, self-identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the global community regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
