"A household located in north London seeks an extraordinary and skilled tutor to assist their most junior child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might easily miss the phrase "initial stages" as mere an expression.
But, it may be the crucial element of this unique position posting, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of submissions have now been sent in since the anonymous family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received notice throughout the news, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, explained that in spite of initial doubt, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they recognized the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained 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 stage "cultural influence had by then set in".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they did not want history to recur with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they want to instil.
The consultant said the tutor must be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "English culture", could the child adopt alleged cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", said he. "They realize this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the tutoring industry who express similar reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
He noted that he had emigrated from China to the United Kingdom at the age of childhood, and had been educated knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can serve as a representation of Britishness, an individual who can somehow transplant the attributes of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will does not necessarily produce the result they hope for.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert hopes can be educated – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the global community regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
