"A household based in north London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified tutor to support their most junior child on his first steps to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally skip the term "first-steps" as simple an expression.
But, it might be the most important part of this unique employment listing, as it seeks to find a teacher for a infant.
Many of applications have since been received since the anonymous family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the post has attracted interest in the media, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their quest, said that in spite of first doubt, he found the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
However, they explained 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 point "cultural conditioning had by then set in".
But what did the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he replied. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had picked up "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed him they did not want this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to impart.
He said the tutor had to be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to the expert the chosen tutor should preferably also have understanding of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and music so as to shape the child in a wide range of interests.
Furthermore though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and provide access.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he resides with anyway?
"Yes", answered Adam. "The family realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who have those concerns.
An education leader, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter explained that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and embodying dual heritages. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can function as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can in some way transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will does not instantly achieve the goal they hope for.
"I never had such a figure, and however I have been fortunate enough to live many of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity can not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, UK identity is something the expert thinks can be instructed – and commercialized.
"I believe the situation that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
