"A household residing in north London seeks an extraordinary and skilled educator to support their most junior child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily overlook the term "beginning" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the crucial aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the post has gained notice in the news, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, explained that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he found the concept "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they recognized the unusual nature of their request, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the firstborn had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told him they hoped to prevent history 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 right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they aim to instil.
Adam explained the tutor had to be somebody who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should preferably also have understanding of or passion in horse riding, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons 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 perspective, 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 undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
However, despite all this guidance in "English culture", might the child pick up so-called cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by regardless?
"Absolutely", answered Adam. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've merely embraced the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who share those doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He wrote that he had emigrated from China to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been brought up knowing and living two backgrounds. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can serve as a representation of UK identity, a person who can possibly impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate to a infant child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a typically UK tutor from babyhood will not automatically produce the outcome they desire.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, personal identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
