"A household based in North London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to guide their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this listing, you might easily miss the wording "first-steps" as just figurative language.
But, it may be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it aims to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have already been submitted since the unnamed family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the advert has received attention in the news, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, explained that in spite of first doubt, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical character of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
However, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had by then set in".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed him they wished to avoid the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The strategy: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," said the expert.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will pick up the British traits they wish to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be an individual who went to "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Money No Object
The family explained to the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
But, despite all this instruction in "English culture", could the child absorb alleged cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "The family understand this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he stated.
Impractical
A number of in the tutoring industry who share similar doubts.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the journey of embracing two identities, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had relocated from Asia to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been brought up knowing and living two backgrounds. He went on to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can act as a representation of Britishness, a person who can somehow impart the attributes of a English gentleman onto a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will not instantly produce the result they hope for.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, self-identity cannot be imposed from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, English culture is something the expert believes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the reality that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
