"A family residing in north London is looking for an remarkable and skilled educator to assist their youngest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might readily overlook the term "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
However, it could be the most significant part of this unique position posting, as it attempts to recruit a tutor for a infant.
Many of submissions have now been received since the unidentified family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the post has attracted attention throughout the news, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that despite initial skepticism, he considered the concept "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they recognized the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had by then taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "The way you eat, how you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they did not want history to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To hire a English tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the start here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they want to impart.
Adam said the tutor needed to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Money No Object
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", could the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the international family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The family understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who have similar concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the time of seven, and had been brought up experiencing and living two backgrounds. He went on to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can function as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can in some way transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as naive and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, employing a typically UK tutor from infancy will not automatically produce the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been lucky enough to live many of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
