"Parents located in North London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified tutor to support their most junior child on his initial journey to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily overlook the wording "initial stages" as simple an expression.
But, it may be the most important part of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have now been received since the anonymous family posted their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received attention in the press, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding early doubt, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical nature of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already become established".
But what does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they did not want history to happen again with their younger child.
The strategy: To engage a UK tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the start here is rather osmotic," explained the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will adopt the English characteristics they aim to cultivate.
He explained the tutor had to be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the successful candidate should preferably also have familiarity of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and music so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in accomplishment and create opportunities.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
Yet, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the multicultural family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The parents realize this could fail, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and we should start as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who have similar doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
He explained that he had moved from China to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been raised understanding and embodying both cultures. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can serve as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can possibly impart the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, employing a typically British tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily achieve the result they desire.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the experiences they desire for their son."
He stated: "The reality is, cultural identity can not be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam believes can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the situation that the global community holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
