"Parents based in north London wants to find an remarkable and experienced educator to support their most junior child on his early path to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might readily skip the term "beginning" as mere figurative language.
However, it may be the crucial part of this unusual job advert, as it aims to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of applications have now been sent in since the unnamed family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received attention in the press, with several wondering why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their hunt, said that despite initial scepticism, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural influence had already become established".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the learning at the start here is kind of osmotic," said Adam.
It's by means of this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they wish to impart.
He explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Money No Object
The family explained to him the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son become a "English gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "English culture", could the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Certainly", answered the CEO. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who share these reservations.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, stated that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
Peter wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the period of childhood, and had been raised understanding and living both cultures. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that a single person can act as a embodiment of Britishness, an individual who can in some way transplant the qualities of a English gentleman onto a infant child, seems to me optimistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will will not instantly create the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
