"Parents based in north London is looking for an exceptional and qualified educator to support their most junior child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily miss the term "initial stages" as simple an expression.
However, it might be the most significant part of this unusual position posting, as it aims to find a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been sent in since the unidentified family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted notice throughout the news, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, said that notwithstanding initial skepticism, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unusual character of their demand, and how young their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then set in".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the older sibling had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they did not want the same situation to recur with their new baby.
The strategy: To engage a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the beginning here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to instil.
He said the tutor had to be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator must be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed him the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will result in accomplishment and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he adds.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child adopt so-called cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", answered Adam. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who have those concerns.
Another CEO, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides individual instructors, commented that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not manufactured."
Peter noted that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of childhood, and had been brought up understanding and living both cultures. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The concept that one individual can act as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can somehow transplant the qualities of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, having a typically English tutor from early childhood will does not automatically achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I never had that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the experiences they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, self-identity should not be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, English culture is something the CEO believes can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the situation that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
