"A household based in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and experienced educator to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily skip the term "initial stages" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it might be the crucial aspect of this unique position posting, as it aims to hire a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of responses have since been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
During the past few weeks, the listing has attracted attention in the news, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that notwithstanding early skepticism, he found the plan "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how young their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert replied. "How you eat, how you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed him they did not want history to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they aim to instil.
He said the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in riding, winter sports, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son become a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "UK identity", would the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the globally influenced family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who have similar reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides private tutors, commented that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not engineered."
Peter noted that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been raised experiencing and embodying both cultures. He went on to study at Cambridge University.
"The concept that one individual can act as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can somehow transfer the qualities of a English gentleman upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"From my perspective, employing a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will will not automatically create the outcome they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the situations they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the reality that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
