"A household based in the northern part of London seeks an extraordinary and skilled instructor to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily miss the wording "beginning" as just figurative language.
However, it could be the most important element of this distinctive job advert, as it seeks to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of submissions have already been sent in since the unnamed family advertised their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the advert has gained attention across the news, with several wondering why?
Forward-Thinking Method
The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their search, said that despite first skepticism, he found the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they understood the atypical aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had by then taken hold".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the start here is somewhat osmotic," stated the CEO.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will acquire the British traits they aim to cultivate.
The consultant explained the tutor needed to be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Money No Object
The family informed him the chosen tutor should preferably also have understanding of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son become a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
However, notwithstanding all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child absorb what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with in any case?
"Yes", said Adam. "They realize this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who share similar reservations.
An education leader, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
The expert noted that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that an individual can function as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can possibly impart the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a infant child, seems to me idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will does not automatically create the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the fact that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
