"A household located in the northern part of London seeks an remarkable and skilled instructor to assist their smallest child on his first steps to becoming an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this post, you might easily miss the wording "beginning" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it could be the most important part of this unique job advert, as it aims to hire a teacher for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have since been received since the unidentified family advertised their request for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained interest in the news, with several wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, said that despite first skepticism, he viewed the idea "forward-looking", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they understood the atypical aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the beginning here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will pick up the English characteristics they wish to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor had to be someone who studied at "prestigious academies – comparable categories of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, just naturally," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in riding, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he stated the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will result in success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, despite all this tutelage in "English culture", could the child pick up alleged cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The family realize this could fail, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who share those doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert explained that he had emigrated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated knowing and living dual heritages. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The concept that a single person can function as a living vessel of Britishness, a person who can in some way impart the qualities of a British gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly British tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily achieve the result they want.
"I never had such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to experience numerous of the experiences they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity should not be dictated from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the international society holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
