"Parents residing in North London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified tutor to guide their most junior child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might readily skip the wording "initial stages" as just an expression.
Yet, it may be the most important aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it seeks to recruit a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have now been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted interest throughout the media, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their quest, stated that despite initial scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he said they recognized the unconventional character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then set in".
But what does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the older sibling had picked up "really subtle, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their infant.
The plan: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," stated the expert.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to impart.
Adam said the tutor had to be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they don't even know they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed him the selected educator should preferably also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, artistic pursuits and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
Additionally though, he stated the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and provide access.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a status symbol," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", would the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the international family he is raised by anyway?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the education sector who share these concerns.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of Blue Education, who also offer private tutors, wrote that "the process of becoming bicultural, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not manufactured."
The expert wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the age of seven, and had been educated knowing and living two backgrounds. He continued to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, an individual who can somehow impart the attributes of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially British tutor from infancy will does not necessarily create the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been privileged enough to live several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the global community regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
