"A household located in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and skilled educator to support their most junior child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might easily miss the wording "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the most important aspect of this unique employment listing, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a infant.
Numerous of applications have now been sent in since the unnamed family posted their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted attention across the press, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, said that despite initial skepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he said they recognized the unusual nature of their demand, and how young their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that age "cultural bias had by then become established".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the firstborn had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family told him they did not want the same situation to repeat itself with their infant.
The strategy: To bring in a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from the very start.
Osmotic Learning
"Much of the development at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they aim to impart.
The consultant said the tutor must be an individual who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
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 picking up an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, guiding their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about success and open doors.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he notes.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "English culture", might the child adopt what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by regardless?
"Yes", replied the CEO. "They realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as early as we can', because the expense of it is not relevant," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who express these concerns.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, stated that "the process of embracing two identities, or actually, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
He wrote that he had moved from Asia to the United Kingdom at the period of seven, and had been raised understanding and embodying dual heritages. He continued to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that one individual can function as a representation of UK identity, someone who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a English gentleman to a infant child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, having a typically UK tutor from infancy will will not instantly produce the outcome they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and however I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity should not be forced from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Of course, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I think the reality that the global community views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating