"A family based in the northern part of London is looking for an exceptional and skilled tutor to guide their smallest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might naturally overlook the phrase "initial stages" as just figurative language.
Yet, it may be the crucial part of this unusual job advert, as it aims to recruit a tutor for a one-year-old.
Many of applications have already been submitted since the anonymous family published their request for the highly paid tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received interest throughout the media, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, stated that in spite of first scepticism, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the atypical aspect of their demand, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural bias had already set in".
What precisely did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the firstborn had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed him they wished to avoid history to repeat itself with their infant.
The plan: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the beginning here is rather acquired indirectly," stated the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they want to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Expense Not a Factor
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, creative fields and musical activities so as to shape the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
Additionally though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son become a "UK sophisticate" will lead to success and provide access.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
However, despite all this instruction in "UK identity", could the child adopt so-called cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", replied Adam. "The family understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Impractical
There are some in the private teaching field who share these concerns.
Another CEO, chief executive of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter wrote that he had relocated from Asia to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been brought up experiencing and living two backgrounds. He continued to be educated at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that one individual can act as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a infant child, strikes me as naive and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a distinctly British tutor from infancy will will not necessarily produce the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam thinks can be taught – and commercialized.
"In my view the fact that the international society holds us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
