"A family residing in north London wants to find an extraordinary and experienced instructor to assist their most junior child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily skip the phrase "beginning" as just an expression.
But, it might be the most important part of this distinctive position posting, as it aims to find a tutor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of responses have now been received since the anonymous family advertised their search for the highly paid tutor, who must be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received interest throughout the press, with numerous asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of a global tutoring firm, which is helping the family in their hunt, stated that notwithstanding early scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their demand, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already set in".
What precisely does the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", he replied. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family informed Adam they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The strategy: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the education at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's through this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
The consultant noted the tutor must be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to him the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
Additionally though, he stated the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in success and create opportunities.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
However, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", answered the CEO. "The family understand this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the education sector who share these reservations.
Peter Cui, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who also offer individual instructors, wrote that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He wrote that he had emigrated from the Far East to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, and had been raised understanding and practicing both cultures. He continued to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can function as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can possibly transfer the characteristics of a British gentleman to a one-year-old child, appears naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from early childhood will not necessarily produce the result they want.
"I never had such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to enjoy several of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity should not be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be educated – and sold.
"In my view the fact that the global community views us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
