"A family located in North London wants to find an remarkable and skilled tutor to support their most junior child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might naturally miss the wording "initial stages" as just an expression.
But, it could be the most significant element of this unique employment listing, as it aims to hire a mentor for a infant.
Numerous of applications have since been received since the anonymous family posted their search for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted interest across the media, with many asking why?
Progressive Approach
The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that notwithstanding initial doubt, he found the plan "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional character of their request, and how young their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their elder sibling was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family explained to him they hoped to prevent this pattern to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the development at the start here is somewhat acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor had to be an individual who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The instructor must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in riding, skiing, creative fields and instrumental training so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of passions.
Additionally though, he said the family desired the tutor to enrol the child on a selection of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he adds.
Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", could the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Certainly", answered Adam. "The parents understand this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the education sector who share these doubts.
An education leader, chief executive of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
Peter explained that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the time of seven, and had been brought up knowing and living two backgrounds. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a representation of UK identity, a person who can possibly transfer the qualities of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and impractical," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will does not necessarily create the goal they desire.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to experience numerous of the experiences they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, personal identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, English culture is something Adam hopes can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the situation that the international society regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
