"Parents residing in North London seeks an exceptional and experienced educator to support their youngest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily skip the wording "initial stages" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it could be the crucial part of this distinctive position posting, as it attempts to recruit a mentor for a one-year-old.
Hundreds of submissions have since been sent in since the unidentified family posted their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted interest in the press, with numerous questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their search, stated that in spite of initial doubt, he viewed the idea "far sighted", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they understood the atypical aspect of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that point "cultural influence had already become established".
What precisely did the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", he answered. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the older sibling had picked up "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had taken on their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with RP, to guide the baby from day one.
Osmotic Learning
"A lot of the development at the start here is rather acquired indirectly," explained the expert.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they want to cultivate.
The consultant said the tutor had to be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Money No Object
The family told the expert the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or interest in horse riding, winter sports, creative fields and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of passions.
Furthermore though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of courses so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son become a "British gentleman" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"Considering the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
But, in spite of all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child pick up what is termed cultural bias from the globally influenced family he lives with in any case?
"Absolutely", said he. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as soon as we can', because the cost of it is not relevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express similar concerns.
Another CEO, chief executive of Blue Education, who provides personal educators, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
Peter noted that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the time of seven, and had been raised understanding and living both cultures. He went on to learn at Cambridge University.
"The notion that one individual can function as a representation of UK identity, someone who can somehow impart the characteristics of a English gentleman onto a infant child, strikes me as idealistic and unrealistic," he wrote.
"In my experience, engaging a typically English tutor from infancy will will not instantly produce the outcome they want.
"I never had such a figure, and yet I have been privileged enough to live several of the situations they aspire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, self-identity can not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, UK identity is something the CEO believes can be taught – and sold.
"I think the reality that the global community views us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
