"Parents located in North London seeks an remarkable and skilled instructor to assist their youngest child on his first steps to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might readily miss the wording "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
But, it could be the most important element of this unique position posting, as it attempts to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Many of responses have since been sent in since the anonymous family advertised their call for the £180k-a-year tutor, who must be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted interest across the press, with many wondering why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that despite early scepticism, he found the concept "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural bias had by then become established".
What exactly did the family indicate by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "comprehensive", he answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their infant.
The intention: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to guide the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the education at the start here is somewhat osmotic," stated the CEO.
It's via this subtle influence that the family are expecting the child will acquire the UK customs they want to instil.
He said the tutor must be an individual who went to "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Money No Object
The family informed Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in riding, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and provide access.
"Taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's certainly a class statement," he adds.
Yet, despite all this guidance in "English culture", would the child adopt what is termed cultural bias from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "They know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he said.
Impractical
There are some in the tutoring industry who express similar concerns.
Peter Cui, head and founder of a tutoring service, who provides personal educators, commented that "the journey of becoming bicultural, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had relocated from China to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and embodying both cultures. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that a single person can act as a representation of UK identity, an individual who can in some way impart the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a infant child, strikes me as naive and unrealistic," he commented.
"From my perspective, engaging a quintessentially English tutor from infancy will not automatically achieve the goal they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience several of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity can not be forced from the outside; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the expert hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I believe the reality that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
