"A household located in North London wants to find an exceptional and qualified tutor to support their smallest child on his initial journey to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might easily miss the phrase "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the most important element of this unique job advert, as it seeks to recruit a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of responses have now been received since the unnamed family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "someone very special".
In recent few weeks, the post has attracted attention throughout the news, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that notwithstanding first scepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he noted they appreciated the atypical nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
However, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already become established".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", he replied. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told the consultant they did not want the same situation to happen again with their infant.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is somewhat acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the British traits they want to impart.
The consultant explained the tutor had to be somebody who studied at "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told Adam the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in riding, alpine skiing, creative fields and music so as to influence the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are approximately three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "British gentleman" will lead to accomplishment and provide access.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a social class indicator," he notes.
However, despite all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child absorb so-called cultural leaning from the international family he resides with regardless?
"Certainly", said Adam. "The parents know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the tutoring industry who have these concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who also offer private tutors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
He wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the age of 7 years old, and had been raised understanding and embodying dual heritages. He went on to be educated at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can act as a embodiment of Britishness, someone who can in some way transplant the attributes of a British gentleman upon a 12-month-old child, seems to me naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"In my experience, having a quintessentially English tutor from babyhood will not automatically produce the goal they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the situations they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must be internally driven."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, UK identity is something Adam believes can be educated – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the world regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
