"Parents residing in north London wants to find an remarkable and skilled tutor to assist their smallest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might easily overlook the wording "first-steps" as just an expression.
But, it could be the most important aspect of this unique position posting, as it aims to recruit a teacher for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of applications have since been submitted since the anonymous family posted their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has attracted interest across the press, with several wondering why?
Progressive Approach
A tutoring expert, chief executive of a global tutoring firm, which is assisting the family in their search, stated that despite early scepticism, he viewed the plan "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional nature of their demand, 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 stage "cultural bias had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family refer to by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", the expert answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He said the elder child had picked up "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural norms. The family told the consultant they did not want history to recur with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a UK tutor, who needs to speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Natural Absorption
"A lot of the education at the outset here is rather acquired indirectly," said the CEO.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they want to cultivate.
He noted the tutor needed to be somebody who studied at "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor must be the right kind of person, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and open doors.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a status symbol," he comments.
But, despite all this instruction in "Britishness", could the child pick up so-called cultural bias from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", said he. "The family realize this might not succeed, but they've merely embraced the view 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 stated.
Impractical
Several in the private teaching field who share those concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, stated that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
Peter wrote that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been raised knowing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that a single person can function as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can in some way impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate onto a 12-month-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, employing a quintessentially UK tutor from babyhood will will not automatically achieve the goal they want.
"I did not have such a tutor, and yet I have been lucky enough to live numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity should not be forced from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"In my view the situation that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
