"Parents residing in north London wants to find an extraordinary and qualified tutor to guide their youngest child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might naturally overlook the term "initial stages" as simple an expression.
Yet, it might be the most significant part of this unusual job advert, as it aims to find a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Hundreds of responses have already been received since the anonymous family advertised their request for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the listing has received attention in the press, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their search, said that in spite of early doubt, he found the idea "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he spoke with the family, he said they appreciated the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how immature their son is.
But, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already become established".
But what did the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural habits. The family told the consultant they wished to avoid history to happen again with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a British tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Osmotic Learning
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is somewhat absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's through this natural absorption that the family are expecting the child will adopt the British traits they wish to cultivate.
He noted the tutor must be someone who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be doing things they aren't even aware they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Money No Object
The family told Adam the selected educator should ideally also have knowledge of or passion in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and instrumental training so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
Furthermore though, he said the family desired the tutor to register the child on a range of lessons so the child would be "equestrian training and starting an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son develop into a "English gentleman" will bring about achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the rights and wrongs of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he comments.
However, notwithstanding all this instruction in "Britishness", might the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", answered Adam. "The parents know this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as soon as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he explained.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who express these doubts.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who provides private tutors, stated that "the journey of embracing two identities, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
Peter noted that he had moved from the Far East to the Britain at the time of seven, and had been raised experiencing and embodying both cultures. He went on to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that one individual can act as a representation of UK identity, a person who can in some way impart the characteristics of a English gentleman upon a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and unfeasible," he stated.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially British tutor from babyhood will not automatically achieve the goal they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and yet I have been fortunate enough to experience numerous of the opportunities they desire for their son."
He stated: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something the expert thinks can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the reality that the world views us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
