"Parents residing in North London wants to find an exceptional and qualified instructor to support their smallest child on his first steps to turning into an British gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might readily miss the term "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
However, it might be the most important aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it attempts to recruit a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have already been submitted since the unnamed family published their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained interest throughout the media, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that despite initial scepticism, he found the idea "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the unusual character of their request, and how immature their son is.
But, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that stage "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What precisely does the family indicate by "cultural bias"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the way you speak".
He said the older sibling had adopted "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they wished to avoid this pattern to repeat itself with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a British tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to influence the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the development at the start here is rather absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will pick up the British traits they wish to instil.
Adam said the tutor needed to be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or enthusiasm in horse riding, skiing, the arts and music so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of interests.
More than that though, he said the family wanted the tutor to sign up the child on a range of classes so the child would be "equestrian training and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to achievement and open doors.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he notes.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "UK identity", might the child adopt alleged cultural bias from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Certainly", said the CEO. "The parents understand this could fail, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not a concern," he stated.
Impractical
Several in the education sector who express similar concerns.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies personal educators, wrote that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He wrote that he had relocated from the Far East to the Britain at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and living dual heritages. He continued to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that one individual can function as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can in some way transplant the attributes of a British gentleman upon a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, engaging a quintessentially UK tutor from infancy will will not instantly create the outcome they desire.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and nevertheless I have been lucky enough to live several of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity should not be dictated from the outside; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Naturally, UK identity is something the expert thinks can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the fact that the global community holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
