"A household residing in the northern part of London wants to find an extraordinary and skilled instructor to guide their youngest child on his early path to becoming an English gentleman."
When reading this advertisement, you might easily skip the wording "first-steps" as mere a turn of phrase.
However, it may be the most significant aspect of this distinctive employment listing, as it aims to find a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Many of submissions have now been submitted since the unidentified family published their request for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received interest in the press, with several questioning why?
Progressive Approach
Adam Caller, chief executive of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, explained that in spite of early doubt, he viewed the plan "visionary", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he noted they understood the unusual character of their requirement, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already become established".
But what does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "The way you eat, the manner you speak".
He stated the elder child had adopted "very nuanced, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed the consultant they hoped to prevent the same situation to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To bring in a UK tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to guide the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the learning at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they aim to impart.
He explained the tutor needed to be somebody who attended "prestigious academies – the same kinds of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The tutor just has to be the suitable individual, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told him the successful candidate should ideally also have familiarity of or enthusiasm in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he explained the family hoped the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, assisting their son develop into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a class statement," he comments.
Yet, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", could the child pick up what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", replied he. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've simply adopted the perspective of, 'we should try and let's go as early as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the education sector who have those concerns.
Peter Cui, chief executive of an educational organization, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the journey of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, discovering oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
He explained that he had emigrated from China to the UK at the time of childhood, and had been brought up experiencing and practicing two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The idea that a single person can serve as a living vessel of Britishness, someone who can in some way impart the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a infant child, appears naive and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a typically UK tutor from early childhood will does not automatically produce the outcome they desire.
"I never had such a tutor, and however I have been fortunate enough to enjoy several of the situations they hope for their son."
He added: "The truth is, self-identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Acquiring Englishness
Certainly, English culture is something Adam thinks can be educated – and marketed.
"I think the fact that the world holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
