"A family residing in north London is looking for an exceptional and qualified tutor to guide their most junior child on his early path to growing into an English gentleman."
Upon seeing this listing, you might easily skip the phrase "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
Yet, it may be the most important aspect of this distinctive position posting, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a infant.
Many of applications have now been submitted since the anonymous family published their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the listing has attracted interest across the press, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, CEO and founder of an education consultancy, which is assisting the family in their quest, explained that in spite of early scepticism, he considered the concept "visionary", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they understood the unconventional aspect of their request, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they clarified that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had already set in".
What precisely does the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "The way you eat, the way you speak".
He stated the elder child had absorbed "very nuanced, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed Adam they hoped to prevent history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The plan: To bring in a English tutor, who needs to speak with RP, to influence the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the education at the outset here is rather absorbed naturally," stated Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the English characteristics they want to impart.
The consultant said the tutor must be somebody who studied at "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The tutor simply needs to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family explained to Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, winter sports, creative fields and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he said the family hoped the tutor to register the child on a selection of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's minds, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he notes.
However, in spite of all this guidance in "Britishness", could the child pick up what is termed cultural influence from the multicultural family he lives with anyway?
"Absolutely", replied the CEO. "The parents realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and let's go as quickly as we can', because the expense of it is not a concern," he said.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
Several in the private teaching field who have those doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of Blue Education, who supplies private tutors, commented that "the development of adopting dual cultures, or in fact, becoming oneself, is something that must be grown into, not engineered."
The expert explained that he had relocated from the Far East to the UK at the period of 7 years old, and had been educated understanding and embodying both cultures. He progressed to study at Cambridge University.
"The idea that a single person can act as a embodiment of English culture, a person who can in some way transplant the characteristics of a British gentleman onto a 12-month-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a typically English tutor from early childhood will will not necessarily create the result they want.
"I never had such a figure, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to live many of the situations they desire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, personal identity cannot be forced from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Naturally, English culture is something the CEO hopes can be taught – and marketed.
"I believe the reality that the international society holds us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
