"Parents residing in north London is looking for an remarkable and qualified educator to guide their smallest child on his initial journey to becoming an British gentleman."
When reading this post, you might easily overlook the term "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it might be the crucial part of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to hire a teacher for a infant.
Hundreds of applications have now been sent in since the anonymous family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who has to be "an exceptional individual".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has gained notice across the media, with many questioning why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their hunt, said that notwithstanding early scepticism, he considered the idea "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the unconventional aspect of their requirement, and how early in age their son is.
But, they explained that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural bias had already become established".
What exactly did the family refer to by "cultural leaning"?
It's "everything", Adam replied. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the elder child had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family informed him they hoped to prevent the same situation to recur with their infant.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with Received Pronunciation, to shape the baby from day one.
Subtle Influence
"Much of the education at the beginning here is rather absorbed naturally," said the expert.
It's by means of this osmosis that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to instil.
The consultant noted the tutor needed to be someone who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family hope to send their son to".
"The educator must be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they don't even know they're doing, just naturally," he said.
Money No Object
The family informed him the chosen tutor should preferably also have knowledge of or passion in equestrian activities, skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of passions.
More than that though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a range of classes so the child would be "pony-riding and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, guiding their son grow into a "English gentleman" will result in achievement and create opportunities.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he comments.
Yet, notwithstanding all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child pick up so-called cultural leaning from the globally influenced family he is raised by in any case?
"Yes", said he. "The family know this might not succeed, but they've just taken the view of, 'let's give it a go and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the cost of it is irrelevant," he said.
Impractical
A number of in the education sector who share similar reservations.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of an educational organization, who provides private tutors, stated that "the development of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be experienced personally, not engineered."
The expert noted that he had moved from Asia to the Britain at the time of 7 years old, and had been raised knowing and practicing both cultures. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The idea that one individual can act as a representation of UK identity, someone who can somehow transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman to a one-year-old child, strikes me as idealistic and impractical," he commented.
"In my experience, employing a typically English tutor from infancy will does not automatically produce the result they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and however I have been lucky enough to experience many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, cultural identity cannot be forced from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must originate internally."
Purchasing UK Culture
Of course, Britishness is something Adam hopes can be educated – and sold.
"I think the situation that the global community regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
