"A family located in North London is looking for an extraordinary and qualified educator to assist their smallest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might easily skip the term "beginning" as just a turn of phrase.
But, it may be the most important part of this distinctive job advert, as it attempts to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of applications have already been submitted since the unnamed family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who has to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has gained attention in the media, with many questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is helping the family in their search, said that notwithstanding early doubt, he viewed the concept "far sighted", and "advanced".
When he met the family, he noted they recognized the unusual character of their requirement, and how young their son is.
Nevertheless, they explained that they "preferred not to postpone any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had held off until their older child was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already taken hold".
What exactly does the family mean by "cultural leaning"?
It's "all-encompassing", he responded. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the elder child had absorbed "extremely delicate, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had assumed their cultural norms. The family told Adam they did not want history to repeat itself with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a English tutor, who should speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the learning at the start here is somewhat absorbed naturally," said the CEO.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they aim to cultivate.
He said the tutor must be someone who studied at "the right kinds of schools – similar types of schools as the family plan to send their son to".
"The educator must be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they may not realize they're doing, effortlessly," he commented.
Expense Not a Factor
The family told the expert the chosen tutor should ideally also have familiarity of or interest in equestrian activities, winter sports, artistic pursuits and music so as to influence the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
Furthermore though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an tool by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, helping their son develop into a "UK sophisticate" will bring about achievement and open doors.
"Taking into account the rights and wrongs of that, because it's undoubtedly a status symbol," he adds.
However, in spite of all this instruction in "English culture", might the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Absolutely", said he. "The family know this could fail, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as early as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he stated.
Overly Optimistic
Several in the private teaching field who have those doubts.
An education leader, head and founder of an educational organization, who also offer private tutors, stated that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or actually, discovering oneself, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
Peter explained that he had emigrated from the Far East to the Britain at the age of childhood, and had been educated understanding and embodying two backgrounds. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can act as a living vessel of English culture, an individual who can somehow transplant the qualities of a UK sophisticate onto a one-year-old child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"Based on my background, having a quintessentially British tutor from early childhood will does not necessarily produce the goal they want.
"I did not have such a figure, and yet I have been lucky enough to live many of the experiences they hope for their son."
He added: "The fact is, cultural identity cannot be imposed from the external environment; it must be chosen, and it must be internally driven."
Acquiring Englishness
Of course, UK identity is something Adam believes can be taught – and commercialized.
"I believe the situation that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
