"A family residing in North London wants to find an extraordinary and skilled instructor to assist their youngest child on his early path to turning into an English gentleman."
Looking at this post, you might easily miss the term "initial stages" as simple figurative language.
But, it might be the most important aspect of this unusual position posting, as it attempts to hire a mentor for a 12-month-old.
Many of responses have now been received since the unnamed family posted their request for the £180,000 per year tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
In recent few weeks, the listing has attracted notice throughout the news, with numerous asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their hunt, stated that despite early scepticism, he found the concept "far sighted", and "progressive".
When he met the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional nature of their demand, and how immature their son is.
However, they clarified that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had waited until their elder sibling was five, and by that stage "cultural influence had already become established".
What exactly does the family indicate by "cultural leaning"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the older sibling had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had adopted their cultural habits. The family informed him they did not want history to repeat itself with their new baby.
The plan: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with RP, to shape the baby right from the beginning.
Subtle Influence
"A lot of the education at the start here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will pick up the UK customs they want to instil.
The consultant said the tutor needed to be an individual who went to "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the suitable individual, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Money No Object
The family told the expert the selected educator should ideally also have familiarity of or passion in riding, skiing, creative fields and music so as to inspire the child in a wide range of hobbies.
Additionally though, he stated the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a variety of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and picking up an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will result in achievement and open doors.
"For all the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this guidance in "English culture", might the child absorb what is termed cultural leaning from the international family he resides with in any case?
"Yes", replied Adam. "The parents know this may not work, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Idealistic and Unrealistic
There are some in the private teaching field who express similar concerns.
An education leader, chief executive of Blue Education, who supplies individual instructors, stated that "the development of becoming bicultural, or actually, forming one's identity, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert noted that he had moved from Asia to the UK at the period of childhood, and had been raised knowing and practicing two backgrounds. He went on to learn at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that one individual can act as a living vessel of UK identity, a person who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, seems to me optimistic and unfeasible," he wrote.
"Based on my background, employing a distinctly English tutor from early childhood will not automatically achieve the outcome they hope for.
"I wasn't provided with that kind of mentor, and however I have been lucky enough to experience many of the situations they hope for their son."
He added: "The reality is, personal identity can not be forced from the external environment; it must be selected, and it must be internally driven."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, UK identity is something Adam believes can be instructed – and sold.
"I think the situation that the world holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
