"A family based in North London wants to find an exceptional and qualified educator to support their most junior child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
Upon seeing this advertisement, you might naturally overlook the phrase "first-steps" as just figurative language.
But, it might be the most important part of this unique position posting, as it attempts to find a tutor for a infant.
Numerous of applications have now been submitted since the anonymous family published their search for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "an exceptional individual".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received attention in the press, with many asking why?
Forward-Thinking Method
A tutoring expert, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their hunt, explained that despite early scepticism, he found the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he consulted the family, he said they understood the unconventional nature of their requirement, and how young their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to engage a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural conditioning had by then become established".
What exactly did the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "everything", the expert answered. "How you eat, the way you speak".
He explained the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, non-verbal cues" from the family, and had taken on their cultural habits. The family informed him they hoped to prevent history to happen again with their new baby.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who must speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from the very start.
Natural Absorption
"A great deal of the education at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," stated the expert.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are hoping the child will acquire the UK customs they wish to cultivate.
He said the tutor had to be someone who attended "the appropriate educational institutions – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be performing things they aren't even aware they're doing, simply by nature," he commented.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed him the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or interest in horse riding, skiing, artistic pursuits and instrumental training so as to influence the child in a broad spectrum of passions.
Additionally though, he explained the family wanted the tutor to register the child on a variety of lessons so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an tool by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's perspective, helping their son grow into a "UK sophisticate" will lead to accomplishment and open doors.
"For all the pros and cons of that, because it's certainly a social class indicator," he adds.
However, in spite of all this tutelage in "Britishness", would the child absorb alleged cultural influence from the multicultural family he is raised by in any case?
"Absolutely", replied Adam. "The family understand this might not succeed, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'why not attempt it and we should start as quickly as we can', because the price of it is not relevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who have these concerns.
Another CEO, CEO and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies private tutors, wrote that "the process of embracing two identities, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be lived into, not designed."
The expert explained that he had relocated from China to the UK at the age of seven, and had been raised understanding and practicing dual heritages. He progressed to learn at a prestigious UK institution.
"The notion that an individual can act as a representation of Britishness, a person who can possibly transplant the characteristics of a English gentleman to a infant child, appears idealistic and unrealistic," he commented.
"In my experience, employing a typically UK tutor from early childhood will does not automatically achieve the goal they desire.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been fortunate enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they hope for their son."
He stated: "The truth is, self-identity cannot be dictated from the outside influences; it must be selected, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, Britishness is something Adam thinks can be taught – and marketed.
"I think the fact that the world regards us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
