"A household located in north London wants to find an exceptional and qualified instructor to guide their most junior child on his initial journey to growing into an English gentleman."
Looking at this advertisement, you might readily skip the phrase "first-steps" as simple a turn of phrase.
But, it could be the most important part of this unique job advert, as it aims to find a tutor for a infant.
Hundreds of responses have now been submitted since the anonymous family posted their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
During the past few weeks, the advert has received interest throughout the news, with several asking why?
Innovative Idea
The CEO, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is helping the family in their hunt, stated that despite initial scepticism, he considered the plan "forward-looking", and "advanced".
When he spoke with the family, he mentioned they appreciated the unconventional nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to get a tutor, as they had waited until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already taken hold".
But what does the family mean by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "How you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had absorbed "really subtle, body language" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family told him they wished to avoid this pattern to recur with their younger child.
The strategy: To hire a UK tutor, who must speak with RP, to shape the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the development at the outset here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained Adam.
It's through this subtle influence that the family are aiming the child will acquire the UK customs they want to cultivate.
Adam explained the tutor must be somebody who studied at "the right kinds of schools – comparable categories of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The educator just has to be the right kind of person, they'll be doing things they may not realize they're doing, simply by nature," he said.
Cost Not Relevant
The family informed Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have understanding of or interest in equestrian activities, skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to influence the child in a wide range of interests.
More than that though, he said the family hoped the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "pony-riding and starting an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's view, helping their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to achievement and create opportunities.
"Considering the pros and cons of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "Britishness", would the child absorb so-called cultural influence from the multicultural family he resides with regardless?
"Yes", said the CEO. "They realize this might not succeed, but they've simply adopted the attitude of, 'we should try and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he said.
Overly Optimistic
There are some in the private teaching field who share these reservations.
Another CEO, head and founder of Blue Education, 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 designed."
He noted that he had emigrated from Asia to the UK at the age of childhood, and had been educated understanding and embodying both cultures. He continued to study at the University of Cambridge.
"The notion that an individual can serve as a embodiment of UK identity, a person who can in some way transfer the characteristics of a English gentleman to a infant child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he stated.
"Based on my background, having a typically British tutor from infancy will will not automatically produce the goal they want.
"I never had such a figure, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy many of the experiences they aspire for their son."
He added: "The reality is, cultural identity should not be imposed from the external environment; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Acquiring Englishness
Naturally, UK identity is something Adam hopes can be instructed – and marketed.
"In my view the reality that the international society regards us in this regard is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
