"A household based in north London seeks an exceptional and skilled tutor to assist their youngest child on his early path to turning into an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might easily skip the term "beginning" as just figurative language.
However, it may be the most important aspect of this unusual job advert, as it seeks to hire a tutor for a 12-month-old.
Numerous of responses have since been submitted since the unnamed family published their call for the highly paid tutor, who needs to be "someone very special".
Over the last few weeks, the advert has received attention in the press, with numerous questioning why?
Forward-Thinking Method
Adam Caller, head and founder of an education consultancy, which is supporting the family in their search, explained that notwithstanding first doubt, he viewed the plan "forward-looking", and "innovative".
When he met the family, he said they appreciated the unusual nature of their request, and how early in age their son is.
But, they clarified that they "didn't want to wait any longer" to get a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that age "cultural conditioning had by then set in".
But what did the family refer to by "cultural predisposition"?
It's "all-encompassing", Adam answered. "The manner you eat, how you speak".
He said the firstborn had picked up "extremely delicate, body language" from the family, and had taken on their cultural norms. The family told him they wished to avoid history to happen again with their younger child.
The intention: To hire a British tutor, who should speak with Received Pronunciation, to influence the baby from the very start.
Subtle Influence
"A great deal of the learning at the beginning here is kind of absorbed naturally," explained the CEO.
It's via this osmosis that the family are hoping the child will acquire the British traits they want to cultivate.
He noted the tutor needed to be someone who attended "the right kinds of schools – the same kinds 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.
Money No Object
The family explained to Adam the selected educator should ideally also have understanding of or interest in equestrian activities, alpine skiing, the arts and musical activities so as to shape the child in a diverse set of interests.
Additionally though, he said the family wanted the tutor to enrol the child on a range of classes so the child would be "horseback riding and learning an musical instrument by the time they are around three years old".
In the family's minds, guiding their son become a "British gentleman" will result in success and create opportunities.
"Taking into account the pros and cons of that, because it's undoubtedly a social class indicator," he comments.
But, notwithstanding all this instruction in "UK identity", would the child pick up so-called cultural leaning from the international family he lives with regardless?
"Certainly", answered the CEO. "The parents realize this may not work, but they've just taken the attitude of, 'we should try and we'll proceed as early as we can', because the expense of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Impractical
There are some in the education sector who have those reservations.
An education leader, head and founder of a tutoring service, who supplies personal educators, wrote that "the journey of embracing two identities, or indeed, forming one's identity, is something that must be grown into, not designed."
The expert wrote that he had moved from the Far East to the UK at the time of seven, and had been educated understanding and practicing both cultures. He continued to study at a prestigious UK institution.
"The concept that an individual can function as a representation of English culture, an individual who can possibly impart the qualities of a British gentleman onto a one-year-old child, seems to me idealistic and unrealistic," he stated.
"In my experience, having a typically British tutor from infancy will will not automatically achieve the goal they want.
"I wasn't provided with such a tutor, and nevertheless I have been privileged enough to enjoy numerous of the opportunities they aspire for their son."
He continued: "The fact is, self-identity should not be imposed from the outside influences; it must be embraced, and it must come from within."
Buying Britishness
Certainly, UK identity is something the expert thinks can be educated – and marketed.
"I believe the fact that the international society regards us in this light is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
