"A family residing in North London seeks an extraordinary and qualified educator to assist their youngest child on his early path to growing into an British gentleman."
Looking at this listing, you might readily skip the wording "first-steps" as simple figurative language.
But, it might be the most important aspect of this distinctive job advert, as it seeks to hire a mentor for a infant.
Many of submissions have now been sent in since the unnamed family posted their search for the £180k-a-year tutor, who needs to be "a uniquely qualified person".
Over the last few weeks, the post has attracted attention in the news, with many asking why?
Innovative Idea
Adam Caller, chief executive of Tutors International, which is supporting the family in their quest, stated that in spite of first scepticism, he found the idea "visionary", and "innovative".
When he spoke with the family, he noted they appreciated the unconventional character of their demand, and how early in age their son is.
Nevertheless, they stated that they "were unwilling to delay any longer" to hire a tutor, as they had postponed until their firstborn was five, and by that point "cultural bias had already taken hold".
But what did the family mean by "cultural bias"?
It's "comprehensive", Adam responded. "The manner you eat, the manner you speak".
He said the firstborn had adopted "extremely delicate, unspoken signals" from the family, and had assumed their cultural ways. The family explained to the consultant they did not want the same situation to recur with their younger child.
The intention: To engage a English tutor, who needs to speak with standard English accent, to guide the baby from day one.
Natural Absorption
"Much of the education at the outset here is kind of acquired indirectly," explained Adam.
It's by means of this natural absorption that the family are aiming the child will adopt the British traits they aim to instil.
The consultant said the tutor must be an individual who attended "prestigious academies – similar types of schools as the family aspire to send their son to".
"The instructor simply needs to be the appropriate candidate, they'll be carrying out things they don't even know they're doing, effortlessly," he added.
Cost Not Relevant
The family told Adam the chosen tutor should ideally also have knowledge of or enthusiasm in horse riding, winter sports, the arts and musical activities so as to inspire the child in a diverse set of hobbies.
More than that though, he explained the family desired the tutor to sign up the child on a range of courses so the child would be "equestrian training and learning an instrument by the time they are about three years old".
In the family's view, assisting their son grow into a "British gentleman" will lead to success and create opportunities.
"Considering the advantages and disadvantages of that, because it's definitely a class statement," he adds.
But, in spite of all this guidance in "Britishness", could the child pick up so-called cultural leaning from the international family he lives with anyway?
"Certainly", replied Adam. "They know this could fail, but they've simply adopted the view of, 'let's give it a go and let's go as soon as we can', because the price of it is irrelevant," he explained.
Overly Optimistic
A number of in the education sector who share these doubts.
Peter Cui, head and founder of Blue Education, who provides individual instructors, wrote that "the process of adopting dual cultures, or indeed, becoming oneself, is something that must be experienced personally, not designed."
He noted that he had relocated from China to the UK at the age of 7 years old, and had been brought up knowing and living both cultures. He went on to be educated at Cambridge University.
"The notion that one individual can function as a embodiment of Britishness, a person who can somehow impart the qualities of a UK sophisticate upon a one-year-old child, strikes me as optimistic and impractical," he wrote.
"From my perspective, engaging a distinctly British tutor from infancy will not instantly create the goal they want.
"I did not have that kind of mentor, and yet I have been lucky enough to experience many of the situations they hope for their son."
He continued: "The reality is, self-identity can not be dictated from the outside; it must be chosen, and it must originate internally."
Buying Britishness
Of course, English culture is something the CEO thinks can be taught – and sold.
"I believe the situation that the global community holds us in this respect is something that we should be cherishing|valuing|appreciating
