Setting up a new tutoring business

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appscol
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2007 1:17 pm
Location: Dartford, Kent

Setting up a new tutoring business

Post by appscol »

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some HELP. I am currently a Deputy Headteacher at a local Primary school, but I am due to leave in the summer having recently resigned. I have been offered a few other posts, but to be honest I desperately want to set up my own tutoring business, backed up with a bit of supply.

My salary is currently £39,000 per year and I would like to be able to earn at least £34,000 with the satisfaction of running my own business.

I would like to be able to offer 11+, SATs, English, Maths, Primary, Secondary, Dyslexia etc. I have looked at Kumon, Kip McGrath, First Class, Magikats and many more.

Can anyone please help me? I need advice. I want the start up costs to be as low as possible and need lots of marketing advice.

Can anybody out there help me?

Many thanks


Colin
Primary deputyheadteacher lookin to set up my own tutoring business. Help please!
stevew61
Posts: 1786
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 9:54 pm
Location: caversham

Re: Setting up a new tutoring business

Post by stevew61 »

appscol wrote:
Can anyone please help me? I need advice. I want the start up costs to be as low as possible and need lots of marketing advice.

Can anybody out there help me?

Many thanks


Colin
I would suggest that unless you have savings or a secondary income then get another full time job and build the tutoring up as a sideline.

A general rule of starting a business is that costs arrive quicker than expected and income slower than expected which results in many not succeeding.

Good luck, the laws of supply and demand are in your favour, everyone says there is a shortage of good tutors. :)


stevew61
Guest

Post by Guest »

Colin, sorry not really an answer to your question.

I wanted to reply because I work for an organisation that deals with failing businesses and to be brutally frank I cannot see how you would generate that level of income by working as a individual private tutor. You would have to be raking in at least several hundred pounds a week - how many tutees is that? It might be more realistic to take a part time teaching job and advertise for tutees etc, slowly building up your reputation and business over time. There might be a time when you can employ others and expand your business.

Please remember that tax etc is still required for income from part time tuition otherwise you might land yourself with a huge bill a few years down the line!

The DTI and HMRC have links to advice for new self employed people and businesses on their websites. You might also find that there is local advice on setting up a business, like seminars etc. Ask your council, library, Job Centre or Citizens Advice.

Good luck
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Colin

Sound advice from both Steve and Guest.

However, I would not be as gloomy as Guest on the numbers. There is a tutor in Bucks who we calculated must be raking in at least £250,000 a year from the huge range of courses she operates.

However, the costs of her business include hire of halls, employing other tutors and advertising very regularly for all her courses. She also works many evenings and weekends, and much of the school holidays, so the hours are very unsocial.

It is possible to earn a good living, but you have to build up a reputation over many years. Don't throw in the day job, start small, take every bit of free advice you can and build it up gradually. If it is what you really want to do then set yourself a target of 5 years to try to make it work.

Good luck
Sally-Anne
Guest

Post by Guest »

Thanks everyone

I'm keen on building the business up whilst doing supply teaching. Do any of you know if their is enough supply work out there. The agencies tell me that there is plenty of work, but it is a bit of a risk. It would certainly be easier to set up a part ime business whilst having the flexibility of supply work rather than a full time position.

Thanks

Colin
Guest

Post by Guest »

Colin,

Most of your customers are at school during school hours. You should therefore continue to teach as a supply teacher otherwise you will be idle during those hours when you could be earning.

Tutors in Kenton area are earning over 350,000 a year running courses for 11 plus during weekday evening.

As has been sad tutors of quality are in short supply and therefore, rather than aim for the cash, aim to set the highest standards at the outset and the cash will not be far behind.
jacquie
Posts: 128
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:12 pm

Post by jacquie »

Anonymous wrote:Colin,

Most of your customers are at school during school hours. You should therefore continue to teach as a supply teacher otherwise you will be idle during those hours when you could be earning.

Tutors in Kenton area are earning over 350,000 a year running courses for 11 plus during weekday evening.

As has been sad tutors of quality are in short supply and therefore, rather than aim for the cash, aim to set the highest standards at the outset and the cash will not be far behind.
:shock: I assume you dont teach Guest! If one is tutoring properly, i.e. is a 'tutor of quality', one will not be idle in the school hours. The key to optimum progress, is to gear work exactly to each individual pupil's needs. At the most basic level, this requires research for the exact material required by each student. Preparation is the key to a successful lesson and takes time.

Those salaries are amazing btw. How on earth do they do that? I assume that it must involve setting up an agency and passing work on to others- otherwise taking the above high standards into account, there simply arent enough hours in the day. £35000, I can see is possible but £350,000? Please explain!!
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Easy, Jacquie!

Classes of 20, charging £1750 per child for the course, 4 - 5 classes a week. £150,000 plus.

Add holiday courses, crammers, A level top ups, ... big business!

Sally-Anne
jacquie
Posts: 128
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:12 pm

Post by jacquie »

Blimey! I currently do 5 in a group. I charge £25 an hour. The £1750- how many hours/classes does that cover Sally? Surely the child doesnt come more than once a week over term time?
It's a big step, like you say with the hiring of halls. I've always thought it cancels out so much of the earnings with paying £12 an hour for space. You'd need to get those high numbers to warrant it. I cant work out how to do the change over, from cosy home tuition, 5 in a group, to those numbers ...doh...think i'm scared!
Guest

Post by Guest »

Hi Jacquie,

The type of tutoring that you are oing is exactly what I am intereted in. Do you tutor in your own home? I was considering turning my dining room into a mini tutoring centre and working with 4 students at a time, charging £22 for each student. Hopefully recruiting 8 students per evening would generate (8 x £22) = £176 per evening. For 5 evenings each week this would be (5 x£176) = £880 per week. Is this possible do you think?

Looking at the baove figures I would need at least 40 students. How many months/years would it take to recruit that amount of students? Can I make a living out of this Jacquie? I would do a little supply too, but desperate to get away from an employed teaching position!

Thanks

Colin
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