Aspiring private tutors in the UK must follow a set of steps to be successful in this satisfying job. Prior to applying, you should check your credentials and knowledge of the topics you want to teach. You should make sure you have a good academic background and the right credentials.
One way to get more clients is to network with educational institutions and give free advice. Another way is to build a strong online presence through a professional website and social media accounts. Some of the steps you should take are as follows:
- Assess Qualifications and Expertise
- Determine Your Own Private Tutoring Business Approach and Set Rates
- Establish a Compelling Online Presence
- Network With Educational Institutions
- Offer Free Consultations
- Stay Informed About Legal Requirements
- Seek Professional Development Opportunities
Step 1: Get the Required Qualifications and Skills to Become a Tutor
Qualifications are very important in any job, including teaching. Having the right credentials, whether academic or practical, gives teachers the ability to work in a range of learning settings and adapt their methods to meet the specific needs of each student. Here is a list of qualifications and skills you need to be torture in the UK:
| Qualifications and Skills | |
| Qualifications and Knowledge | Important Online Tutoring Skills |
| Bachelor’s degree in the subject(s) | Communication |
| Higher degrees or specialised training | Patience |
| In-depth understanding of the topic | Adaptability |
| Staying up to date with new studies | Problem-solving skills |
| Knowledge of school courses and standards | Respect |
| Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) | Organisation |
Time To Read: Making a good impression on customers and employers requires an outstanding tutoring resume. Numerous options in the private tutoring industry might be yours with a well-written tutor resume that highlights your abilities and knowledge while also establishing your reputation.
Step 2: Get Started as a Professional Private Tutor in the UK
Each step in becoming a private tutor is important for building a strong foundation for a successful private tutoring career, from figuring out the best way to get started to understanding your legal obligations, managing your money, and making good schedules.
1- Choosing Your Path
Freelance Work: If you choose to work as a freelancer, your schedule, rates, and training methods will be unlimited. The average hourly rate for a self-employed private tutor in the UK is between £20 and £50, but this depends on factors like area and field knowledge.
- Getting Into Tutoring Agencies: When you join an agency, you can get a steady flow of clients and help with paperwork. But agents usually take a cut of your pay, which can be anywhere from 20% to 40%. Find some reputable companies in your area and ask them about their client base and fee rates.
- Join Online Tutoring Platform: Online tutoring platforms offer convenience, flexibility, and the potential to reach university students from different geographical locations. One such platform is Ostado, a comprehensive online teaching platform that connects private tutors with students seeking personalised learning experiences.
- Starting Your Own Company: Starting your own business gives you total freedom and the chance to grow. However, setting up a website, creating marketing tools, and getting the right permits may all add to the start-up costs.
2- Plane Finance and Cash Flow
As a successful private tutor in the UK, you need to take a few important steps to make sure your earnings run smoothly.
First, you need to do extensive research on local market rates and consider your skills and experience when setting your prices. Online tutors who work for themselves usually make between £1,500 and £3,000 a month.
Using billing tools or platforms like Xero or QuickBooks can make the billing and payment processes easier, and clients can pay online for added ease. Also, keeping thorough records of all costs, such as those for materials, resources, and marketing, is important for keeping correct records of money and getting the most tax breaks.
3- Setting the Pricing Structure
Finding the right prices for your services as a private tutor requires a lot of study and smart thinking.
- Looking into the Local Market Rates: You can look at online sites, talk to other teachers, or do polls to find out how much an hourly rate is in your area. For example, if the going rate for math training in your city is £30 an hour, you might change your prices to match.
- Think about Your Experience and Qualifications: If you have a PhD in English writing and have taught for a few years, you might be able to charge more than someone with a bachelor’s degree.
- Refer to Survey Data: Survey results, like The Guardian’s study, can help you figure out how much money you can make as a teacher. If the average monthly salary for teachers who work for themselves is between £2,000 and £4,000, you can change how much you charge.
- Use Software To Make Invoices: To organise the billing process, use tools like FreshBooks. FreshBooks, for example, lets you make professional bills and keep track of payments without problems.
- Think about Paying Online: Add payment methods like PayPal or Stripe to your billing system so that customers can easily pay you online.
- Streamline Processes: Set up clear payment terms and efficient ways to invoice and receive payments, such as due dates and late fees. For example, offer a late payment fee of £10 for payments made more than seven days after the private tutoring sessions.
Don’t Miss Reading: Different resume formats and examples serve different purposes; for example, a chronological resume is good for experienced teachers, while a functional resume highlights abilities rather than occupation. While targeted resumes are tailored to certain employment roles or employers, combination resumes smartly combine the two types.
4- Planning and Organizing
As a professional teacher, you need to use effective planning and organisation techniques to manage your meetings and communicate easily with your clients.
First, using tools for organising, like Acuity or Calendly Schedules, can make organising meetings a lot easier. These tools let you tell clients when you’re available, share your calendar, and make appointments automatically, which saves you time and keeps schedule issues to a minimum.
UK teachers usually have between 15 and 20 lessons a week, which shows how important it is to have good organising tools. Communicating clearly is also important to set standards and prevent mistakes. By being clear about clients’ schedule preferences, cancelling rules, and desired session outcomes, you can ensure everyone has a good experience and build good relationships.
However, Ostado could be the best option for you if you want a more efficient method that doesn’t require unnecessary paperwork. Ostado is a platform that lets teachers manage, communicate, and organise their chores from a single place.
Step 3: Understand the Legal Requirements and Best Practices
Being a private tutor in the UK requires knowing the laws and the best ways to do things. It is important to make sure you follow the rules, protect your students’ safety, stay professional, and build trust with clients and schools. One of the important rules is as follows:
1- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks
In the UK, private tutors who work with vulnerable children or adults must undergo DBS Check (Disclosure and Barring Service). This ensures that they are properly hired and that unsafe people don’t work with vulnerable groups.
DBS Check (Disclosure and Barring Service) come in three levels:
- Basic
- Standard
- Enhanced
Tutors may need an enhanced check to see if they work closely with these groups.
2- Safeguarding Policies and Training
Online tutors must develop strong safeguarding practices, including ways for students to report abuse or neglect, and undergo training to fulfil this legal obligation.
The Department for Education gives tutors legal advice on how to keep students safe, which helps them follow best practices. Safeguarding training is important for tutors so they can spot signs of abuse and do their jobs. Online classes are an easy way to meet this requirement.
3- Data protection (GDPR)
An experienced tutor must comply with GDPR when handling personal information about their students, obtaining permission, and keeping the information safe. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office is in charge of data security and provides detailed advice on how to follow the rules.
Following GDPR rules, The Tutors’ Association would ask tutors to put up privacy warnings and keep electronic and paper records with private data safe.
4- HMRC Registered
It is the law for freelancers and business owners to register with HMRC as self-employed. If you make between £12,571 and £50,270 a year, the basic income tax rate in the UK is 20%. If you make between £50,271 and £150,000 a year, the higher rate is 40%.
Suggest To Read: An online tutor helps students develop the necessary skills quickly through a customised approach, leading to improved student outcomes and tutors’ professional growth. But what are the most practical types of tutoring methods for you?
Step 4: Market Yourself as an Online Tutor
Here are some useful tips for selling yourself as an online tutor:
Develop an Interesting Online Presence:
- Create a business website and social media accounts to show off your skills and services.
- Try to post on social media at least three to five times a week to keep people paying attention.
Give away Trials or Consultations for Free:
- Offer potential clients a free initial meeting or trial tutoring sessions.
- To bring in new clients, run a limited-time offer, like giving the first lesson away for free.
Get Testimonials and Share Them:
- To build your reputation, get recommendations from parents and students who are happy with the school.
- Aim to get at least 5–10 recommendations that talk about good situations and results.
Build Relationships With Schools:
- Get to know schools, colleges, and community groups in your area so that you can offer your tutoring services.
- Attend at least two or three training shows or networking events a year to connect with possible clients.
Get Involved With Online Advertising:
- Set aside money to spend on online ads on Google Ads and social media.
- Aim to get at least 1,000 views of your focused online ads every month.
Offer Rewards for Referrals:
- Provide an incentive for current clients to refer others by giving them a discount on future visits.
- Aim for at least two to three new clients a month through your promotion program.
Provide Content That Adds Value:
- Make teaching materials like study guides, tests, or blog posts that are related to the subjects you tutor and share them with other people.
- Try to add at least one new piece of content every week to keep people interested and bring in new clients.
Provide a Range of Scheduling Options:
- Offer training times that are open, such as evenings and weekends, to accommodate people with different plans.
- Try to meet at least 80% of your clients’ schedule needs to keep them happy and coming back.
Market Yourself: The growing number of tutors means that they should try harder to find clients. This is why we decided to write an article on how to advertise as a private tutor to survive the fierce competition in the tuition industry.
Step 5: Continuous Professional Development
Educators need to keep learning and improving their skills in order to stay useful and successful in their jobs as educational standards and methods change. By continuing to learn and improve their skills, tutors can improve the way they teach, keep up with changes in the field, and give their students a better education overall.
- Attending classes, seminars, and conferences can help tutors gain new ideas, learn about new teaching methods, and share their thoughts with their peers.
- Professional groups and clubs also offer many helpful tools, networking opportunities, and professional development programs just for teachers.
- Talking with other people, like in study groups, online boards, or mentoring programs, encourages working together, getting help from others, and sharing the best ways to do things.
Last Word
Starting a career as a private tutor in the UK involves several steps, such as checking your skills, making an online profile, and staying up to date on your legal duties. However, sites like Ostado offer a creative way to make this process easier and connect with students more quickly.
Ostado gives teachers an online place to showcase their skills and meet with students who want unique learning experiences. With Ostado, teachers can make their jobs easier, reach more students, and have a real effect on their academic lives. Sign up with Ostado today to start tutoring and find a world of opportunities to teach and inspire pupils.
FAQs
- What Are the UK Online Tutoring Requirements?You should have a strong academic background in the areas you want to teach, as well as specific skills and teaching certifications or training.
- How Should I Set My Rates as a UK Private Tutor?To find affordable prices, think about things like skills, experience, subject demand, competition, and area.
- What Legal Requirements Do UK Tutors Need To Know?According to the National Careers Service, if you work with children or people who are easily hurt, you may need to follow safeguarding rules and data protection regulations (GDPR) and get a DBS Check (Disclosure and Barring Service).