How To Start A Tutoring Business

tutoring children

In a country where school and University places are very competitive, the industry of private tuition is growing year-on-year. With only 9% of the UK’s schools falling under the private sector, there is a strong demand for pupils of all ages to receive one-to-one tutoring to help boost their grades and succeed in their exams.

We explain some of the key things to consider when starting a tutoring business.

Deciding Your Niche

You need to think about where there is a demand for your services and what subjects and ages you specialise in. If you live in an area with a lot of primary schools, there might be a demand to help with 11+ and common entrance.

You need to decide whether you can tutor a variety of subjects or become a specialist in one type of subject, which is based on your own education, such as Spanish or Physics.

Perhaps there is a demand in your area for adults to take evening classes to learn a language or computer skills. It is worth speaking to different schools and people in your area to understand where there is an interest and where you can make an impact.

How Your Business Operates

Tutoring businesses come in several forms. The first question is whether you act as an individual tutor or whether your tutoring agency looks after a number of tutors and just pairs them up with the pupils. With the help of new platforms such as Tutor Cruncher, you are able to sign up tutors, pair them up with pupils and manage all the payments through an easy-to-use portal.

Whether you are running the show individually or with other people, you also need to decide whether you will be office-based, home-based or visiting the pupils at their residence. Working from home can be the most cost-effective because you save on travelling and get the pupils to come to you. However, visiting your premises may not be convenient for all your clients so this may be limiting and something you have to weigh up.

You can also decide to run the business from home but have several tutors working under your belt such as Tavistock Tutors and Newman Tuition.

Get DBS And CRB Checked

Whilst the tutoring business in the UK is not too strict on regulation, you are required to be registered with The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) proving that you are fit to be a tutor. In addition, it is important to have a CRB check so that you are validated to work with vulnerable adults and children of all ages. A standard DBS check is just £26 which is very affordable – but you also need to ensure that anyone you hire has this too.

Get The Right Material

As a tutor, you need to be up-to-date with the exam requirements for schools that do common entrance, GCSE, A-Level and University. You and your staff will need to pay for practice papers, reading and learning material to ensure that your pupils have all the right information available to succeed.

How You Promote Yourself

One of the most practical ways to promote your tutoring business is to set up a website and make it very clear with the subjects, ages and classes that you offer. Anything you can do to position yourself in the industry is welcomed, whether you write blog posts for other parenting or education websites, get interviewed by the local radio or press and also respond to online forums.

A valuable addition is adding case studies and success rates on your website. Things that state how many pupils you have helped pass their exams or get into the school or university of their choice will help build up your reputation as one of the best tutoring agencies in the area.

You Might Like

  • How To Start A Successful Business From Zero

    You've got the idea, now you just need to know how to start a successful business from zero - avoiding the pitfalls.
  • Who Needs A Business Plan?

    A good business plan can really help a business gain investment and also keep a business on track. Here we give you some tips on how to write an effective business plan.
  • How To Get Business Information Online

    Business Information Online. We can help you find the business help and advice you need online today.
  • Start A Herb Garden

    Herb gardens guide. How to start your own herb garden and maintain it all year round.
  • Great Deals On Business Travel

    Great Deals On Business Travel. Need to travel for business but dont want it to cost the earth? Check our our guides to the most efficient and cost effective way to business travel.

Useful Websites

Add Your Site Here
  • Private Tuition
    Provide tuition in all academic, music and arts subjects at all levels from pre-school to PhD level throughout the UK, have thousands of tutors nationally.
  • Personal Tutors
    Home tuition available throughout England, Wales and Scotland, school subjects covered include English, maths, science, humanities and languages at all levels from primary through secondary, GCSE and
  • HALSHAW MUSIC
    Make Sully's Banjos and publish Sully Irish music books and banjo tutors
  • Tutornet - S.B.K.
    Provide a maintained list of tutors who offer private education in a range of subjects from Primary School to A-Level in your area
  • Add Your Website Here