What to charge for tutoring now?

[IHeartKingThistle]

Hi

I'm an ex-English teacher (recent!) and since November I've started taking on some tutoring work (secondary up to GCSE). I've been surprised at how much work there is out there and I now have 4 regular students plus one or two more who come when they need help. Up until now I've been charging £20 an hour because although I have 11 years teaching experience I am new to tutoring. I know this is less than the going rate though (I'm in the SE). Most of my students come to my house in the evenings.

Friends who also tutor tell me I'm not charging enough - I just find the whole asking for money thing really embarrassing! (I know, I'm an idiot).

I've had another email enquiry today. Should I stick with the price I am charging my other students, and increase my charges at the end of the academic year, or would it be OK to do it now? I don't think I should increase my rates for the students I already have, and it doesn't feel right somehow to charge one more than the others.

Any thoughts? I'm being an idiot one way or another I think!

[MrsYoungSalvoMontalbano]

Sorry can't advise, but shamelessly marking my place as aiming to do the same (not English!)

[MrsYoungSalvoMontalbano]

Just wondering, if there is any mileage in having a specific area on MN for us to advertise, obv paying fee to MN + caveat, MN does not recommend/vet etc?

[Weegiemum]

I think it depends where you are. I'm in Glasgow, tutor to Advanced Higher (A level+ level) and have just gone up to £21/h. £18 for Nat5 - and I am a marker so have extra experience, I've been teaching 21 years.

[IHeartKingThistle]

Hmmm. It's really tricky - I don't want to sound money grabbing! My friend charges £35 an hour for a non-core subject so it does seem as though the rates are higher round here. I was just going to put them up for everybody in September as most of my current students will have finished their exams then. Maybe that's the best plan. To be fair, I may not get any more anyway!

[SidandAndyssextoy]

We're in London and charge £30 an hour. You could charge more I think here, being a qualified teacher.

[Beccadugs]

I charge £30 a hour for primary kids, but after Easter new students will be paying £32.

I think it is better to agree a price and stick with it as asking for money is bad enough without having to talk about an increase!!

[Beccadugs]

Ps I do it after Easter as it usually coincides with the end of the tax year (-ish) and that's when I rejig my spreadsheets!

[IHeartKingThistle]

That hmmm was head scratching btw, not a . Got absolutely bollocked on a thread by someone for doing that the other day when I was innocently mulling something over!

[IHeartKingThistle]

Argh I need to send a reply to my new enquiry and I can't decide what to do!

[mediawhore]

I charge £30 ph to ks3 and £35 ph to ks4/5.

I'm in Herts.

[LizzieVereker]

If you've got lots of KS5 experience, around here you can charge £40 ph for KS5 students £35 ph for other students. (London/Kent). I met someone the other day who was charging £50 ph hour for KS5, but he had a track record of excellent results.

£20 does sound cheap, assuming that's pretax, for someone with QTS and experience.

[IHeartKingThistle]

Blimey, I don't think I'm in that league!

[IHeartKingThistle]

Seriously, why can't I make the call on this? I think it's the worry that if I don't get the results they want I'll be embarrassed at charging more. But why do I think I won't get the results? Bloody imposter syndrome!

[IHeartKingThistle]

Argh that of course should have said impostor. See?

[GW297]

At least £30 an hour! I sometimes give £5 off if they're prepared to come to me as that's more convenient. My friend who is an accountant reckons if you price yourself too cheaply people might think you're not as good if that makes sense.

[IHeartKingThistle]

That's a fair point, hadn't thought of that!

[scarlettsmummy2]

My best friend is a head of dept, core subject, and charges £30 an hour.

[IHeartKingThistle]

OK I went for half measures and quoted £25 an hour as I'm asking them to come to me. I think if I get some decent results I'll go to £30 in Sept though. Thanks for the replies!

[GW297]

Perfect!

[yegodsandlittlefishes]

Other things to consider are do you want to be paid by the week, or offer 5x or 10x lessons at a cheaper rate (saves on time taking money every lesson.) Internet tuition is also opening up and worth a look.

You need to keep a paper record of what you are getting paid.

[IHeartKingThistle]

That's good advice yegods. I am new to this and I don't want to make any mistakes - is a paper record enough or do I need to register as self-employed? I'm not earning even close to the tax threshold.

If that is an incredibly stupid question I'm sorry - I have tried to research this but got really confused!

[toomuchicecream]

I paid £25 for the GCSE French tutor I took my son to and £25 for the Maths tutor who came to us (NQT, was at parent's house around the corner for tea, family friend). Trombone teacher however was £40 per hour. Driving instructor £25. All in South East. So I agree with your decision of £25 for them coming to you, but don't be afraid to put it up in the autumn!

[yegodsandlittlefishes]

I am no expert, but would caution against sloppy paperwork, even for very low incomes. It can look suspicious. Are you ever likelybto employ othwr tutors and expand? Then you'd need to be particularly careful!

(Although why anyone would want to work as a tutor for someone else I just cannot imagine!)

I think you do need to register as self employed. It is a good idea to make backup spreadsheets of your incomings and outgoing (e.g. books used in lessons and travel/petrol can be claimed against tax). Your paper record needs to be filled in with payer/amount and dated as and when you are paid. It can be a sheet per pupil or pre-printed tear off receipts (unthreaded sewing machines make great perforations!) These then need to be kept somewhere for a ridiculous number of years.

[colander]

I am in the south east too. Every year I say I won't take on any tutees, and every year someone sounds really desperate so I do! If you are paying tax then I would say you need to be charging at least 40 - 50 per hour.
I made a comment on here once that plumbers charge at least that and got a stroppy note from someone saying that plumbers are only charging that for emergencies.....but I am pretty sure they charge at least that all day every day

I think we as teachers are very quick to undervalue ourselves. We are educated to post-degree level. If people want that level of service then I think they should be prepared to pay for it! Rant over!!