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Is it cheeky to ask to be paid over the holidays?

414 replies

Dogswimmingcompetition · 27/05/2025 14:11

I work as a tutor. I work for three different families.
Over the summer holidays, one family like me to keep working, one family don’t have tutoring at all over the summer, but pay me year round. The final family is the family I work with the most, I’ve taught their child for almost three years. For the first year it was year round, last year they went away last minute for summer (I didn’t realise this was the plan) and I wasn’t paid all summer. I get the majority of my income from them and found it a real struggle for a couple of months.
Their child finishes their exams in a couple of weeks and mentioned something about our last lesson being in a couple of weeks (much earlier than I expected) This will leave me without pay for 3 months, which will set me back a lot.
I’m unable to commit to other families who have asked for tutoring as they would want all the time, not just in the holidays.
Would it be cheeky to put this to the father and ask if there’s any way they can pay me over the holidays and explain the situation?
I enjoy working with this family and would rather stay with them if possible, I know that i’m valued there also as the mum has told me in the past that they’re keen to keep me/continue with me.

OP posts:
Dangermoo · 29/05/2025 17:10

ClawsandEffect · 29/05/2025 17:00

Once you're with the exam board, they don't recheck. I'm a few years out of the classroom and have been recruited for extra exams this summer.

Plus, I THINK it's only AQA that have that requirement (I could well be wrong however, I'm not actively applying). Edexcel don't. CIE don't. They just require a qualified teacher and subject expert.

I've learnt a fair bit from you! I'm a 54 year old retired FE visiting teacher. I say retired because I decided I'd had enough of mainstream and I never wanted a permanent position. I have toyed with the idea of going back to personal tutoring; I did it 15 years ago but I am wondering how I'd get on with applying for working with examining bodies. I don't need the work but I'd like to keep my hand in. Thanks for sharing your experience x

Dangermoo · 29/05/2025 17:05

ClawsandEffect · 29/05/2025 17:01

There are October, November and March series though. You can more or less examine year round if you accept international qualification.

Thanks for clarifying. I do like your business model from what you've described. Take my hat off to you for building up a good rep and a steady business.

ClawsandEffect · 29/05/2025 17:01

Dangermoo · 29/05/2025 16:06

In that case, you WILL be able to apply for marking for exam boards to supplement your income. Bit late for this year I would have thought?

There are October, November and March series though. You can more or less examine year round if you accept international qualification.

ClawsandEffect · 29/05/2025 17:00

Dangermoo · 29/05/2025 15:53

The problem with marking for examiners is that they normally require proof of continuous years having taught in mainstream education. If you've been self-employed for a while, that's hard to get round.

Once you're with the exam board, they don't recheck. I'm a few years out of the classroom and have been recruited for extra exams this summer.

Plus, I THINK it's only AQA that have that requirement (I could well be wrong however, I'm not actively applying). Edexcel don't. CIE don't. They just require a qualified teacher and subject expert.

Dangermoo · 29/05/2025 16:51

Patronising a 26 year old isn't clever. Ageism is frequently raised as a problem on here, yet the way the OP is being spoken to is uncalled for.

Riaanna · 29/05/2025 16:36

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 16:32

Of course it is

What…?

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 16:32

Riaanna · 29/05/2025 16:10

Are you declaring the income?

Of course it is

OP posts:
Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 16:32

Cosyblankets · 29/05/2025 16:09

So you have a full time job and you still want to be paid for your tuition in the holidays that you're not doing?
At your age you wouldn't have enough experience for me to warrant paying when you're not working just to keep the space for September. I would be taking my chances on you being available or get someone else. I don't mean that to sound harsh or rude but you've surely only got a few years of experience.

I work part time

OP posts:
Riaanna · 29/05/2025 16:10

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 16:02

I teach in school too

Are you declaring the income?

Cosyblankets · 29/05/2025 16:09

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 16:02

I teach in school too

So you have a full time job and you still want to be paid for your tuition in the holidays that you're not doing?
At your age you wouldn't have enough experience for me to warrant paying when you're not working just to keep the space for September. I would be taking my chances on you being available or get someone else. I don't mean that to sound harsh or rude but you've surely only got a few years of experience.

Dangermoo · 29/05/2025 16:06

In that case, you WILL be able to apply for marking for exam boards to supplement your income. Bit late for this year I would have thought?

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 16:02

Cosyblankets · 29/05/2025 15:55

Simply because 26 seems very young to be relying on tuition rather than teaching as a FT job

I teach in school too

OP posts:
Palestar · 29/05/2025 16:01

Cosyblankets · 29/05/2025 15:55

Simply because 26 seems very young to be relying on tuition rather than teaching as a FT job

And ITT has been interesting, to say the least, throughout the last five years.

In 2020 students qualified with our local training provider by turning up for placement a week before lockdown to observe and 'completing extra written projects" without teaching a class.

We've not seen a trainee since who would have had the subject knowledge to have been accepted on the course a few years ago, and despite changing provider, haven't had a single one we'd employ as a teacher.

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 15:59

Palestar · 29/05/2025 15:50

That wasn't me.

I said your punctuation could use work alongside your business skills.

Oh, but you were the one being patronising about how I wrote? Apologies if i’m wrong and it wasn’t you.
I’m on a phone which often has a mind of its own, typing quickly in between other things, i’m not checking my spelling or grammar, i’m not that uptight. I’m a good teacher, I don’t have a good business set up, this is true and something I will think about over the summer.

OP posts:
Cosyblankets · 29/05/2025 15:55

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 15:54

Yes, sorry I don’t remember you asking, I haven’t read every post. Why do you ask?

Simply because 26 seems very young to be relying on tuition rather than teaching as a FT job

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 15:54

Cosyblankets · 29/05/2025 15:52

Just asking again because you haven't answered but are you actually a teacher?

Yes, sorry I don’t remember you asking, I haven’t read every post. Why do you ask?

OP posts:
Dangermoo · 29/05/2025 15:53

ClawsandEffect · 27/05/2025 14:28

You have to be honest with them.

Tell them that you will need to fill their slots over the summer, as otherwise you're unpaid. And that this will mean you can't guarantee these slots will be free for them in the new academic year as a result.

However, part of being a self-employed tutor is that you can't rely on any one client for your continuous, year round income.

I suggest you supplement your income with examining (Edexcel, AQA, OCR, CIE, WJEC, International Baccalaureate) and also start to advertise summer revision sessions/courses.

There is plenty of work out there but you have to diversify for a year round income.

The problem with marking for examiners is that they normally require proof of continuous years having taught in mainstream education. If you've been self-employed for a while, that's hard to get round.

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 15:53

PrincessW11 · 29/05/2025 15:45

Hi OP, I have tutors x2, we are pre-GCSE so will keep a few online sessions going over summer hols with occasional F2F which is better;I think summer hols are just too long to stop sessions completely, little & often as I tell kids.

Yes, it’s such a long time, one of my families I continue with all summer long. This family will be away in various countries the majority of the summer and want her to have a complete break. They do really want me though, are very casual in their approach and very wealthy (I don’t mean this is the respect that being wealthy could be taken advantage of, more that it would likely be a non issue with them regarding the amount of money it is)
It’s a lot for me though and really makes an impact. I don’t want to lose this pupil as a client though as I enjoy working with this family.

OP posts:
Cosyblankets · 29/05/2025 15:52

Just asking again because you haven't answered but are you actually a teacher?

Palestar · 29/05/2025 15:50

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 15:48

But you called me a cheeky fucker 😂

That wasn't me.

I said your punctuation could use work alongside your business skills.

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 15:48

Palestar · 29/05/2025 15:44

You expect something unrealistic and it's rude.

You ignore advice you don't want to hear (I was the third reply within 5 minutes of your OP, and over thirty others have endorsed what I initially said on my post, with far more others echoing the same opinion throughout this thread. I also answered your later questions about logistics and next steps, in good faith).

You have the audacity to take issue with taboo language (which, let's face it, was mild in its sentiment) and then take issue with me thinking that's a bit rich in the face of basic errors that an academic tutor / qualified teacher shouldn't make.

Your whole business needs some serious thinking about it you're running out of money, but apparently so good and in demand.

You think it's okay to refer to a stranger as a 'dick' for pointing out where you could be going wrong on the thing you've publicly asked for comment on.

I didn't ask for, and don't need, your advice. I've never had these problems in miscommunication or expectations when tutoring, I'm paid annually for my full time permanent job too, and I don't resort to namecalling when I disagree with someone.

But you called me a cheeky fucker 😂

OP posts:
PrincessW11 · 29/05/2025 15:45

Hi OP, I have tutors x2, we are pre-GCSE so will keep a few online sessions going over summer hols with occasional F2F which is better;I think summer hols are just too long to stop sessions completely, little & often as I tell kids.

Palestar · 29/05/2025 15:44

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 15:33

What on earth do you mean do a better job all round? You have no idea how well I do my job or anything about my life.
Go out, enjoy your life, it’s ok, practise being happy and kind…it’s nice to be nice, it will make you feel good I promise.

You expect something unrealistic and it's rude.

You ignore advice you don't want to hear (I was the third reply within 5 minutes of your OP, and over thirty others have endorsed what I initially said on my post, with far more others echoing the same opinion throughout this thread. I also answered your later questions about logistics and next steps, in good faith).

You have the audacity to take issue with taboo language (which, let's face it, was mild in its sentiment) and then take issue with me thinking that's a bit rich in the face of basic errors that an academic tutor / qualified teacher shouldn't make.

Your whole business needs some serious thinking about it you're running out of money, but apparently so good and in demand.

You think it's okay to refer to a stranger as a 'dick' for pointing out where you could be going wrong on the thing you've publicly asked for comment on.

I didn't ask for, and don't need, your advice. I've never had these problems in miscommunication or expectations when tutoring, I'm paid annually for my full time permanent job too, and I don't resort to namecalling when I disagree with someone.

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 15:33

Palestar · 29/05/2025 14:55

If you would do a better job all round, there wouldn't be any criticism.

What on earth do you mean do a better job all round? You have no idea how well I do my job or anything about my life.
Go out, enjoy your life, it’s ok, practise being happy and kind…it’s nice to be nice, it will make you feel good I promise.

OP posts:
Palestar · 29/05/2025 14:55

Dogswimmingcompetition · 29/05/2025 14:38

I know you were replying to someone else.
I’m referring to the way your comments are, not constructive or helpful and just rude, patronising and nasty.

You just sound like a bit of a dick tbh.

If you would do a better job all round, there wouldn't be any criticism.

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