Retiring ( ish) from tutoring- how soon would parents like to know?

[Tigerishtiger]

I've been tutoring for some years and have decided to retire ( more or less apart from occasional help with homework or GCSE revision) as I'm getting on a bit and don't want to be tied to school terms any more especially as DH is on the verge of retirement.
There are 4 weeks of term left.
As a parent when would you like to be told? If I tell parents too soon I'm sure the pupils will be lacking in motivation for their remaining weeks, but if I tell them too late they will be very surprised. I am leaving it later because of the summer when they will have time to find someone else, but thought about 2 weeks' notice. Is that enough IYO?

I'd tell parents now and give recommendations of alternatives. Do they pay up front? They need not tell kids

Thanks- not telling the kids is a good idea.
Yes they pay upfront for half a term and are long-standing pupils.
Unfortunately, I have no recommendations other than tutors who are fully booked which is why I am going to offer occasional lessons in the short- medium term if they are stuck. I'm feeling a bit bad about it but for lots of personal family reasons I want to stop at least for a while.

Sounds like a plan! Could you give parents a letter? More notice helps.

Sure- yes that is the plan.

What do you tutor for? If it's GCSEs then obviously this round has been and gone. If you're tutoring for 11+ exams in September, the parents will be hopping mad if you leave them in the lurch in two weeks and every other tutor around is completely full.

I'd give a month's notice minimum out of courtesy-preferably a term.

I've never used tutors.

But if it were me, I think I would want the same notice as the paying period. So they pay every half term, so I would want / expect half a term's notice. Especially if tutors are hard to find, they may need to do lots of hunting to find one who is available / convenient.

This is what I would expect from e.g. a piano teacher.

I won't say what I tutor in case any are MNs but neither of the suggestions above is correct.
I ask for half a term's notice but this excludes the summer break because that is 6 weeks and I finish my term earlier than schools anyway, so they will have a good 7-8 weeks.
They cannot have half a term now as the time has passed.

I usually stipulate a calender month's notice from either parents or myself, or less with mutual agreement. 2 weeks sounds a little short imo, though as you say, they will have the summer, but many may well be on holidays for quite a number of weeks over the summer and therefore not able to find a replacement (I remember the nightmare of trying to arrange a childminder one year whilst on holiday abroad after being let down at short notice).