Starting up as 11 plus tutor

[11plusprep1]

I am looking for advice . What would attract you if you have to go for tutor who is newly in this profession ? How much discount would you be expecting?
I want to start from somewhere but not sure how to advertise it. This will be my first year I have already planned all the lessons in advance. I will be focusing on exam techniques as well as getting foundations strong. Any ideas/tips would be appreciated

anyone

You probably aren’t going to get many answers so quickly between 3am and 7am UK time.

I’d expect a hefty discount if you’re new because you have no proof of success. DS will sit the North London 11+ in a few years and it’s fiercely competitive but you know that.

Thank you. I am thinking of offering 45% discount. this is for one to one session

Sounds fair, I think I’d expect 50% discount for a new and unproven tutor.

I would not trade my DS 11+ chances for 50% discount.
I think it would be better to join a reputable tutoring agency for a year or two, get experience and references from your students passed 11+ successfully. Once you build up your reputation then it would be easier to go solo.

I don't see how a discount would attract people who are looking for what is let's face it a luxury product.

I'd be looking for different marketing strategies, mostly ones which as PP have pointed out will all take time to build up.

Build up contacts with teachers. Be sensitive to the way you are effectively encroaching on their territory and try and get them inside.

If you have any contacts with teachers, you could discretely ask around for recommendations for poor but deserving cases of pupils who deserve a boost but cannot afford a tutor to give free lessons to in return for favourable reviews and a reference.

Start a social media presence asking a daily question aimed at your target market. Engage with a one who responds and offer them 'first session free'. Advertise advertise advertise with a different 'offering' in different markets

Offer an early adopter a no upfront costs and payment only after the child has done well in mocks

Write yourself a business plan of how long you can afford to invest in starting up the business before it has to start generating income for you.

Any tutors round us seem to be snapped up pretty quickly so don't despise simple ads alongside the more complicated ones. Good luck.

Thank you @FinallyHere . You have provided me with helpful tips. I should start sorting advertisements. You are right advertising is the key really

Do you have access to past papers for the usual schools in your area? That's worth its weight in gold. We're in North London and the tutors need to be familiar with the exam formats for all the usual grammar schools and independents and have access to past exam papers

@XelaM yes I have prepared my daughter and she will be starting grammer school next year. I am very familiar with format.I have so much material for this specific grammer school

There’s no nice way to say this but I wouldn’t let you within ten feet of my kid with your level of written English. Are you sure about this? An 11+ tutor who can’t spell ‘grammar school’?

Came here to say exactly the same. If your level of written English when dealing with potential clients is the same as it is here, then I wouldn't use you no matter the price.

thats bit mean. I am writing so early in the morning and yes grammatical errors could happen but it does not mean that I don't know how to spell words.
But its a good learning for me to double check my post

Your written English is poor, even if it is the early hours.

Are you a teacher? The people I know who have set up success tutoring companies are all teachers.

It’s not just spelling, it’s everything. You sound semi fluent, which obviously isn’t a bad thing generally but it is for your chances of successful tutoring.

Successful, not success! That's embarrassing

I understand from the feedback, it's crucial for a novice tutor like me to be effective in communication and this must be evident in my interactions with anyone. Thank you

I am not teacher by profession. I want to start tutoring as leisure pursuit. I am proficient in Maths, science and non verbal reasoning subjects. I have been speaking English from ten years. English is not my first language. This astounding feedback will be helpful.I know all grammatical structures and I don't think that I have emphasised on this greatly. I should start embed this knowledge in my writing skills.

I'm really sorry but I don't think this will work. People local to me are ex teachers who use that as their selling point. Or, as above, have tutored successfully for a long time.

I do think that you will need perfect English and in this case, from your posts, this will also go against you for this role.

If you don’t need the money, maybe you could approach a few local state schools and offer your services free to a few students that can’t afford tutoring.

you would gain experience and be helping others at the same time.

if you’ve only helped your own kids, you’re probably not used to teaching kids at different levels.

Another thing that would put me off is the fact that you have 'planned all your lessons', I am assuming you are looking to do 1 to 1 tutoring? The whole beauty of 1 to 1 is every child is different and you expect to get a bespoke service for your child, that's why you pay for it. I am a music tutor and every single set of lessons I deliver is different as every child has different strengths and weaknesses etc. My son's 11+ tutor was amazing as he knew exactly how to spark his enthusiasm with things he was into, even reading specific books, watching films my son had raved about so he was on the same wavelength. He then cleverly worked these into extended writing etc. I would be pit off by someone with a set plan.

On the English, just be aware it's not all about grammar and spelling too, do you have in depth knowledge and skill how to help a child with extended writing skil? I've learnt an awful lot over helping my older 2 children and could potentially prep my youngest now, but no way on earth would I feel myself qualified to charge others. Why not do a teaching course 1st if it's something you feel very passionate about? Or as others have suggested, look at one of the tuition centres for work.

It’s not enough to have prepared your own child. You need to be familiar with the exam requirements of a wide range of schools. I would go along with a previous suggestion of joining an agency to gain experience. You say you want to tutor as a leisure pursuit. It doesn’t sound as if you understand how seriously parents take preparing their children for the school of their choice.

I think you will need a rethink, sorry. I chose my dcs tutor on personal recommendations and a long, proven track record, cost wasn’t a deciding factor. Your written English isn’t yet at a level that makes me think you could successfully do this and, I’m sorry if this sounds unkind, I think it would be wrong of you to tell people that you have the skills to help their children. It’s a very big deal for those kids, not a leisure activity for you.

Why not volunteer to listen to children reading at a local school instead - useful and rewarding, no massive skills needed.

I am not teacher by profession. I want to start tutoring as leisure pursuit

A leisure pursuit

If people are paying for a tutor they want results, not someone who wants to find a way to fill a few hours and make a bit of pocket money.

OP i'm glad your daughter passed, but you're crazy if you think anyone else is going to pay you to potentially fuck up their child's education.

I agree listening to children read would be a really valuable "leisure pursuit" without the risk of letting people down. Schools are crying out for this.

Teaching is a real skill and different from tutoring your own child. I agree the joy of 1-1 is being responsive to the child. Even my class taught lessons (adults not 11+) are responsive to the class.