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

Think of it as similar to someone who just declared they wanted to be a driving instructor as they'd helped their own child to drive...

I have made it clear, I would not charge full fees until I have proven track record. This service would be beneficial for people who cannot afford tutor otherwise.

Sorry, I wouldn’t pay someone who doesn’t have a good grasp of English anything to tutor my child for the 11+.

I an an experienced teacher (25 years) who tutored her own children into grammar school and I still don’t feel confident enough to start accepting money for tuition!

OP - I think people on this thread are being mean. I’ve known uni students doing tutoring - as long as you are honest about your experience and asking the parent if they think it is going ok, I think it is fine. my mum (non teacher) tutored me and I got a scholarship.

Consider things like a DBS check and whether you would ask the parent to be present in the room while the lesson happens (if by zoom) or just in the room outside if face to face - I don’t know what the rules are about child safeguarding.

I will be providing free trial session which will be followed by 70% discount sessions only if a parent wants to use the tutoring services further. If I am not good enough then through free trial, a parent can make informed decision.

I’ve known uni students doing tutoring

Hmmm-I would pay a university student studying chemistry to tutor my child-they will know their subject and have the knowledge required. A lot of the questions in the 11+ are about having incredibly accurate literacy skills-someone who doesn’t have those, simply doesn’t have the knowledge required. The 11+ is pretty much a ‘once chance only’ thing-parents who want their child to do well, want accuracy, not someone doing a leisure pursuit. If someone can’t use apostrophes correctly, I don’t think SPAG tutoring is suitable for them.

Yes but there is a difference between your mum tutoring you (and presumably not charging money for this service) and paying money, where you would expect a qualified service provider or someone like a student who is working towards a qualification.

There is a difference between a uni student helping a child with a subject they have learned and passed and a random person trying to charge money to get other people’s children into a school because hers did. There are so many red flags here and it’s good that people have spotted them because this is not an area of life where ‘be kind’ will help your child.

As a qualified teacher I think OP should put the children first and not offer her services as a tutor.

Why not set up a tutoring programme teaching your first language instead?

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.

Your sentence structure and word choices here makes me convinced that 11+ English tutoring is definitely unsuitable for you. You could still offer just maths or science though. What are your highest qualifications/grades in these subjects? Do you have a good knowledge of the KS2 NC and methodologies?

Thank you for the kind words. I have sorted DBS check already and I think this is essential for child safeguarding.

Whereabouts are you? I would love it if someone did weekly zoom sessions in a group, I would be happy for my child to try you out.

11 plus prep is very different to traditional teaching and it is mostly about time management and exam techniques.I know for a fact most of 11plus tutors are only providing test papers

If you want to offer low cost tutoring to make it accessible to those that wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it then go for it.

But I’m sorry so say I agree with others with regards to your English. If your English comes across in our communication as it has done in this post, there is not a hope I would consider you for 11+ tutoring. As a pp said, it’s a one shot thing so if I were to pay the high prices, it would be someone with a good track record and excellent English.

Sorry, but I disagree.

Exam technique and time management are both important but as someone who has taught for a long time and has also tutored each of my own children to very high 11+ passes, 11+ tutoring is all about accuracy.

You seem unwilling to listen to any actual teachers on this thread though.

Of course, I understand this.This is the reason I have set up this thread so that I am able to understand a parent mindset regarding 11plus prep. I have decided now that I will be providing 70% discount. Initially I thought 50% would be okay but from the feedback I think low cost tutoring would be more appropriate.

A large and accurate vocabulary is essential, synonyms and antonyms are key. Even if you offer a 70% discount that is still £10 an hour! Do you have past papers? Most areas keep them out of the public sphere. Or were you planning to use CGP / Bond books?

@howshouldibehave Yes accuracy is important for every exam. I have not said accuracy is not important. Time management is a great factor to achieve the accuracy.

Time management is a great factor to achieve the accuracy.

If you don’t understand SPAG rules and can’t construct accurate sentences, then time management is pretty irrelevant.

SPAG rules are irrelevant in non verbal reasoning, maths and some English sections.

SPAG rules are absolutely key to other parts though! In the 11+ test in our area SPAG is 50% of the English paper and definitely comes up in VR too. You've got to be gold standard on all areas to charge people to tutor their kids, no matter what you're charging.

Kids only get one shot at this - I can't believe anyone would try you out even at a 70% discount. I'd rather pay 100% and have someone with a proven track record. Sorry OP I think you'd be better off with tutoring kids with gaps in national curriculum stuff rather than specifically for the 11+ which is time limited and very high pressure.

SPAG rules are irrelevant in non verbal reasoning, maths and some English sections.

They are hugely important in the English composition component of our local 11+ paper.

No. There are many many experienced teachers who are offering the service, I would never pay someone who thought they could cash in on a profession without the qualifications and experience. Would you choose an orthodontist under similar circumstances? Gynaecologist?

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 wouldn’t want someone who constructed sentences like this supporting my child even if they paid me. If you can’t see the errors here, how would you be able to teach English skills competently? How would you be able to identify their errors? You could make them doubt their existing correct knowledge and skills.

yes I understand that in respect of English section. Most grammar schools are different in calculating the score for children and there is no set rule which section will carry more weighted score. Other sections are equally important. This is based on the data of our local grammar school. I understand it might not be the case with other schools.

yes I understand that in respect of English section. Most grammar schools are different in calculating the score for children and there is no set rule which section will carry more weighted score. Other sections are equally important. This is based on the data of our local grammar school. I understand it might not be the case with other schools

If you had excellent qualifications in maths/a proven track record, parents might consider you above others just for the maths section of the 11+ tutoring alone.

This would be inconvenient though, as they would then need to find someone else to do the English skills.