Tuition for pupils with ALNs

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I'm a long-term poster but I've namechanged for this for privacy as I would be easily identifiable under my other username. Please ask MNHQ to check me out if you have any concerns.

I've worked for a LA as a specialist teacher for many years now but because of budget cuts, I'm back to my original 3-day per week contract. I'm looking to try to makesome extra money.

One of the things I'm thinking of is providing tutoring packages for pupils with ALNs and their families on an individually-tailored basis according to the needs of the child.

I have a fair few ideas around this but I wondered what MNers pay for tutors if they use them. I pay £25 for 75 minutes for one of my children but that's in a class of up to 10 and it's for A level tuition. Music tuition is £14 for 30 minutes.

Would anyone mind telling me what they pay please?

Hi

I'm a long term poster too but have name changed for this.

When you say ALN I assume you mean additional learning needs?
Does this include SpLD or are you thinking of children with mild to moderate general learning difficulties?

When you say 'tutoring packages' do you mean materials that you will sell to the family, or do you mean 1:1 lessons taught by you?

I have been tutoring children with SpLD ( up to GCSE and A level) for many years ( 15) after leaving teaching in schools.

I currently charge just under £40 for an hour. I think this may be too cheap because in the SE some families pay this for ordinary primary and secondary tutoring.

You need to look around at what the going rates are in your area. It would be cheaper in rural Cornwall than central or outer London.

Deputydogsowner I can't find anyone else in my area who advertises this service so it's difficult to compare.

I have qualifications/experience in SpLD/speech and language difficulties/ASD/MLD so I would tailor to suit. In some cases, I would offer say, half of the hour as 1:1 because some children can't focus for much longer even if activities are very varied. I'd offer the other part of the hour as a chance to work with parents to show them how they can work with their child during the rest of the week on short, fun activities. This would be more beneficial to children with retention issues as 10-15 minutes 5 days a week is better than 1 or 2 long sessions. I would also offer the kind of advice I wish I'd had access to as a parent of a child with ALNs and which I offer to parents as part of my job - i.e. how to promote their child's independence/time management/organisational skills etc. I suppose part of it would be as a mentoring role for parents.

Again, it all depends on the individual. I often find children don't fit into a neat 'box' anyway.

If you have training in SpLD then you will have heard of PATOSS?
Some years ago they recommended minimum hourly rates for SpLD tutoring and it was £35 upwards. If you fulfil their criteria for membership then you can join their list of tutors.

You need to consider what other tutors charge for 'ordinary' tutoring and what you are offering over and above that.

I agree that 30 minute sessions might be suitable for some children.

But I don't know how many parents would want to pay for ongoing mentoring. I often give out handouts to parents on how to help at home, how to help with time management and all the other things you mention. I don't think they would need this kind of thing on a weekly basis if their child was coming to you.

I offer a consultancy service alongside my tutoring but find that the uptake is limited. TBH I think some parents are unwilling to pay for specialist advice and turn to MN to ask questions!

Thanks for that info/advice.

The mentoring part would be optional - I'd offer a range of things and if I just ended up doing the 1:1, that would be fine.

MN wasn't around when I was struggling when my child was younger and it's great to know there's more support out there for families now