Private one-to-one tuition is considered the most effective and productive method of learning at all levels of academic and creative development. It helps students build skills, confidence and enthusiasm for learning; it's the recipe for academic success. The personal tutor industry has become a booming enterprise, with academic hopefuls and/or their parents spending billions of pounds annually to ensure student success.

Private tutoring jobs ensure focused attention and tailored guidance. These professionals help students realise their full academic and creative potential, and teach them study skills that can be used throughout their lives. That tailored guidance comes from people like you, who are passionate about helping others and firm believers in the benefits of education.

These are things to consider when starting up as a private tutor:

  • the qualities that make a good private tutor
  • the qualifications private tutors need
  • what subjects you could tutor in
  • what you could expect to earn as a tutor
  • how to grow your private tutoring concern

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What Subjects Could You Tutor In?

Historically, tutoring centred on teaching mathematics, science and, in our country, English. That trend continues in tutoring centres and in private tuition. Academic tutoring demands demonstrable proficiency on the tutor's part. After all, nobody is going to hire anyone to teach English online who does not speak the language or a calculus tutor who cannot solve linear equations.

We don't mean that every tutor must hold advanced degrees; only they should be proficient in his/her discipline and at least one year beyond the level they wish to tutor at. If you are an undergraduate, you may tutor GCSE and A-Level candidates in exam preparation, homework help or general academic support. In the UK, people as young as 14 may tutor any pupil in early Key Stage 3 and below.

Academic subjects are not the only ones people seek tutoring for. Keen minds look for lessons in cookery, arts and crafts, and playing a musical instrument. If you're a fitness devotee, you could give mindful meditation or yoga lessons, or be a personal trainer. In short, whether you are a highly degreed professor or talented in some niche skill, there is a market for you to tutor.

An overhead view of a person in a grey jumper with long sleeves writing in a notebook while a half-eaten croissant and a cup of coffee sit on the table in front of the notebook.
Our guide gives you a checklist to start your tutoring career. Photo by Cathryn Lavery on Unsplash

What Qualities Make a Good Private Tutor?

Tutoring agencies usually look for dedicated, passionate and creative people; teachers with a degree of empathy and a flair for teaching. The call for tutors of all ages and levels of qualification has never been more urgent so if you have a professional and outstanding standard of tuition, consider becoming a tutor.

Students today are subjected to so much pressure. They compete for top marks to succeed academically while dealing with social pressure and possible bullying. The best tutors use empathy to minimise the stress of competition by placing their focus solely on their students' success. To do so, they must understand every student's unique situation and find positive ways to overcome the challenges they face.

Learning disabilities or any other disadvantage can have a devastating effect on a student's academic performance and/or social acceptance. Tutors must be sensitive to their charges' needs, ensuring that not only are they given the intellectual tools they need but the moral and emotional support to thrive. That's another reason why empathy is a vital trait every independent tutor must embody and project.

Students need easy and accessible ways of learning to boost grades and cultivate skills. A private tutor or E-tutor should have the experience and resources to provide their students with personalised guidance. Such mentoring should suit the student’s learning requirements on an individual basis.

Students need help with homework and preparation for primary SATs, secondary school GCSEs, and A-Level or college entrance exams. As a tutor, you would mentor your students to help them reach their desired level of academic success. Just beware that your teaching strategies must be specific to your student's learning styles to help them with their strengths and weaknesses.

A good private tutor will have many important qualities in both a personal and pedagogical capacity. As a tutor, interpersonal skills and adaptability are key. Your approach must be versatile and personalised to the individual student. You must be able to motivate your pupils to achieve their best.

This might mean finding creative and innovative ways of helping your student learn. A great tutor, above all, will analyse how their students learn and adjust their tuition accordingly. When you promote your lessons as a private teacher, you should emphasise that you have these abilities.

It's up to you to listen to your student's primary concerns and goals whilst also taking stock of their strengths and weaknesses. Their knowledge levels and their skills should determine the best way forward as you work together. For example, you're covering a topic where the student can remember key facts but is struggling to remember small details. Try introducing them to various memory techniques and memory-building resources to strengthen this skill.

Recognising a student's particular learning strategies will put you ahead of the game in your lessons. If you've noticed your tutee responds well to visual learning aids, use visual teaching methods during your sessions. This will help them to remember the all-important lesson content for exams. It will also help them to understand their own learning style in a way that will help them long into their adult life.

Things like getting familiar with syllabuses, textbooks and exam formats can also help you better tailor your tuition to the student. Do your research on what teachers and exam boards are looking for as well as how grading systems and mark schemes work. Good communication skills are key to making one-to-one tutoring sessions successful and rewarding. Asking your student about their understanding of the national curriculum in the classroom can give you some clue as to the direction you need to take in teaching it.

You must also think about the kind of private tutor you would like to be. Will you work in your own home, or commute to your students' homes. Should you prefer commuting, how far would you travel? Do you want to tutor one-to-one, online, or teach small groups too?

A person in a white short-sleeved shirt sits outside in a patio chair, holding a digital tablet and smiling at the screen.
The trend these days is more toward online tutoring Source: Pixabay Credit: Cuncon

Don't forget that as a self-employed tutor, you are essentially running a business, so it's up to you to build a good reputation. Investing your time and money in your tutoring venture is investing in yourself, so you can't always afford to cut corners.

A great tutor will be flexible and fully equipped to run their own shop. This might mean having a safe and appropriate living situation, or a reliable means of transport. You might require a computer with a webcam and technical ability if you're planning to offer online tutorials.

It's worth investing in reliable technical equipment for your online lessons, including a high-quality external webcam and a good microphone. These can be pricey but they will ensure that your lessons run as smoothly as possible with no time wasted by preventable technical interruptions. Top-shelf equipment will help you build your reputation as a tutor who recognises that the quality of their online stream can affect the overall quality of their lessons.

The most essential quality of a good private tutor is a love and passion for what they are teaching. You don't need qualifications - just knowledge and enthusiasm. If you have an energetic, encouraging character and good experience in your subject area, tutoring is for you!

Contrary to what many people think, teaching isn't just about imparting one's knowledge to others. Teaching and tutoring are about showing students what makes the subject they are learning so exciting. We all know that learning is easy when you're having fun. Having a genuine interest in a topic motivates you to delve deeper into it.

As a private tutor, it's up to you to create a safe learning environment so you can make kids as mad about your subject as you are. Who knows? Maybe you'll teach a future expert in your field. Even Maya Angelou credited her English teacher with fuelling her love of the written word.

A person with red hair, wearing a navy blazer over a white shirt sits in a black and blue chair in a meeting,
Having a DBS Certificate can help to attract more jobs. Having a DBS Certificate can help to attract more jobs. Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

What Qualifications Are Needed to Become a Private Tutor?

You are not required to have any specific qualifications or experience to become an independent tutor in the UK, with one notable exception. If you wish to become an in-home personal trainer, you must have a valid Level-3 certificate. In most other cases, being a private tutor requires a certain level of skill and expertise. It is up to you to advertise your credentials accordingly and decide whether you are competent to tutor in a certain subject.

Many tutors are professional teachers or ex-teachers, but it is not necessary to have any teaching qualifications to be a private tutor. Some students prefer to have a tutor who is a certified teacher due to their knowledge of the syllabus and what exam boards are looking for in test prep. Others might find that their way of learning is better supported by someone with different experience and skills to offer, such as a recent graduate.

People with industry experience tend to offer tuition in more specialist subjects like IT and media-based skills. Such tutors can be very helpful for students who are thinking about a career in those areas. You only need to make sure you're up to date with the latest developments in the industry, and it wouldn't hurt to have some tutoring experience.

As mentioned above, there are currently no legal requirements to have a certain qualification to begin tutoring. But as with any other professional sector, training is a must for keeping up your skills, even if you're a tutor.

You can find many good providers of training in the education industry and one organisation has even developed a teaching-level qualification specifically for tutors. Qualified Tutor launched the Level 3 Qualification for Tutors in 2021. Tutors deserve the same level of CPD and support as classroom teachers; this is a really good opportunity to level up your tutoring and become a qualified tutor.

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Join the Superprof community and share your knowledge with interested and motivated students.

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What Are The Legalities of Working Private Tutor Jobs?

As there are no legal requirements to work as a private tutor in the UK, it is up to you to advertise your services, decide which precautions to take and which checks you may wish to have done.

Do I Need to Obtain a DBS Check to Become a Tutor?

In 2013, The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) merged to become the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). A DBS certificate is an official document proving that there is no known reason why an individual may not work with children or vulnerable adults. Anyone aged 16 years and older may submit to a DBS check.

Tutors commonly present DBS certificates to parents and carers, although they are not legally required to do so. Note: to teach in any school or tutor through any agency, you will be required to provide a DBS. In Scotland, that same document is called 'basic disclosure' and possession thereof is required of anyone who works with vulnerable individuals.

The Three Types of Checks:

Type of DBS CheckPriceWhat's Included
Basic
The only DBS check you may request yourself
£23Only information on 'unspent' convictions
Standard£26Check for spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings
Enhanced£44Same as that standard check + any additional information held by local police that is considered relevant to the role being applied for
Enhanced with List Checks£44Same as the enhanced check + check of the DBS barred lists

It generally takes around eight weeks to get a DBS check. The time it takes to process the check depends on the level of the check required, the accuracy of the details provided, and the police forces that need to be involved in the check. The benefits of having a DBS certificate include making students, parents and other tutors feel safe. Providing this security assurance helps you attract more students to your service.

Taking the time to get a DBS check also shows that you're serious about the services you are providing, however little or often you may tutor. It's also handy to have if you're applying for any other jobs which involve working with young people or vulnerable adults. If you are self-employed, you cannot apply for a DBS check. There are alternatives to the DBS check, which include a free ‘subject access request’ which you can apply for from your local police station.

How Do I Report My Income for Tutoring Jobs?

A black-case calculator with gold trim sits next to an uncapped silver pen which, in turn, lies atop an expenses sheet.
Recording and reporting your income doesn't have to be difficult! Source: Visualhunt

One of the most important parts of working as a private tutor is reporting your income and paying your taxes. As a tutor, HMRC considers you a self-employed sole trader. Check that box when you register as self-employed to accurately report your income - even if you only tutor part-time while working somewhere else. If you live and tutor in Scotland, you must register with Revenue Scotland.

As a sole trader, you will have to complete a self-assessment tax return every year after the 5th of April (when the tax year ends), which you can do online. As someone who runs an enterprise, you are personally responsible for its finances. In the same way that your full-time place of work sorts out the amount of tax you should be paying based on your earnings, you'll need to do the same for yourself as a self-employed tutor.

HMRC offers more information about working for yourself. Their website includes advice on setting up as a sole trader and the appropriate forms to complete for your application. You can also find out the facts about disclosing what you earn in our companion article.

Do I Need Insurance to Become a Tutor?

You are not legally obliged to have insurance to work as a private tutor in the UK. Public liability insurance covers the cost of claims made by members of the public for damage or injury that has occurred in connection with your enterprise. Public liability insurance is recommended for freelance workers, particularly for those who offer personal tuition at home or outside their homes. Should a student get hurt or damage occur to anyone's property, you'll be covered.

Even if you will tutor exclusively online, it is a good idea to insure yourself. Granted, you eliminate the risk of anyone tripping over anything in your home by tutoring online but what if you suffer an incapacitating illness? The best way to safeguard yourself against a potential loss of income is to protect yourself with a comprehensive insurance policy.

Advertising

You are obliged by law to give a true and accurate description of the tuition you will provide. Any marketing materials you use, such as business cards, flyers and adverts, or any descriptions of your activity in online adverts must be factually correct. You should be able to provide proof of any experience or qualifications you claim to have.

You must be completely honest with all skills and qualifications you have. For instance, you can't say you studied languages abroad if you did not. You can't claim your past students all achieved high marks if a few failed. And you should never fabricate testimonials or make up any success stories from supposed former students.

It is a criminal offence to falsify information about a service you advertise. Members of the public may report you for misleading advertising to the Advertising Standards Authority. You will then endure long and costly legal proceedings. For more information on abiding by UK advertising codes and to make sure you are advertising responsibly, visit the Advertising Standards Authority website.

A 20-pound note featuring Queen Elizabeth lies atop a messy pile of other bills of various denominations.
How much you can earn as a tutor depends on many variables Source: Pixabay Credit: Cosmix

What Can You Expect to Earn as an Independent Tutor?

There is no straightforward answer to that question because so many factors influence your earning potential. What you teach, your degree of expertise and your level of experience count. The level you tutor - primary or secondary, college or university matters, as does your geographical location. How many hours you tutor and whether you tutor online or in person and, of course, whether you tutor on weekends play a role in setting your prices.

Average Per-Hour Rates for Tutors Across the UK

The upside of all of these factors is that they demonstrate that your venture will be what you make of it. Taking into consideration the factors outlined above, we can estimate average per-hour rates for tutors in general, across the UK.

CityAverage Rates per Hour
London£25.55
Edinburgh£22.03
Manchester£21.35
Liverpool£20.53
Belfast£19.85
Glasgow£19.41
Coventry£19.32

What you teach is the most important factor in determining your fees, as is the availability of tutors in your area that teach the same subject(s) as you do. You will compete more for clients if you teach academic subjects than if you teach a niche skill such as yoga or drawing.

How to Set Your Rates

Passionate and altruistic though you may be, you need to earn your living just like the rest of us. Determining how much income you need to generate is a prime consideration. You might be tempted to set your rates high so that one hour of tutoring would yield the same income as a day's wages working in a shop. On the flip side, you might think that, as you are just starting out as a tutor, setting a very low price for each hour of instruction would attract a lot of clients.

Neither of these strategies is an effective way to set your hourly rates and there are no official guidelines for establishing a schedule of tutoring fees. Into that void leaps Superprof, to offer a couple of suggestions. How much do other tutors in your area charge for teaching the same subject as you? And what do you bring to the table that other tutors don't?

You might have more experience, more education, a skill not many other tutors have, for instance. You are free to set your rates however high or low you'd like but strive to hit that happy balance where clients can justify the expense of tutoring. Otherwise, you will most likely price yourself out of the tutoring market.

Strategies to Increase Your Income from Tutoring

There are only so many hours in a day and only so many kids you can tutor; realising that makes tutoring business forecasts a bit gloomy. Let's say you tutor 3 students every evening, charging £20 per session. That puts your daily earnings at less than the national living wage and you would have to work seven days a week to support your family. Rather than work so much, why not adopt a few of these methods for earning more per hour?

If you have the qualifications/experience, work exclusively with special groups; SEN students, the elderly or the disabled, just to name a few. You may prefer to tutor in small groups; a tactic that will permit you to collect a fee from everyone present. Even if you live in a remote location, consider giving lessons online to reach a wider pool of clients As long as you don't mind online teaching, what about tutoring students in other countries?

Students in eastern Asian countries all work very hard to learn English so the demand for native English speakers is high. The time difference puts them out of class and available for lessons while your local students are in class. That means you don't have to waste daylight hours waiting for your pupils to finish school.

A concrete wall displaying a section of posted notes, adverts and fliers, all in different colours with the majority of them being white paper.
Advertise in and around your local community. Source: Flickr

Ways to Advertise Your Tutor Services & Grow Your Business

To figure out your messaging, ask yourself the same questions a prospective client would ask. What personal or professional qualities and experience do you have and do you have any qualifications in your subject area? What is your track record as a tutor? What makes you a great tutor?

Answering prospective clients' questions in your advert will pique their interest, leading to more interviews and more work. Here are ways to do it.

Classified Ads

Your local paper likely runs adverts but space is limited and the longer your ad, the more it costs. Besides, for the clients you hope to reach, advertising your tutoring service online would net better results. Classified sites like Gumtree, Freeads or social networking sites Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are a great way to advertise and find jobs in and around your community.

Post on community pages as well as your personal social media profiles. You may start a page for your enterprise on Facebook and LinkedIn so students can find out more about you and leave reviews.

Build a Web Page

A web address gives you ample room to promote your venture. A website gives your efforts legitimacy, something you might not get by posting a free advert online. Having your own web page permits you to detail your venture and share success stories of previous students through their testimonials. Those will validate your skills for other parents and students who are looking for something in particular.

Posting Flyers

Distributing flyers and putting up adverts is a practical way to advertise your serviceMany high-traffic locations like shops, cafes and libraries have bulletin boards for just that purpose.

Posting small advertisements in busy areas is a great way to get your name out there. Even if it's not somewhere popular with parents, your ad could catch the eye of someone who will pass your name on to a potential customer. You may even consider your local schools and university dorms, they have bulletin boards too.

Word of Mouth

Family, friends and former colleagues; even people in your local community can help spread your venture by word-of-mouth. Make your name the first on everyone's lips when the subjects you tutor comes up.

Tutors are not marketers and few are in a position to hire someone to advance their brand. However, everyone rooting for you will do their part to see your enterprise get off the ground. Their personal connection to you and their singing your praises will likely send more clients your way than any other form of advertisement you could design.

Two people sit across from one another with a narrow wooden table separating them, upon which rests an open laptop computer whose screen faces away from the camera.
Use your skills and experience to boost your students' grades. Source: Visualhunt

Tutoring With Superprof

Landing a tutoring gig isn’t always easy even through online platforms where your profile competes with thousands of others. Still, online is the most convenient way to advertise your tutoring service across the UK and worldwide. Superprof takes much of the worry and hassle out of advertising and finding clients by providing every tutor with a page uniquely theirs.

On your Superprof profile page, you may say as much as you'd like about your pedagogy, experiences and qualifications. You may set your rates as you see fit and upload your documents - DBS, credentials and others so that your profile will show 'verified' to prospective clients. Free online platforms like Superprof guarantee your profile a worldwide audience. Your prospective students can learn about you before getting in touch for their first lesson.

To get the most out of free online tutoring platforms, make your profile as detailed and attractive as possible. Market yourself as a  stand-out by detailing what you offer that other tutors don't; perhaps as a tutor whom pupils are excited to learn with. On Superprof,  students can find and talk with private tutors whose profiles most closely match their learning needs, winnowing their choices down to their ideal match.

Unlike other online tutoring platforms, Superprof lets you choose how you get paid and how much you charge with no commission fees. Every penny you earn is yours to keep. With Superprof, all payment for academic tutoring services is arranged solely between the tutor and the student. This gives you total control over how you get paid.

At Superprof, we pride ourselves on providing an online platform that connects tutors and students of all ages for online and in-person learning. The best part is that you're in charge of your business. You decide your rates and organise your schedule.

You can start tutoring with Superprof in 6 simple steps:

  1. Register for an account and create your profile
  2. Verify your details and qualifications with Superprof
  3. Make your tutor advert live for students to find you
  4. Wait for students to contact you through Superprof
  5. Review their request and decide whether to accept or decline. Upon accepting, your contact details will be made visible to the student
  6. Arrange when and where to host your lessons

Online tutoring jobs provide a secure and resourceful service to help you share your expertise. You can tailor your work to suit your schedule by choosing your hours and you can work from anywhere, anytime. All you need is an internet connection and a webcam. Are you ready to start your tutoring venture now?

Want to give private lessons?

Join the Superprof community and share your knowledge with interested and motivated students.

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Ellen

Ellen is a writer and translator with a passion for literature, traveling and learning new languages.