Thinking Of Giving Extra Tuition

[saintjohnny]

I'm a newly qualified FE lecturer, and although I'll be teaching full time from September, my salary isn't going to be enough. I would like to offer private tuition, maybe 4-5 hours per week in the evenings in English / Communications. My questions are: How much could I realistically charge per hour? What do I do about tax? Do I have to tell my college that I am doing private tuition? Thanks.

[Buenchico]

As a former teacher, I know that most of the big unions would suggest that you should charge at least �30 per hour for your services. I also know, however, that there's no point pricing your services out of the range of those people who might want to engage them. A quick web search has shown me that driving instructors (who have far greater overheads than you will) seem to be charging around �20 per hour at present, so that might be a more realistic figure to charge.

The tax man will want 22% of everything you earn (because your tax-free allowance will have been used up through your college employment). There is almost certainly some information about this here: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk but the HMRC website is notoriously difficult to navigate. It would be far simpler to speak to your local tax office. (Basically, this just means that you'll have to fill in a basic tax return every year and pay the bill when it arrives).

There should be no need to tell your college about any outside employment unless it conflicts in some way with the interests of the college. (e.g.. it would normally be regarded as unethical to provide private tuition to one of your own students. It might be wisest, however, to mention any private tuition offered to anyone who attends the college, even if they're studying a completely different course to the one which you teach. In particular, the college might deem it inadvisable for you to place yourself in a situation where you'd be alone with one of the college students, of either sex, irrespective of the fact that you don't teach them at college).

Chris

[saintjohnny]

Oh, that's great advice Chris. Thanks so much. I was thinking �20 per hour in fact - so you've confirmed what I thought. I might forget to tell the taxman though... :-)

[tell-me-more]

Bear in mind you also have expenses if you're visiting tutees, and you may need insurance if they're visiting you. Any less than �25 and you'll probably find it's not worthwhile bearing in mind you'll also be working quite unsociable hours. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers recommended �25 minimum a couple of years ago, and I'd go with that.