Private Tutor

Salary, skills, career path and opportunities in the UK.

Starting salary range: £20,000 - £100,000+ depending on experience and specialization.

There's no formal qualification required to begin, but a degree in your subject and/or QTS for school‑aged students can help you attract clients. The path typically involves:

• Teach school subjects, exam prep, or specialist skills 1‑to‑1, either in person or online.
• Communicate with parents and manage schedules via booking software.
• Adapt lesson plans to individual student needs and track progress.
• Market yourself through referrals, local groups, and an online presence.

• Subject mastery in at least one area.
• Strong communication with parents and students.
• Basic marketing and sales skills.
• Organization and time‑management.
• Provision of a suitable learning environment.

• Webcam, headset, and decent laptop – £0–£400 (often already owned).
• Whiteboard tool (Bit Paper, Miro) – free to £8/month.
• Public liability plus professional indemnity insurance – £80–£200/year.
• Booking and payment software (Calendly + Stripe) – £15/month plus 1.5% transaction fee.

• Register as self‑employed with HMRC and get your UTR.
• DbS check is not legally required for solo tutors but may be requested by parents – £40–£65.
• Public liability insurance (£1m+ is industry standard).
• Safeguarding – lessons with under‑18s should be recorded or conducted with a parent in the room.
• GDPR – pupil progress notes must be stored securely.

• Charging £20/hour simply to match agency rates – private tutoring is not an agency.
• Having no cancellation policy – students may cancel last minute and you bear the loss.
• Traveling more than 40 minutes for a one‑hour session – favor online or local‑only work.
• Refusing to drop weak students – one struggling pupil can waste the energy of several stronger ones.

See how private tutoring fits into wider career groups or read deeper on the topics most relevant to you.