I assume it's one of the sites that has feedback.  If you are new and have no feedback I suggest you offer a lower rate until you have one or two people, then raise your rate after 5* feedback has been left.

It is also a funny time of year now, Y6 are finishing ready for SATS and the 11+ candidates will be up and running in the main as entrance tests are September.  Don't give up, but do reduce your price until you get started.

It is a slower time of year for starting with new students, as said above. The rate you charge should depend on your qualifications and experience. £25 an hour is not too high if you are qualified teacher with experience, but it is if you are completely new to tutoring. If you charge too little, it might lead to a lack of confidence from the parents of your tutees, as they might see you as a 'novice', which i'm sure you're not!

Thanks - I really appreciate your replies.  I am a very experienced Teacher but I appreciate the comments you made about needing to get 5* feedback on the website.  I think I'll lower my rate to £19 an hour for a short while to see whether that makes any difference.

DoolallyDoris

I think I'll lower my rate to £19 an hour for a short while to see whether that makes any difference.

 

 

Why not a round £20? Save messing with change...

 

Just be aware it might not be as straightforward as you think to increase your rates. I got one of my first students through first tutors and since then, I've had 8 students gained via word of mouth through this particular student. If you charge the first person £19 and then expect to raise your fee to £25, you may encounter some resistance. Also, each of the further students you gain may refer you on to others. At what point would you decide to increase the fee? I just held tight and stuck with my original plan to charge £25. It took a bit of time to get started, but has saved any trouble in the long run. Just a thought.....

[edited by: bananamoore at 9:55 (GMT 0) on 11-4-2012]

You could always do an 'Introductory Offer'? Maybe a free or half price first lesson?

Slow time of year to get started anyway - I tend to find the phone goes in bursts...

Start of the summer holidays you get a couple of enquiries for parents wanting to keep on their kids' cases over the summer/people knowing you get booked up who've heard about you from word of mouth.

The day the first "hard" maths homework of the year goes home and the parents get stuck near the start of September gets a couple of calls (tends to be Y6ey this one).

You tend to get a flurry near the end of September when the first parents' evening of the year kicks in (usually less Y6ey).

Then it goes quiet until January when you can sometimes pick kids up as they've realised that cripes - they actually have to learn stuff by July!

Then you get the mid-March-miracle-wanters who ring you expecting you to suddenly pull two sublevels out of your backside in a month or two.

I find as the years go on I get more calls prior to the summer wanting to line me up for the following academic year - but that's the word of mouth that builds up as you get established.

 

I charge £20 a session btw - that's pretty much the going primary rate where I am... considering changing to a tiered rate according to travelling distance - but I'm picky about where I travel to in order to reduce the amount of time I spend in the car these days. I'll do a free pop-in for a chat about my background and what they want to achieve session... but if it's an active teaching session then I charge.

Takes time to get known in an area though - generally I find once one family in a school takes you on, your name gets passed around at the school gates (always worth having a nice business card to give parents you take on so they've got one to pass on to other parents) and you pick up another couple of kids from the same year in that school... then a couple of years down the line you pick up the younger siblings as well!

Thanks very much 'MisterFlibble' (and all) for your - really useful - advice.  I really appreciate you taking the time to give me such a lengthy - and encouraging - reply 'MisterFlibble'.

I got one of my first students through first tutors and since then, I've had 8 students gained via word of mouth through this particular student.

Wow - that was good going!  I've got a form to register with first tutors this weekend - sounds like they may be worth a try.

Try registering for as many sites as possible. www.LessonPark.com has free registration and i have had students through this (although i think it will depend on location and subject as well as price).