Going self-employed

Going self-employed as a private tutor?

Teaching a brilliant lesson is one thing: get your hourly rates, parent agreements and lesson admin organised before your timetable fills up with pupils.

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Instant digital downloads · UK-focused templates and guides · Not a substitute for professional advice.

The work is one thing. The setup is another.

Teaching a brilliant lesson is one thing; running it as a business is another. Once you're tutoring for yourself, whether you're doing one-to-one and small-group sessions, in person or online, across primary, 11+, GCSE and A-level, you're also setting hourly rates by level and subject, handling block bookings and a clear cancellation policy, invoicing parents, and keeping lesson plans and progress notes tidy. LaunchKit is a set of UK-focused, downloadable templates and guides designed to help you think through that setup side and get organised. It's a practical starting point, not a substitute for professional advice.

  • Setting hourly rates by level and subject, from primary up to A-level, without quietly underselling your time or your specialism
  • Pricing block bookings and online versus in-person sessions so longer commitments still pay properly
  • Putting a clear cancellation and no-show policy in writing so a last-minute drop-out doesn't blow an evening slot
  • Invoicing parents and chasing late payment without it turning into an awkward conversation at the next lesson
  • Building a full timetable of pupils and getting found through parent groups, local Facebook and tutoring directories

What to sort first

Your get-set-up checklist

  1. 1

    Set your rates by level and subject

    Work out what an hour of primary, 11+, GCSE and A-level tuition should each cost, and how online compares to in-person, so you're not underselling your specialism.

  2. 2

    Sort safeguarding and your DBS

    A DBS check and your safeguarding setup are things to look into and sort yourself. The templates help you stay organised but don't replace DBS checks or any safeguarding requirement.

  3. 3

    Get your parent agreement ready

    Have a clear written agreement covering rates, block bookings and cancellations to share before lessons start. It's a starting point to think through, not legal advice.

  4. 4

    Decide your cancellation and no-show policy

    Set out how much notice you need and what happens to a missed slot before you book anyone in, so a late drop-out doesn't cost you the evening.

  5. 5

    Set up invoicing and simple money records

    Get a tidy way to invoice parents and track what's coming in and going out, so tax time isn't a scramble.

  6. 6

    Keep lesson plans and progress notes organised

    Have one place for lesson plans, resources and pupil progress notes so each session picks up cleanly from the last.

  7. 7

    Make yourself easy to find locally and online

    Plan how parents and students find and re-book you through word of mouth, parent groups, local Facebook and tutoring directories.

Suggested starter stack

A sensible order to build up

The same tools, grouped in the order most people pick them up. You don’t need everything at once — start with the essentials, then add the rest as your business grows.

Start with

Best first step
Startup Guide£4.99

Your map for the practical setup steps before your timetable fills up with pupils.

See what’s inside

Add next

Business Documents — Premium£19.99

The parent agreements, bookings and invoices you'll use with every family you teach.

See what’s inside
Pricing Calculator — Premium£14.99

So your hourly rates by level and subject and your block bookings cover your time.

See what’s inside

Useful later

Financial Forms Bundle — Premium£19.99

To keep parent invoices, block payments and takings tidy as your pupil list grows.

See what’s inside
Social Media Content Kit£4.99

To help you stay visible in parent groups and directories and keep enquiries coming.

See what’s inside

Common questions

Before you buy anything

Do I need to buy everything before I start taking pupils?
No. Most tutors start with the startup guide to get the basics organised, then add the parent agreement and invoice templates and a pricing tool as they go. It's designed to help you build up your setup at your own pace.
Are these legal or compliance documents?
No. These are downloadable templates and guides to help you get organised and set up practically. They're a starting point to think through, not a substitute for professional advice, and they don't replace DBS checks, any safeguarding requirement, or any qualifications and insurance you're responsible for as a tutor.
Can I use these if I'm already tutoring?
Yes. Plenty of tutors who are already teaching pick these up to tidy up their pricing, parent agreements and invoicing rather than starting from scratch.
How do I receive the files?
They're instant digital downloads. After purchase you can download the templates and guides straight away and start using them.
Which should I buy first?
A good practical starting point is the startup guide, followed by the business documents for your parent agreements and invoices and the pricing calculator to set your rates by level and subject. From there you can add the other tools as you need them.

Start with the right tools

Get the admin side organised so you can focus on the work. Browse the tools built for private tutors businesses.

Start with the Startup Guide See all private tutors tools

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