The Student Room Group

How to become a tutor

I have just finished Year 13 and would live to get some Spanish tutoring experience, especially to upkeep my basic grammar skills, earn money and share my passion for the language over the summer. The problem is I've never formally tutored people before and am not a native speaker, and so am not sure how to get people to trust me enough to teach them. I achieved an A* at GCSE Spanish and an A at AS level, and currently hold an offer from Oxford University to study Spanish - would this be enough to convince people to hire me? And how could I do it? I plan to charge £15 an hour - is this too much? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

EDIT BY COMMUNITY TEAM

This tutoring company pays up to £24 per hour - apply to become a tutor here (uni level students only)

Discussion on how to become a tutor here
(edited 5 years ago)
If you have an offer from Oxford, I would hire you :biggrin:
£15 an hour seems reasonable considering the fact that you are not properly qualified yet.

I would give it a go and if you don't get anything try lowering it to £10 an hour
Reply 2
Thank you for the advice, I will definitely give it a go!
Original post by tucostacos
Thank you for the advice, I will definitely give it a go!


Where do you plan to meet the person you are tutoring? You'll need a DBS check before you can start.

I'm not sure anyone will want tutoring over the summer and you'll be off to uni when term starts.
Reply 4
Original post by Muttley79
Where do you plan to meet the person you are tutoring? You'll need a DBS check before you can start.

I'm not sure anyone will want tutoring over the summer and you'll be off to uni when term starts.


I want to do online tutoring, and would try to continue it into university if need be, but hopefully I find some students!
Original post by tucostacos
I want to do online tutoring, and would try to continue it into university if need be, but hopefully I find some students!


You can't do tutoring at uni - Oxford don't allow you to have a job.

How would people pay?
Reply 6
Original post by Muttley79
You can't do tutoring at uni - Oxford don't allow you to have a job.

How would people pay?


You can tutor at Oxford, as I was last October by an Oxford Spanish student for the MLAT test, and people can now transfer money online with sort codes, as I did with said tutor
Original post by tucostacos
You can tutor at Oxford, as I was last October by an Oxford Spanish student for the MLAT test, and people can now transfer money online with sort codes, as I did with said tutor


You aren't supposed to - read the rules.
Reply 8
Original post by Muttley79
You aren't supposed to - read the rules.


I understand the rules, thank you for your input.
Original post by Muttley79
You aren't supposed to - read the rules.


It's not really an official job.

You can view it more as a hobby, unless you work for an agency.
Original post by angelike1
It's not really an official job.

You can view it more as a hobby, unless you work for an agency.


It detracts from work - the rules are there for a reason.
Original post by tucostacos
I understand the rules, thank you for your input.


I suggest that you get some guidance on this from your college rather than another student ...
Original post by Muttley79
It detracts from work - the rules are there for a reason.


What do the rules actually say? Not to have a job? Because private tuition isn't really a job.
Reply 13
Original post by Muttley79
Where do you plan to meet the person you are tutoring? You'll need a DBS check before you can start.

I'm not sure anyone will want tutoring over the summer and you'll be off to uni when term starts.


This is incorrect. There is no legal requirement for a tutor to have a DBS check.

OP, I think it's a good idea. Perhaps owing to lack of experience you should only ask £10. Good luck with it.
Reply 14
Original post by GPA1
This is incorrect. There is no legal requirement for a tutor to have a DBS check.

OP, I think it's a good idea. Perhaps owing to lack of experience you should only ask £10. Good luck with it.


Thank you for the support, I will definitely consider lowering the price!
Original post by tucostacos
Thank you for the support, I will definitely consider lowering the price!

You do need a DBS check if you are tutoring in your home - the OP isn't doing that. I would check with one of your college tutors that what you are planning is OK - there are sometimes restrictions on use of the internet.

OP - what teaching experience do you have?

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