Hi there,

I currently teach 12 ish pupils in 4 evenings a week and supliment my income with a part time day time non musicy job. I'm thinking about possibly dropping my part time job and increasing my number of pupils However, due to lots of other evening commitments, (and wanting at least sometime with my husband!) I don't really want to take on any more evening pupils. The music service that state schools in my area use is particularly bad (as far as I've heard from other teachers who have worked for them, and seen from pupils I've gained from them!), and there are rarely any jobs going in independant schools.

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for sources of daytime private pupils. Perhaps retirees or homeschooled children? Does anyone know how I'd go about finding these pupils. For eg is there somekind of homeschooling network where I could advertise?

Many thanks,

Learner Driver

I'm in exactly the same position, both of my children are not at school and i've made the very difficult decision to cut down my evening and Saturday pupils from September I don't know of any specific home schooling websites but maybe adding a note on any existing advertising you have might help, such as musicteachers.co.uk. Also, what about a flyer to any old people's homes or residential bungalow places etc.

Me too. I wouldn't give up your part time yet. I have sent cvs to all my local independent schools and some state schools. I have about 18 pupils in the evenings but need day time work. Music services may work for you. I was employed with one for a short time... but I think most have you teaching in groups. I had to teach 6 an hour to get the rate that they advertised and that was less than I would take privately in an hour. Some state schools will buy you in through the music service or take on private teachers. I haven't been doing it long. I have a couple of adult pupils who came to me through their children. I put adverts in local music shops... and Music Teachers site.... and I have had pupils from them.... but like you I need more day time work. Independent schools often advertise in the TES or there is an independent schools site. Best of luck...if you have any breakthroughs .....let me know

Word of mouth is probably the best advertising but it may take a while to build up the business and you may suffer an income gap between dropping the daytime job and building up a pupil base. I would have thought home schooled children is a good market but it will depend how popular it is in your area. There seem to be lots of home schooled children where I live but it may vary region by region. Consider also adding group music lessons - like classroom type music to groups of such children as well as just private instrumental lessons.

Perhaps pre school group music and movement type classes or look into colourstrings

Some links about home schooling in the uk which might be useful

http://www.home-school.com/groups/england-uk.html

You could try advertising in local residents' association newsletters. It does build up - albeit gradually. Good luck.

Contact your local state secondary schools - some don't use the music service but have a separate arrangement with private teachers. At my daughter's school the private teachers have use of teaching rooms but the contract is directly between parent and teacher, the school is not involved.

As far as home-schooled children go, have a look for Education Otherwise (they have a website but I don't know if it's .co.uk or .com or whatever). Also have a look on parenting websites - many have a home education forum and you might be allowed to advertise on there, sometimes for a small fee.

I do not know what your instrument or instruments are, but there is work to be found during the day by offering your services as an accompanist if you are a pianist. There are teachers who do not play well enough to be a ble to play for singers during lessons who might use you from time to time, and for exam work. There may be local ballet classes that could use you too. If you teach voice you could get lots of daytime pupils from the choirs in your area. Place a well worded poster in your local music shop and at the newsagent's offering lessons to adult beginners and you may find lots of work coming your way. Something on the lines of:

HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT?
IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN!
QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED TEACHER OFFERS LESSONS TO BEGINNERS OF ALL AGES.

Make it eye catching and you will probably get a reply or two. Give some great lessons and soon their friends will be asking for lessons as well.. Good luck.

About 20 of my current pupils are adults and over half of them come during the day. Some are retired, a couple are Mums of school-age children who fit lessons in around their own part-time jobs and and rest are self-employed so come when we mutually agree a time as available.

This works well for me. I suppose I do about two full mornings of teaching in addition to the post-school/evening slots for everyone else.

Mine has just grown up from word of mouth - but initially I did advertise in our local village store and village magazine.

Hope this works out ok for you.

It sometimes feels like it will take an entire lifetime to build up enough pupils to quit either peri work or any other job. There are some teachers I know who have a waiting list and are reluctant to the point of telling lies so that they don't have to give out names and phone numbers of other teachers - in case they lose pupils of their own and want to replace them.

I know one has to look after themselves, but there are some really selfish bods out there who hog everything.

Generally speaking, I've gained extra private students via word of mouth. I do get the odd fruitful enquiry from websites, but not very often.

I have an advert in the yellow pages this has given me quite a lot on income during the day from retired people and part timers. It costs about £120 a year for a box advert I have found it has paid dividends.