Private classes – setting the rules

Private classes are financially more rewarding than working in academies – you can often double your hourly rate by offering one to one private English classes.

However private classes don’t offer the security of academy work – there’s always a student who cancels last minute, or someone who wants to move a class, and when that happens you're left out of pocket.

We would usually suggest getting your students to sign a ‘contract’, setting a few basic rules. This allows you to clearly set out your fee and your cancellation policy, which both you and your student have agreed to, so the ground rules are clear.

Teacher-student Contract for English Classes

• Scheduling: Classes will be scheduled at the mutual convenience of the teacher and student.
• Cost per lesson: Each lesson will cost _____(including worksheets, printouts etc.)
• Accounting procedures: At the beginning of each month the teacher will be paid directly by the student. (see point 4 for further details). The teacher will issue a receipt to the student for lesson payments received.
• Students’ responsibility for payment: All lessons MUST be paid in advance on the first class of each calendar month. Teachers reserve the right not to teach a lesson for which payment has not been received.
• Teacher Attendance Policy: Teachers must give students at least 24 hours notice for all cancelled lessons. In the event of an emergency, notification must be made at the earliest possible opportunity. Teachers will be required to make up any lesson they cancel.  If a teacher is late for a lesson, the teacher must either extend the ending time or make up the lost time at a later date.
• Student Attendance Policy: If a student is late for a lesson, the teacher is under no obligation to extend the lesson beyond the normal ending time or to make up the lost time at a later date. If a student cancels a class with at least 24hours notice, the teacher will endeavour to reschedule the class within the calendar month paid for. If a student cancels a class with less than 24hours notice, the teacher is under no obligation to reschedule.

I have read the above contract and agree to adhere to its terms and conditions:

Teacher  _______________________________

Student________________________________

Date:____________________

Click here to download a printable version of the contract (in Word, so you can modify to suit.)