Clear Maths Tutoring
Ana Lopez, working plan
1. Business summary
I help Year 10 and 11 students with GCSE maths through online lessons, focusing on algebra and exam technique.
My initial goal is six recurring weekly students by 31 March 2027.
2. Owner and scope
Maths graduate. Three years of volunteering at a school homework club, mostly with Year 10 and 11.
I will initially teach GCSE maths and will not offer A-level or university maths.
3. Market evidence
I researched eight online GCSE maths tutors and two local tuition centres and spoke to five parents of Year 10 students. The main need was help with exam questions in the final year, on weekday evenings.
4. Services and prices
| Lesson length | 60 minutes |
| Rate | £40.00 per hour |
| What is included | short follow-up notes after each lesson |
5. Capacity
- Monday, 16:00 to 19:00
- Tuesday, 16:00 to 19:00
- Wednesday, 16:00 to 19:00
- Saturday, 09:00 to 12:00
| Weekly teaching capacity | 12 hours |
| Teaching weeks per year | 40 |
| Expected paid utilisation | 80% |
| Quiet-year utilisation | 50% |
| Preparation and follow-up | 30 minutes per paid hour |
| General administration | 2 hours per teaching week |
6. Income and costs
| Busy year | Quiet year | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual paid teaching hours | 384 | 240 |
| Annual revenue | £15,360.00 | £9,600.00 |
| Payment fees (3% of revenue) | -£460.80 | -£288.00 |
| Other recurring business costs | -£1,200.00 | -£1,200.00 |
| Operating surplus before personal tax | £13,699.20 | £8,112.00 |
| Total working time | 656 hours | 440 hours |
| Surplus per working hour | £20.88 | £18.44 |
Paid hours = 12 weekly hours x 40 weeks x 80% = 384. Revenue = 384 x £40.00 = £15,360.00. Surplus = revenue minus fees minus recurring costs.
Recurring costs are covered from a paid utilisation of 6.4%.
A steady-state scenario, not a first-year forecast: filling the slots takes time. Start-up purchases, pension, personal tax, illness and the weeks outside teaching are not included.
7. Costs and cash
| Start-up purchases | £250.00 |
| Recurring costs per month | £100.00 |
| Opening cash | £1,000.00 |
| Recurring costs covered by the cash left | 7.5 months |
8. Getting students
My first two channels are one tutor directory profile and local parent groups that allow tutor adverts.
My booking or enquiry route is my booking page.
9. Delivery and administration
My routine covers:
- booking
- teaching
- attendance
- lesson notes
- parent updates
- invoicing
- payments received
10. Setup actions and risks
Checks and registrations where I operate:
- To do: Choose a business structure: sole trader or limited company
- To do: Register for Self Assessment once trading income passes £1,000 in a tax year (by 5 October after it)
- To do: Keep business records from the first lesson
- To do: Check whether Making Tax Digital for Income Tax applies to your income
- To do: Check which criminal record check your role is eligible for (DBS, PVG in Scotland, AccessNI)
- To do: Write down how you keep lessons with children safe
- To do: Get quotes for the insurance that suits your lessons, and tell your home insurer
- To do: Take the ICO data protection fee self-assessment and write a privacy notice
- To do: Put your terms, cancellations and the right to cancel in writing
- To do: If you hold a visa, check it allows self-employment
Risks and backup plans: a phone hotspot if the internet fails; lessons moved, not cancelled, if I am ill
11. First 90 days
- By day 30: setup complete and the offer tested with two trial lessons
- By day 60: three recurring weekly students
- By day 90: six recurring weekly students
- Review the plan on 1 April 2027.
Planning assumptions, not a forecast, an earnings promise or tax advice. Replace every figure with your own and review the plan after your first real lessons. Made with teamlilit.com.