#YOUR MUSIC TUTOR PROFESSIONAL#

There are other covers to consider too, including professional indemnity insurance and business equipment cover. For example if a student visited your studio for a music lesson and slipped over on a wet floor, or if you went to a studentвЂ™s home and accidentally spilt coffee on a computer, you could face a compensation claim, and your public liability insurance could step in to cover the legal fees and compensation costs. Public liability insurance is the cover that can help you out if someone sues you for injury or damage.

If youвЂ™re a member of the ISM, you may be able to use their DBS service.Д«usiness insurance is an important consideration for self-employed music teachers. In other situations - for example if youвЂ™re just teaching at home or at your studentsвЂ™ homes - you can request a basic disclosure yourself that you can show to clients. If you get work in an organisation like a school, they will usually check your criminal record by requesting a DBS check. Get criminal record checksД¬lients may expect you to have some sort of criminal record check. This involves a bit more paperwork, but our guide to setting up a limited company should help you navigate the process. Bear in mind that you need to do this even if youвЂ™re only teaching music part-time and you have another source of income.ДЄlternatively, you may decide to set up a limited company. To set up as a sole trader, all you need to do is tell HMRC youвЂ™re self-employed. The simplest business structure is sole trader. The MusiciansвЂ™ Union has a bank of teaching contract templates, for example. Join relevant organisationsД«ecoming a member of the ISM and the MusiciansвЂ™ Union may be a good idea, as they can provide advice, tools and networking and listing opportunities. Most private music teachers charge between ВЈ26 and ВЈ36 an hour for one-to-one lessons according to a 2015 survey by the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM). Write a basic business plan and think through the mechanics of your business, like the hourly rates youвЂ™ll charge. Think through the basics of your business ItвЂ™s important that you have a good knowledge of the range of things your students may want to learn, including familiarity with the grade examination system. In reality, itвЂ™s likely that youвЂ™ll end up doing a combination of different types of teaching. You could take group lessons or one-to-one lessons, and you may choose to teach adults or children. You could teach in schools on a freelance basis as a visiting tutor, or you could hold private lessons in your home or at the homes of your students. There are plenty of different ways to run your music teaching business. You could consider the Certificate for Music Educators (CME) or even take a PGCE course if youвЂ™re interested in becoming a fully qualified teacher and you already have an undergraduate degree in music. You donвЂ™t need any formal qualifications to get started as a self-employed music teacher or tutor, but any relevant degrees or certificates may help you to get clients. Do I need a certificate to be a music teacher?

Your music tutor