Setting your tuition fees Caroline Aldred Business Support Officer ISM ism.org
Our teachers’ fees surveys • Commissioned annually • Teachers tell us what they were charging in September of each year • Unique in the UK • The high response rate makes them an authoritative indicator of rates ism.org
Most music teachers' rates have not kept up with the pack 116 114 112 consumer prices Index 2009 = 100 average wages 110 employed VMTs 108 self-employed VMTs private teachers 106 104 102 100 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 ism.org
Our survey results Self-employed VMT Private music tuition rates rates September 2015 September 2015 £ per hour Central range £ per hour Central range 30-50 Central London London 30-40 Greater London 34-42 independent schools 25-35 Rest of UK 25-34.50 state-funded schools 25-31 music services and hubs Most survey respondents charged fees within the central Rest of UK range. (Only 20% charged more 32-39 independent schools and 20% charged less.) 25-32 state-funded schools 23-29.50 music services and hubs ism.org
The ISM’s recommended rates for employed VMTs Employed VMTs Recommended rates for 2016/17 £ per hour London Rest of UK independent schools & specialist music 36-40 30.50 – 35 schools all other schools, music services & hubs 29 – 34 26-30.50 Employed VMTs Recommended rates for 2015/16 £ per hour London Rest of UK 35.50-39.50 30.50-34 independent schools & specialist music schools 29-34 25-30 all other schools, music services & hubs ism.org
Important points about our recommendations They do not include • employer’s National Insurance • pension contributions or • statutory holiday pay They are gross, before deducting your • tax • National Insurance and • pension contributions ism.org
Using the results & recommendations Think about • where your particular locality sits within the overall fee range • where your school is placed within the overall range of fees • where you yourself fit • the general economic situation and its impact upon demand for music tuition • inflation since the survey date ism.org
Where do you fit ? You should allow for • your skills and qualifications • your teaching experience and • how much you want/need to attract new pupils ism.org
Negotiating rates with pupils/parents • Keep things on a business-like footing • Give plenty of notice if you intend to increase your rate • Refer your clients to our survey results as an indicator of what music teachers are charging ism.org
How often should I raise my rates? • Review annually but • You do not have to increase your rates every year • Most teachers increase them once every two or three years • By an easy round amount ism.org
Negotiating school rates If the school specifies a uniform rate you will probably • not want to insist on a higher fee Keep your rates under review to make sure you are • not falling behind the pack Tell the school if their rates are below our • survey/recommended rates You could raise this in a group representing the VMTs • as a whole Or your Head of Music might be prepared to negotiate • for you ISM members can get advice and representation from • the ISM staff team ism.org
Offered a lower rate for employed work ? Remember: • statutory holiday pay in addition • your employer may pay pension contributions for you • you are entitled to sick pay and maternity/paternity pay and • you have the protection of statutory employment rights ism.org
Room hire charges • Most schools make no charge • Some others charge only a small amount, perhaps as little as £1 per pupil per term • It is not true that schools have to charge VMTs a room hire fee in order to demonstrate that the teachers are self-employed • Some VMTs simply add the room hire charge to their fees to parents ism.org
Always have a contract • You should have a written contract with every pupil/parent • You should also have a written contract with every school where you teach • Whether employed or self-employed ism.org
Zero / variable hours • Can be mutually beneficial for schools and VMTs • Unlawful for an employer to restrict the employee’s ability to work elsewhere at other times • Sensible for working hours to be fixed termly by mutual agreement at the start of each term ism.org
Group lessons Some rough and ready guidelines: • The larger the group the more you charge but the fee per pupil falls • Two pupils sharing a lesson would each pay perhaps two-thirds of the fee for individual tuition • For three to four pupils, the total fee might be one and a half times your individual tuition fee • For five to six pupils, the total fee might be twice the individual tuition fee ism.org
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Any questions ? ism.org
Get the • support, representation and advice you need as a working musician. www.ism.org/ • membership/join @ism_music • facebook.com/ • ISMusicians ism.org
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