22 May 2026 · 4 min read · By Harriet
If you only make one strategic decision in your tutoring business, make this one well. Group vs 1:1 changes your income, your hours and how long you last in the industry.
Why most tutors default to 1:1
It feels safer. It feels more 'personal'. Parents ask for it. New tutors say yes because they want the work. Within a year they're burnt out, capped at 20 hours of teaching a week and earning a ceiling they can't break through.
What groups actually do to your business
Small groups (3–4 children) properly run don't reduce the quality of teaching — in many cases they improve it. Children push each other. They engage more. They love the social side. And your hourly income multiplies without your hours increasing.
But — and this matters — groups only work if you structure them properly. Most tutors who 'tried groups and it didn't work' tried them without the structure, and that's a different problem entirely.
When 1:1 still makes sense
There are absolutely scenarios where 1:1 is the right call — particular SEND profiles, specific exam prep windows, a child with serious confidence issues. The point isn't 'always groups'. It's knowing which child needs which.
Want the full group tutoring blueprint?
I cover exactly how to set up profitable small groups, how to pitch them to parents and how to structure sessions, inside The Ultimate Teacher Exit Plan. Find out more here: /the-course
Want the full step-by-step? See The Ultimate Teacher Exit Plan — the complete course for teachers leaving the classroom.
