The whole category in one page.
ESTABLISH WHAT APPROVAL IS REQUIRED, AND WHAT PREMISES MUST MEET, BEFORE LEASING ANYTHING
A building that cannot meet the standards is unusable, and operating without required approval can close you.
SAFEGUARDING OVERRIDES EVERYTHING ELSE
Verify qualifications and references directly, check backgrounds, prohibit staff contacting students privately, and never promise a child confidentiality or delay because of who is involved.
STAFF DETERMINE QUALITY, AND LATE SALARIES ARE THE COMMONEST CAUSE OF TEACHER DEPARTURE
Assess teaching with a demonstration lesson using real students — interviews reveal nothing about classroom ability.
CAPACITY UTILISATION DECIDES PROFITABILITY, BECAUSE COSTS ARE LARGELY FIXED ONCE A CLASS RUNS
Calculate break-even enrolment per class and decide in advance what happens to classes below it.
FEES ARRIVE AT TERM BOUNDARIES AND COSTS CONTINUE THROUGHOUT
Forecast cash by month, build a reserve for the troughs, and address arrears early, privately, and never through the child.
PUBLISH THE FULL COST INCLUDING EVERYTHING, SINCE UNDISCLOSED CHARGES ARE THE COMMONEST PARENT COMPLAINT
REPUTATION TRAVELS THROUGH PARENT NETWORKS FASTER THAN ANY MARKETING, SO CURRENT FAMILIES ARE YOUR MARKETING
PROHIBIT IMAGES OF STUDENTS ON PERSONAL DEVICES, BECAUSE IT IS BOTH A PRIVACY AND A SAFEGUARDING FAILURE
AND MEASURE COMPLETION AND OUTCOMES, NOT ENROLMENT, BECAUSE ENROLMENT ONLY MEASURES YOUR MARKETING
