Many of us have to face the problem of choosing a school for our children. Often parents have to transfer their child from one school to another. The reasons for this may include: extortion of money supposedly for the needs of the school, conflicts with the director, and ever-increasing cases of assault by teachers. In this regard, the thought of a private school involuntarily comes to mind, but there is no complete confidence that a child there will still be able to receive a decent education, and the price is steep (about $10,000 per year)…
Which school to choose: private or public? According to a study by Topschools (a Begin Group company), among those who chose a private school, 67% believed that they did the right thing, but 42% considered their experience a bad one. There are a lot of rumors surrounding non-state education, and those who have never encountered private schools treat them with distrust. What exactly is a Russian private school and how does it work? And can this be called a business?
The first private schools began to be created in Moscow in the early 90s and took the form of cooperatives. After the Law “On Education” was adopted in 1992, these institutions were assigned the official status of NOU (non-state educational institution).
In accordance with the law, non-profit organizations are non-profit enterprises. Consequently, there are certain restrictions for them regarding economic activities and profit distribution. Income items for a private school include entrance and monthly fees, sponsorship, government subsidies, and grants.
Many experts argue that a private school can hardly be called a business.
Very often people open a private school, but not at all for profit, but so that their own children can receive an education there. There are also companies, such as Gazprom, for example, that open schools for the children of their employees, without requiring excess income from them, and even subsidizing them.
This “business” needs government support like air; without it, it simply would not be able to survive. The rent at which the school is provided with premises is much lower than the market price. Previously, however, material support was unstable, but not so long ago in Moscow they introduced standards for financing non-state schools. Now, knowing the number of students, it is possible to calculate the amount of funds allocated down to the penny.
Until recently, private schools had significant tax breaks. But amendments to the law “On Education” and a new Tax Code came out, which deprived non-state educational institutions of basic tax privileges. Now it must pay taxes on profits (if any), land and property - just like, for example, oil companies and banks. The only good news is that private schools are exempt from VAT.
NOUs receive government support, but it cannot be said that they receive great care. Recently, officials have at least become accustomed to the existence of private schools, whereas previously they were often shocked by this.
“Veterans” of the school business, working in the private school education market for 10-15 years, as a rule, own the premises. This allows them to significantly develop their equipment and provides some guarantees of stability. You can invest money in renovating a rented property if the lease term is at least 10 years, otherwise you shouldn’t do it. However, nowadays it is rare that any landlord is willing to enter into an agreement for such a long period.
It's not easy for schools renting premises right now. There are cases when schools were “thrown out” of the rented building in the most brazen manner, even before the expiration of the contract.
The lack of ownership rights to the premises is one of the main restrictions for this type of activity. Even those schools that have been relatively lucky with their lease terms complain of a feeling of instability.
If the authorities suddenly need the premises of former kindergartens, then first of all private schools are kicked out. In addition, the preferential rental rate, canceled in 2006, hit the NOU hard. And prices for education in private schools immediately jumped by 30-40%.
The number of private schools in Moscow remains stable from year to year. This is due to the fact that some schools are closing, while others are starting to open. The market for private school education in Moscow, according to many, is not yet saturated, but this business still attracts few people.
And the point here is not so much the difficulty of obtaining a license, but rather the choice of premises suitable for educational needs. To obtain a license, it must comply with all the requirements of Rospotrebnadzor, fire safety and licensing conditions, approved, by the way, back in 1993.
Although the conditions for obtaining a license themselves are devoid of any cavils, experts say.
It is important to note that the tuition fees set by schools are not taken out of the blue.
The laws of the market rule here. One school's tuition might be $500 a month, another's $2,000, and that doesn't necessarily mean there's a big difference in the quality of education. However, there is a price limit below which it is no longer possible to obtain a decent education. After all, good teachers will not work for an idea for free. By the way, it is wages that can become a criterion in determining the quality of education in a school.
What is the minimum cost of studying at a private school in Moscow, without losing the quality of knowledge? Experts call the amount 15 thousand rubles per month.
The specifics of education also place demands on school administrators. The director is always between two fires. In order to have the right to issue a state certificate, you must meet state standards. Parents, in turn, demand something completely different: more English, drama, economics, computer skills. You have to please both of them, carefully thinking through the program. The activities of private schools depend on demand, but the market requires one thing, and the ministry demands another. So you have to be flexible when making decisions.
A private school also requires high quality teaching. Finding qualified specialists is quite difficult. Moreover, a high salary is not a universal remedy, although in some cases it helps. Teachers at non-state educational institutions are much closer to parents and their children, this is facilitated by constant meetings at which it is explained where fees are spent: monthly and entrance fees (their value ranges from 30 to 60 thousand rubles)
The head of the school can be either a director-teacher or a non-teacher. Which is better is still unknown. The director must also be a communicator, marketer, entrepreneur, and even partly a politician. For the effective functioning of an educational institution, investments are needed. But only the teacher understands what kind of investment this should be. A manager whose goal is only financial return and cost reduction will not achieve success, but rather the opposite. Parents are ready to pay for something significant, and this is not only household services and good food, but also academic success. And this is much more difficult to provide than four meals a day.
However, the opposite also happens. Teachers have a lot of first-class ideas, but... they simply don’t know how to make money and they’re not good managers. In this case, the school is also doomed to close. Thus, a successful leader is one who is ready to invest and knows how to earn money.
Every year, schools have to pass some kind of exams to the parents of students. There is competition between schools for a profitable client. We have to build a certain image for parents: victories at competitions and festivals, participation in Olympiads, number of medals, high-tech equipment, landscaping. Many schools have swimming pools, gyms, three to five meals a day and even theaters and courts. Parents also strive to protect their children from the influence of bad company. Therefore, many schools look not only at the solvency, but also at the adequacy of children and their parents.
Parents choose a school based on the following criteria:
School reputation (57%)
Teacher qualifications (55%)
Close to home (43%)
Private schools are becoming increasingly popular among wealthy segments of the population - such educational institutions are elite in nature and provide a greater chance of admission to prestigious universities. And since the tradition of private education in our country is relatively new, this sector of the market is not filled. Taking into account the constantly increasing demand, the organization of a full-fledged secondary educational institution will be relevant and promising.
Private school: the basics of starting a business
Private schools provide educational services in the field of secondary education. Depending on the specifics, primary, basic and high schools are distinguished. Private educational institutions may have various forms of training:
- full-time or full-time;
- correspondence;
- individual;
- external study.
It is also possible to take an accelerated individual course in various formats. For example, there are express courses for the 10th and 11th grade programs or only for the final year.
When opening a private school, you need to think through its schedule in advance, which will govern the schedule of students and teaching staff. The standard order would be:
— first half of the day (8.30 -14.30) – training sessions;
- until 16.30 - students complete homework;
— 16.30 – 18.00 – holding electives and clubs.
During breaks, schoolchildren are required to eat meals. For those who stay within the walls of an educational institution all day, four meals a day are required. Additionally, it is also possible to introduce a preschool department, where children 5-6 years old will be prepared for entering first grade.
The private secondary education sector is heterogeneous in its structure. The main differences between schools are the following features:
— number of students in each class;
— location;
— features of the material base;
— pricing policy – amount of tuition fees and payment for additional classes.
In terms of price, the differences are usually very noticeable. The most budget schools are designed for children from middle-class families. Their tuition fees range from $300 to $500 per month. Institutions in this category provide good training, but usually are not particularly comfortable in technical and household equipment. The second group is designed for representatives of the upper middle class, who are willing to pay from 300 to 500 dollars a month for the education of their children. Such schools have better equipped classrooms, must have their own sports facilities, properly equipped computer rooms, and all technical equipment at a higher level.
The highest level of payment is in . The cost of monthly training in such institutions is 1–2 thousand dollars. At the same time, it is not so much the curriculum that differs there, but the material and technical equipment and additional opportunities, including its own observatory or horses for riding.
The most rational and affordable option for a novice entrepreneur would be to open a first category school. Firstly, due to the relatively low tuition fees, their potential audience is as wide as possible. Secondly, the demands of parents from the middle class are much lower, and it is easier to meet them.
The main features of a private school as a business are in the video:
Features and difficulties of creating a private school
One of the important positive features of private educational institutions is the opportunity to expand the boundaries of standard general education programs, introduce new subjects or study individual disciplines in depth. Of fundamental importance is the ability of parents and students to choose certain subjects. An additional advantage of private educational institutions is also considered to be attention to the development of students’ personal qualities - rhetoric, communication skills, leadership abilities. The curriculum of private schools necessarily includes a number of optional subjects - rhetoric, logic, foreign languages. There are additional developmental classes to choose from - dancing, vocals, acting and others. But the main advantage is considered to be a higher level of knowledge thanks to in-depth programs in core subjects, which provides more opportunities when entering prestigious universities. A particularly important advantage may be the emphasis on language training, which gives future applicants the opportunity to study or work abroad.
There is serious competition among private schools, and since new educational structures do not immediately inspire confidence among potential clients, it is worth knowing what competitive advantages will help you take a significant place in your market sector. The main conditions of a private school with a good reputation will be the following advantages:
— availability of an educational license and state accreditation (accreditation must subsequently be carried out every 6 years, the license is issued only once);
— qualified and experienced teachers;
— availability of in-depth programs in several subjects;
— availability of a computer class equipped taking into account modern standards;
- connections with higher educational institutions - schools whose certificates provide advantages for admission to higher educational institutions are in demand.
Below in the video - what to look for when opening a private educational institution.
According to the results of surveys, parents choose a school according to certain criteria. The leading school selection criteria are:
— reputation of the educational institution;
— level of qualifications of teachers;
— territorial location;
- reviews from friends.
Many parents turn to ratings of educational institutions published in information publications, choosing from those schools that are at the top. Therefore, it is important to declare yourself on the market as a high-quality and reliable establishment.
This type of activity also has a number of disadvantages and weaknesses that make the business more risky. One of these nuances is the insufficient elaboration of the essence of private schools in the legislation, the lack of specific criteria for its functioning and clear requirements. Therefore, many founders of private secondary educational institutions face difficulties in obtaining a license and registering a business. For example, the non-profit nature of any educational institution means that all funds earned by the school must be used for the purposes specified in the charter. The founder himself can only receive the salary accrued in accordance with the employment contract. This provision is set out in the specialized law “On Education,” which emphasizes the non-profit nature of any educational structures. Another difficulty is the rather narrow target audience: according to statistics, about 1 percent of modern schoolchildren study in private schools. At the same time, most schools are concentrated in the capital and other megacities, while on the outskirts the opening of a fee-paying school may be impractical due to lack of demand. Therefore, the founder of an educational institution should prepare for the fact that there will be no rush among potential students and that for some time they will have to work at a loss.
The relatively small profits on average received by private schools mean that investors are not very interested in investing in the establishment and development of such an institution. Therefore, the main sources of financing that the founder of a school can count on are a bank loan and personal savings.
After studying the trends and dynamics of the market, the following conclusions can be drawn: the main factor that slows down the development of private education in the country remains the lack of demand - 47% of the heads of such organizations named this particular feature among the negative ones. Approximately 42 market participants consider the lack of proper financing to be the main drawback; another 34% of all respondents named the current taxation as a problem. Gradually, the demand for education in private schools is increasing, as evidenced by statistics. Therefore, according to forecasts for the next year, this industry will develop steadily. And by 2021, the market as a whole is expected to grow to 2 trillion rubles. As for the number of private schools, there are currently up to 2,100 in the country. In the near future, with the percentage of consumption in this sector increasing to 19 percent, up to 150 new schools are predicted to open.
Stages of opening a private school
The main stages of organizing a private educational institution are as follows:
— rent or purchase of premises;
— obtaining an educational license from the Ministry of Education, registration of a business entity;
— repair work, purchase of furniture and equipment;
- hiring;
— development of training programs (or acquisition of ready-made developments);
— organization and planning of the educational process;
— marketing campaign, recruitment of students and advertising of services.
A brief description of all stages of the creation and primary development of a private school is presented in the table:
| Main stages | Execution conditions | Deadlines |
| initial stage | First 24 months | |
| First month | From 1 to 30 banking days | |
| Getting a loan | Availability of a mandatory package of documents | First month |
| Entry into the state register, registration with tax and administrative government agencies | Conclusion of an investment agreement | From 1 to 30 calendar days |
| Search for location, paperwork | Preliminary work | First month |
| Equipment purchase | Availability of an investment agreement | Up to 30 calendar days |
| Equipment installation | Receiving investments | Up to 30 calendar days |
| Hiring | Start of activity | Up to 30 calendar days |
| Personnel training and education | End of the activity organization stage | Up to 30 calendar days |
| Marketing campaign | During the first year of operation | |
| Completion of the starter project | 12 – 24 months |
Search and preparation of premises
There are serious requirements for the premises of an educational institution, therefore, when choosing a building for a future school, you need to study the existing standards. The first thing that must comply with established standards is the area of the school itself and the surrounding area. The total size, including the school area, will be 3 thousand square meters or more. The size of the classroom itself should be from 1500 to 2500 square meters. meters.
Over time, it is better to acquire ownership of the premises. This will give the founder certain guarantees and confidence that his investments in material and technical equipment will not be lost if the lessor changes his plans. As you know, it makes sense to make repairs in a rented premises only if the lease term, according to the contract, is at least 10 years, otherwise the costs incurred simply will not pay off. If you decide to rent, it is better to choose buildings of closed schools or kindergartens. All technical standards will be met there - there is no need to additionally equip the premises with bathrooms, a kitchen, water, electricity and other important communications. True, rental permits from municipal authorities, issued in accordance with the law, are required.
Finding a location for a private school will be determined by several important criteria. The first is targeting a potential audience. Since not all citizens can afford to study at such an educational institution, the emphasis will be placed only on the most affluent segments of the population. Therefore, geographically, the school should be located in one of the prestigious areas of the city. This could be its central part or an area where a large number of luxury new buildings are located. To satisfy the needs of future clients and ensure comfortable access to the school, it is imperative to ensure the availability of convenient access roads, as well as provide good parking.
Material and technical equipment schools are one of the initial stages of its organization.
You need to immediately purchase:
— tables and chairs for students and staff;
— equipment for a computer class;
— multimedia and regular school boards;
— all necessary equipment for the gym;
— cabinets for textbooks and equipment;
— wardrobes for students and teachers;
- school bus.
All furniture, appliances and electronics must meet safety requirements, as well as meet the level stated in the organization’s marketing policy. All equipment must be purchased from trusted manufacturers who guarantee its environmental friendliness and operational reliability.
Team selection
The number of working hours for teachers is strictly regulated by law. The same rules apply to private school teachers. Therefore, the size of the staff will be clearly determined by the number of upcoming working hours.
As for the profile of specialists who will be hired, both teachers teaching basic school subjects and teachers of additional and elective disciplines are required. Among them are teachers of rhetoric, additional foreign languages, or acting. If elective subjects will be taught on a small scale, you can attract freelance teachers by hiring them on a part-time basis. The same applies to the accountant, information and advertising policy manager and some other employees.
All teachers must have specialized education. As for work experience, most employers give preference to those who have 3 years or more. However, the innovative and creative approach characteristic of many private schools requires the energy of young specialists, so sometimes it makes sense to hire proactive university graduates who can bring more modern trends to education. It is equally important to provide an individual approach to each child, since it is in personal development and the lack of standardization of education that the advantage of private schools lies.
The head of the school does not have to be an experienced teacher. Sometimes, to perform certain tasks assigned to the director, the experience of a manager is required, since this position requires, first of all, good organizational skills and a high degree of responsibility.
Advertising and promotion
One of the biggest problems of this market sector is the more rapid increase in market participants than in the potential audience. Therefore, in order to enter this niche and stay in it, it is necessary to carry out a set of measures to shape public opinion and create the image of the new organization. A number of marketing and advertising activities will serve this purpose:
— dissemination of information about private education services on thematic forums and in communities on social networks;
— development and promotion of your own website. The official website should inform parents of potential students about the principles and methods of education, pricing policy and advantages of a particular educational institution.
It is advertising on the Internet that will become the main method of popularizing a new market participant. Therefore, she needs to pay special attention. It is also important to organize open days for everyone, as well as visit kindergartens in order to inform the parents of future first-graders.
A good method of attracting would be free school preparation courses for kindergarten students. In the school lobby you can place information stands that will familiarize parents with the main advantages of this institution and the merits of its teaching staff.
Registration and license
There is a certain regulatory framework that makes it possible for general education schools to exist outside the state educational system. The main conditions for this will be the presence of legal entity status, a license from the Ministry of Education and a full package of permits.
The rules for obtaining a license can be studied in the federal law “On Education” (), as well as the regulation “On Licensing of Educational Activities” (). Having selected the necessary items from the list of possible educational services, the founder can familiarize himself with the requirements stipulated by law.
According to these documents, obtaining a license requires confirming the presence of the following conditions:
— creation of a full-fledged material and technical base, including premises prepared in a certain way, the availability of school equipment and a full range of educational literature;
— compliance with sanitary and epidemiological safety standards: it is necessary to confirm that it is safe to stay in the premises of the future school, in addition, children will be provided with all conditions for education, nutrition, and, if necessary, medical care;
— availability of curricula and educational programs that meet the standards;
— qualified staff: the level of education and profile of teachers must meet legal requirements.
In addition, to be able to obtain a license, it is necessary to provide the commission members from the Ministry of Education with a standard package of documents:
— permission from Rospotrebnadzor and the fire service;
— company charter;
— information about registering the enterprise with the Unified State Register;
— information about registration with the tax authority, submission of the identification number of the LLC as a taxpayer;
— extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities;
- a document confirming the right to use the premises - a certificate of ownership or a lease agreement;
— document on acceptance and transfer of premises;
- cadastral plan of the building or building plan with an inventory of all floors;
— educational program, training plan.
If necessary, the specialists of the licensing commission may submit some other documents confirming the readiness of the new organization to provide educational services for the designated category of consumers.
A separate procedure is the registration of a new organization with the Federal Tax Service. For a private school, only the limited liability company format is suitable. To obtain this status, the founder of the organization contacts this body, where he fills out a special application form. It indicates the official name of the organization, its legal address, provides detailed personal information about all founders and suitable activity codes according to OKVED. In this case, the designated activity corresponds to codes 80.2 (“General education, secondary (complete) general, primary and secondary vocational education”). This code is quite broad and includes a wide range of activities. You can specify a more precise code as an additional code, for example, 80.21.2 – Secondary (complete) general education. If, in addition to basic secondary education, the school will offer additional disciplines, it makes sense to include 80.10.3 “Additional education of children” in the list of activity codes.
Regulatory acts regulating the opening and functioning of private secondary schools, as well as licensing of their activities:
The application is accompanied by a package of documents, which includes:
— company charter;
— decision to create an LLC;
— decision on the appointment of a manager;
— minutes of the meeting of founders, if there are several founders of the school;
- confirmation of payment of the state duty, which for an LLC is 4 thousand rubles.
When registering an enterprise, you should indicate its status as a non-profit organization, since only such a structure can engage in educational activities. Like any legal entity, an LLC requires a minimum authorized capital of 10 thousand or more. Confirmation of the contribution of the authorized capital is submitted along with the main package of documents.
Financial plan
A private school is an organization with a complex structure and high risks. Therefore, when making financial calculations, several indicators are used:
— analysis and dynamics of demand of potential consumers;
— analysis of the existing market;
— general conclusions about the state of the relevant sector of the private educational services market.
Taking into account the high costs and significant level of risks, when drawing up a financial plan, the lowest level of profitability should be taken into account. Taking into account all these features, an approximate plan for production volumes and sales of services will be as follows:
| Period | Type of service | Sales volume per month (number of people) | price, rub. | Revenue, rub. |
| 1 – 12 month | 35 people or more | About 5 thousand | 175 – 500 thousand | |
| 1 – 12 month | Elite occupations | From 7 people | From 50 thousand | 350 – 750 thousand |
| 13 – 24 months | Classic and specialized classes | From 37 people | 5850 or more | 216.5 – 865.8 thousand |
| 13 – 24 months | Elite occupations | 8 or more | From 58.5 thousand | 468 – 936 thousand |
If the market development trends presented in the plan are maintained during the first two years of the school’s existence (approximate indicators are from 6 to 19% per year), the annual sales volumes of services will reach 22 million rubles.
You must first consider the amount and terms of the loan, and also correlate all financial indicators with the interest rate of bank lending. If we initially consider lending in the amount of up to 2.5 million rubles with an interest rate of 14% for a period of 48 months, then the educational organization will reach the break-even point by the 16th month of operation. The estimated amount of profit by this time should be 787.7 thousand rubles.
Calculating monthly payments for all expenses showed a total of 847.7 thousand. And the final gross profit will reach more than 88 million rubles. After deducting all upcoming expenses, the profit of the private school project should be 2 million 551 thousand rubles.
The costs of founding and initial development of the project can be summarized as follows:
| Expense item | Expenses per month, rub. | Expenses for the year, rub. | One-time costs | Total for the year |
| Buying or renting a building (premises) | 190 thousand | 2 million 280 thousand | 190 thousand | 190 thousand |
| Purchase of equipment | 42.1 thousand | 1 million 12 thousand | 1 million 12 thousand | |
| Purchase of computer equipment | 144 thousand | 144 thousand | ||
| Creation and maintenance of a website, hosting, purchase of necessary scripts | 120 thousand | 120 thousand | ||
| Advertising expenses | 75 thousand | 900 thousand | 900 thousand | |
| Salary | From 540 thousand | 6.5 million | 6.5 million | |
| Paying taxes | 113.4 thousand | 1 million 360.8 thousand | 1 million 360.8 thousand | |
| Unexpected expenses | 146.6 thousand | 146.6 thousand | ||
| Total | 847.7 thousand | 9 million 667 thousand | 1 million 613 thousand | 8 million 999 thousand |
Taxes will be one of the mandatory costs. They will have to be paid starting from the first month of the organization’s operation even before the company reaches the level of self-sufficiency. Tax deductions will be standard for most enterprises in the legal entity format, including educational organizations. The main contributions to tax and various general compulsory funds can be grouped as follows:
After analyzing the industry and financial calculations, we can come to the conclusion that a private school is a potentially highly profitable type of business, having high prospects if the entire process of opening and developing a company is properly organized. The main positive factor will be the increased demand for quality school education and the desire of modern parents to give their children good prospects for the future. If the business is properly structured and there is a clear plan for its development, according to rough estimates, a private educational institution will pay for itself and become profitable by the end of the second year of operation.
On video: How to open a private school
There is probably no teacher who would not dream of opening a private school. Some parents and, of course, children dream of their own school. Their fantasies bear little resemblance to the real life of an educational institution. But even teachers who have worked in a regular school all their lives have little idea of how to open a private school, what it is for, and what hardships they will have to go through. Teachers are usually bad managers, so for the successful functioning of such an institution, both are needed.
Opening a private school: three reasons
A private school is not considered by everyone as a business that generates income. Statistical studies show that in Russia there are three main reasons for their discovery.
- Some businessmen are trying to open a school not to make a profit, but so that the children of the founders receive a decent education. Such parents finance the educational institution themselves. It often happens that after the founders’ children graduate, the school slowly dies.
- Large companies often open closed schools in which only the children of employees study. These establishments also do not generate income, and most often are completely subsidized by the founders. Similar establishments in Russia and abroad are maintained by Gazprom and some other business giants. Purpose of training: obtaining education at the European level, preparing a reserve for your company.
- Only a third of private schools are opened so that children can receive a decent education, and the founders and teachers can receive the same profit.
Where to begin?
If we consider the school as a business project that generates profit, we will have to start with a market analysis. First you will have to think not about how to create a private school, but about what kind of educational institution the city lacks and what it should be like.
General words and vague goals like “to provide quality education” are fundamentally wrong. The goal, which must be set immediately after the market analysis, as well as the entire business plan of the school, must be extremely specific. Here's a good example.
- Short-term goal: create a recognizable name, enter the private school market, return on investment (or make a profit).
- Long term goals:
- creation of a network of schools;
- expansion of the services market;
- creating a base for preparing for international exams;
- establishing connections with universities;
- creation of a kindergarten as a link preceding school.
The goals may be different, but no less specific. There is such a pattern: before you understand how to open a private school, you need to learn how to set goals.
What makes one school different from another?
Many of those who wanted to open “their own” educational institution made a mistake at the very beginning, trying to open a private school as an end in itself. It should differ from those already opened not only by the level of education, but also by original author’s methods, additional courses, and an educational process that is not similar to others.
When thinking about how to open a private school in Russia, the founder must clearly understand: a good school skillfully combines adherence to established standards and all the wishes of the parents. Not every manager or teacher can do this. That is why the staff of such an institution should not only include teachers, administrators and psychologists.
If the founder wants to open a school to make a profit, he must include managers, economists, analysts, marketers, and entrepreneurs on the staff. Naturally, the institution’s budget, which consists of 80% parental money, will not withstand such a load. And then the director or founder will have to decide who will cope with the responsibilities of these specialists. All these thoughts should be formed into the school’s business plan and its Charter.
Where does opening a private school begin?
Once the goals are defined, and worthy employees have appeared in mind, you can move on to the basics: start opening a private school in real life, and not on paper. First, a legal entity is registered and an individual entrepreneur is opened.
Open an account, receive a stamp and begin obtaining a License. And here is the first difficulty.
A license to open a private school is issued only when the Founder provides:
- Permission (duly executed) from all authorities.
- Staffing schedule.
- Schedule of lessons.
- Software (meaning school programs, not computer programs).
The process of collecting these documents takes a very long time, and this should be taken into account. At the same time, you can look for a building, remembering that it must not only meet the requirements of the authorities, but also have its own parking lot: most students are brought by their parents. If at this stage the businessman is still thinking about how to open a private school, he can start equipping it and choosing educational programs.
About programs, textbooks and chairs
The question is no less important than thinking about how to open a private school without outside help. You can take standard programs, but then such an institution will be in little demand. It is better to develop them yourself, taking into account existing standards and requirements.
Teachers know that any original program must be approved by the Ministry. Therefore, the Founder will have to take care of a methodologist who can check all the documents before submitting them to the Ministry.
Then it will be necessary to purchase the necessary textbooks, manuals, manuals, etc. This means that already at this stage the issue of financing will have to be resolved.
Not only economists and methodologists, but also business executives should worry about how to open a private school. They are the ones who buy furniture, provide repairs, and form the technical base. It would be good if the staff were recruited through competition: the best school needs the best employees.
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A carefully structured school business plan will help you understand how to properly organize your business. Additional education services are in demand; many parents want to send their child to a school where they can develop additional creative abilities. Therefore, an art school or modeling courses are needed, especially parents are happy when these creative workshops are located near home. Therefore, joining this business means giving children diversified development, parents the opportunity to give their child additional education, and bringing you profit and prosperity.
You have the opportunity to study the finished document now. A convenient and understandable document will lift the curtain and help open a music school or studio, where the child will be given a high-quality musical education, knowledge of musical literacy, understanding and a sense of style. Piano and violin, guitar and folk instruments, music criticism and other wisdom can be taught at your school. Don't forget about a marketing plan that will help you get the word out about your business to as many potential customers as possible.
In the sample business plan for organizing a school of additional education, you will also find economic calculations that will allow you to determine the cost of the endeavor, be it a model school or a music association, an art school, or one aimed at the early development of children’s business skills. It is necessary to think about paying teachers, organizing a high-quality material base and purchasing educational materials, equipment, and tools. The undertaking is not easy, but it will definitely bring profit, which will only grow as your creative business develops.
Hundreds of thousands of parents face the problem of choosing an educational institution for their child every year. Public schools have long been distrusted by many fathers and mothers, and therefore they involuntarily think about the possibility of sending their child to a private institution. But at the same time, doubts that a decent education will be provided there still remain.
According to statistics, the private educational business market in our country is developing slowly, and few entrepreneurs decide to open a private school. And the problem is not even that a business such as educational services requires a license. An educational license will cost several thousand rubles, and it is really not easy to get one. But the main difficulty is finding suitable premises. It must comply with numerous requirements of Pozhnadzor, Rospotrebnadzor, as well as licensing conditions.
At this stage, as a rule, the ardor of a businessman becomes minimal and the desire to open a private children's school remains among only a few. They will have to overcome all the thorns of the educational business, which lie in wait for both beginners and experienced entrepreneurs in huge numbers.
As the experience of creating private schools shows, it is very difficult for such institutions to do without government support. Thanks to it, renting premises is slightly cheaper than current market prices. Until recently, such schools also had tax breaks, but now the only relief is exemption from VAT. Those businessmen who have acquired ownership of a school building find themselves in a more advantageous position. This allows them to feel some stability.
The main income of any private school is tuition fees. In private schools, the rates are set by the management, but it should be remembered that the higher the teachers’ salaries, the more expensive the education is for the parents of the students. Moms and dads are willing to pay hefty fees for their children's education, but only if the quality of education is high.
To open a private school, you will need a license, which will only be issued if the rented premises meet the most stringent requirements. If you decide to open not just your own school for the development of children, but to set up half board or even a boarding school where the child can stay for the whole week, the building should have rooms for sleeping and playrooms. It is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the private school population - these are mainly children from wealthy families who are accustomed to a certain level of comfort.
The organization of a private development school for preschoolers imposes even more serious requirements, which can only be taken into account by a businessman who uses in his work a professional example of a business plan for opening a private school with ready-made calculations. Guided by it, a businessman will not get bogged down in the quagmire of insoluble issues and will easily understand, for example, the features and procedure for opening new classrooms. Educational services, as an area of business, require strict planning, and it is the business plan that is the document that gives the businessman the necessary support.
The market for paid educational services is currently experiencing difficult times. On the one hand, the decline in the quality of education in public educational institutions is a powerful incentive to pay attention to private schools. On the other hand, not every family is able to bear the costs of paid education. Businessmen themselves who decide to open their own private school find themselves in a far from simple situation.
When opening an educational business from scratch, entrepreneurs are forced to search for their niche, creating a reputation and a big name for themselves. The main problem is to be able to prove to parents that their school will provide the child with the opportunity to receive the highest quality education. But, in order to interest potential clients, you need to know what criteria mothers and fathers use when choosing a private school.
The demand for paid educational services still remains quite low - approximately 15-20% of parents living in large cities are ready to think about sending their children to a private educational institution. And it is necessary to try very hard to ensure that this readiness develops into a serious intention to use the services of such schools.
The experience of implementing the project to create private schools clearly demonstrates all the problems characteristic of this market segment. When opening a private school, a businessman needs to clearly understand the purpose for which parents send their children to a paid educational institution. As a rule, the main motivating factor is the desire to provide your child with the opportunity to receive a quality education and the individual development of his abilities.
What criteria do parents look for when choosing a private school? As statistics show, first of all - on the reputation of the establishment. That is, reviews of the educational services provided can play both a positive and a sharply negative role. In addition, mothers and fathers pay the closest attention to the qualifications of the teachers who work at the school. Of course, any vacancy in a private school, for example, a teacher for the creative development of children, is attractive to many teachers. But you need to choose the best ones so that there are no problems later.
From all this it is clear that businessmen who are planning to open a school need to take care to become visible. But how can you open a private school and immediately be able to make a name for yourself? After all, in order for parents to be able to assess the prospects, time is needed. In solving this problem, any entrepreneur must be guided by a competent example of a business plan for an educational services center for children. Whether you decide to open an early learning school or a private arts school, the professional advice presented in this document will provide you with invaluable support. And, despite the fact that the return on investment in an educational business can hardly be called high, you will stand on your own two feet.
As a result, in the spring of 2016, Shurygina sold her share in the authorized capital to Dubrovina, and also received dividends after the distribution of profits. According to Dubrovina, the payment amounted to about 350 thousand rubles.
School in two months
After this, Shurygina went on maternity leave and gave birth to her third son, but did not abandon her plan to open her own school. In June 2016, her friend, the owner of the Moscow-Sokol business center on Leningradsky Prospekt, offered a low rental rate (which Shurygina did not disclose, citing the personal request of the owner) for a suitable premises, and she decided not to put off her dream for a long time box.
This time, Shurygina began to look not for partners, but for hired employees who would help her raise the project. “When I decided I was opening a school, I posted on Facebook asking if anyone would like to sit with me in a cafe and brainstorm. About six people responded, almost all of them were directors of children’s projects,” recalls Lola. Among them was Ekaterina Sikorskaya, the ex-co-founder of the developmental children's center "Sunny City", working according to the Montessori method; she later became the executive director of the school and Shurygina's deputy. “Katya was the most silent one at that meeting,” Lola recalls. “I asked her: why were you silent all the time?” And she says: “Why talk? We must do it!” And I realized that we would work together.”
Lola Shurygina
Shurygina and Sikorskaya first announced enrollment in the new school and began looking for teachers. Most of the parents came through word of mouth - some knew Shurygina or Sikorskaya from previous projects, others were interested in the announcement on Facebook. There were problems finding teachers: Shurygina sorted through more than 80 resumes and conducted dozens of interviews, but a suitable primary school teacher could not be found. “We were looking for a person who was familiar with the methodology of developmental education, who would already apply it in practice, so that he would have a pleasant appearance, competent speech, and a desire to learn and grow. With so many demands, it was very difficult to find a teacher without signs of emotional burnout,” says Shurygina. As a result, Facebook helped again: they not only found teachers, but also subsequently assembled most of the staff, said Ekaterina Sikorskaya.
But the fate of the project again hung in the balance: the owner of the premises could not come to an agreement with the partners and asked Shurygina to move out. Finding a new building and renovating it a month before the start of the school year seemed hopeless. And Shurygina has already invested 450 thousand rubles in repairs. (later they were only partially compensated). “The situation was desperate,” says Lola.
However, she was lucky: in the CIAN real estate database she found the former building of the Moscow Institute of Management, which was suitable for educational purposes. “We spent another month agreeing on the lease agreement and only started renovations on September 10,” she recalls. The official start of the school year was already behind us, so some of the parents who were going to Makarun sent their children to other schools. For the rest, Lola vowed to launch in early October.
Shurygina came up with the name “Macaroon” herself. “At first we were a little doubtful whether this strange word would be suitable,” recalls Ekaterina Sikorskaya. — My husband asked me the name of the school where I was going to work. - “Macaroon.” - What is this? “And then my daughter says: these are such delicious round cookies!” And it became clear that the name would work.”
There was so little time left for preparation that some of the processes had to be “finished” after launch, Shurygina recalls. But on October 3, 2016, the Makarun school, as promised, opened its doors. For the opening, one of the parents baked a huge cake with those same almond cookies.
School economics
The total project budget was 8.75 million rubles. According to Shurygina, 7 million rubles. of this amount is a subsidy from the Moscow Department of Science and Industry for the creation of centers for youth innovative creativity. This is where Lola’s previous experience working with tender documentation came in handy. According to her, getting a subsidy is not as difficult as many people think: “It’s enough to submit an application for a competition, it is reviewed by a commission, and if you prove your intention to implement the project, it usually finds a response.”
In the first half of the day, “Macaroon” operates as a school, and in the afternoon, workshops and scientific laboratories open in the center, where children are engaged in creativity, from drawing to 3D modeling and robotics. Most of the subsidy was spent on laboratory equipment; the rest was spent on repairs and the purchase of furniture. In addition, one of the rooms in the building was dedicated to a kindergarten.
About 1.75 million rubles. Shurygina invested from her own funds together with her husband Sergei Shurygin, who became the sole founder of the school (Technikum LLC). “My husband accepted my desire to found a school as inevitable, but agreed to participate in it when he realized that the tank had moved and was not clearing the roads,” Lola laughs.
After the launch, we had to invest about another 2 million rubles into the school. “It was important for us to organize a comfortable environment, and this means many little things that create the comfort of the parent and child - buy a notice board, lamps, plow the ground in front of the building, put up a fence,” she says.
Currently, the school's operating expenses amount to 1.3 million rubles. per month, most of which goes to rent and payroll. The Makarun team consists of 39 permanent and temporary employees, including 30 teachers (11 for the main block and 17 for the additional block, workshops and clubs), two tutor-assistants and administrators. To rent a premises of 430 sq. m spends approximately 400 thousand rubles, on salaries - more than 700 thousand rubles. including taxes.
In the 2016-2017 academic year, 17 children studied at the school in two classes - first and second, another seven preschoolers grew up in kindergarten, mostly younger brothers and sisters of Makarun students. In theory, the number of children can be several times larger without a significant increase in costs. According to Shurygina, there may be three to five children per teacher. To attract new schoolchildren for the next school year, in the spring of 2017, the owner of the school began an advertising campaign through Yandex.Direct and social networks.
“When I started, I relied too much on word of mouth.” If we had invested in advertising back then, perhaps we would already be in the black,” says Shurygina. According to her, the school is now operating with an operating loss of about 400 thousand rubles. per month, but by September of this year plans to reach operating profit, since for the next academic year it has concluded 20 contracts, and plans to accept 40 students in total. However, the peak in demand usually occurs in August. This already makes the project a plus. The school can recoup its investment in two to three years, Shurygina expects.
The cost of schooling starts from 30 thousand rubles. per month, maximum price with extended periods and mugs - 46 thousand rubles. Kindergarten costs parents 29 thousand rubles.
What they teach at the Makaroon school
Training follows the traditional model, but there are differences. Firstly, teachers teach lessons using textbooks for developmental education, conduct electives in reading, and use original methods for developing a child’s beautiful handwriting. Secondly, the school uses a tutor approach: each subject is taught by a separate teacher, and a tutor helps him work - an assistant who monitors discipline in the lesson and helps organize games during breaks. In addition, the tutor monitors the children like a psychologist - monitors their progress and resolves conflicts, helps them work on projects.
Classes begin at 9:00: first physical warm-up, then four or five lessons, a walk, lunch, homework preparation, and then either clubs or after-school activities until six or seven o’clock in the evening. Once a month on Saturday, a “family day” is organized, when a psychologist, orthopedist or other specialists are invited to the school with whom parents can consult.
The school has a communications lesson - a synthesis of psychology, communication training and etiquette teaching, where schoolchildren are taught to communicate, correctly understand themselves and resolve conflicts. In the second half of the year, children attend a special project lesson where they learn the basics of entrepreneurship.
Photo: Vladislav Shatilo / RBC
On probation
Running a private school requires compliance with mandatory requirements. Firstly, a license and state accreditation are required, allowing you to issue your own certificates. To receive it, the school must graduate at least one student. “The state here protects the interests of the consumer of educational services. The point here is a kind of probationary period that the school must go through in order to show that it is not a fly-by-night school and will not start churning out diplomas,” says Sergei Safronov, chairman of the board of the League of Education.
While the “probationary period” has not been completed, and the first graduation is still waiting, private schools often operate in the format of leisure and developmental education centers, which does not require licensing. This does not mean that students do not officially receive knowledge from the program. For example, children from “Makarun” are home-schooled in the accredited private school “Our Penates”. This costs Macaroon about 42 thousand rubles. per year (2.5 thousand per child). “Two or three times a year they send us tests, we complete them, send them, check them, put grades in an electronic diary and enter them into each student’s personal file,” says Shurygina.
Sergei Safronov says that many private schools are starting to operate according to this scheme: “Obtaining a license is a complex and lengthy process, but you need to test the business model and establish the educational process. Essentially, it’s a test drive until the project becomes big and needs to be converted into something formal.”
Lola Shurygina (Photo: Vladislav Shatilo / RBC)
Secondly, a registered secondary school must operate as a non-profit organization. According to the Law “On Non-Profit Organizations”, although it can receive profit, it does not have the right to distribute it among the founders. Thus, the founders of a private school are obliged to reinvest all earnings into development. “A school is not a canteen where you can sell every pie with a 100-200% markup. Almost everything that our parents bring us allows us to break even, covering basic expenses. If something remains, it goes towards the development of the school,” said Vladimir Andreev, director of the St. Petersburg private school “Education in Dialogue,” which he founded in 1988.
But there is still an opportunity to turn a school into a full-fledged business. If you can’t make money from lessons, then you can do it through after-school programs, additional courses, and the services of a psychologist and speech therapist. According to Shurygina, now revenue from additional services accounts for approximately 25% of total income, and in the future she plans to increase this figure to at least 60%. Lola also intends to divide the school into two legal entities - NOU (non-profit educational institution with a license and accreditation) and LLC. In this way, it will be possible to separate the educational part from the commercial part and be able to withdraw profits.
Business or asceticism
There are 158 accredited private schools and kindergartens in Moscow, Karina Chernyakova, chairman of the Moscow branch of the Association of Non-Profit Educational Organizations, told RBC. Most of them were founded back in the 1990s. Several dozen more new ones operate without accreditation, for example, as additional education organizations or children's clubs.
The cost of training largely depends on the region: in the “working” region, training costs from 27-35 thousand rubles. per month, in more prestigious ones - from 45 thousand. In the largest and most famous private schools in the capital, for example, at the Pavlovsk gymnasium or Lomonosov school, the cost of education exceeds 150 thousand rubles. per month. For the area of the Sokol metro station, where Makarun is located, the base price is 30 thousand rubles. seems quite democratic.
Despite the high prices, private schools are not so much a business as a dedication, an opportunity to do what you love without the bureaucracy that public school employees face, says Karina Chernyakova: “Most of the long-running private schools in Moscow are proprietary institutions that they created themselves teachers, and these leaders have created fairly well-paid jobs for themselves and their employees.”
There are no problems with demand, Chernyakova assures: “In public schools, teachers have forgotten how to work. Previously, if a child didn’t understand something, the teacher would leave him after school and work with him, but now this is a separate service.” Therefore, many opt for private schools, where children, among other things, are fed two or three times a day, and teachers teach them after-school lessons.
Private schools are attractive because of the atmosphere that is created in them, Sergei Safronov from the Education League is sure: “There are, of course, integrated schools that offer a regular cocktail of popular services on the market, but usually private schools satisfy the needs of those parents who are thinking about what education system to choose for your child, what ideas to lay down.”