French & Spanish Language Classes

What is the business? A La Jolie Ronde licensee is a self-employed individual who purchases a license to use the La Jolie Ronde methodology and set up their own business teaching French and/or Spanish to pre-school and primary children using the La Jolie Ronde proven structured programme.

Investment required: £600+ VAT plus a £150 refundable bond

Earning Potential: La Jolie Ronde is designed to be an affordable, low cost business opportunity for teachers of primary French and / or Spanish, but with great potential rewards and a change of lifestyle. We are here to help you succeed, but ultimately it is up to you how much energy you put into developing your business and this will determine the level of rewards you will earn from it. The demand for children's language lessons is very high, and the earning potential is there for those who want to succeed and want to turn their potential into success.

Many of the La Jolie Ronde licensees quickly grow their classes to 100, 200 or even 300 pupils, within a short space of time. A licensee with 100 pupils could expect to earn around £9,000 gross per year, after expenses, for only 4.5 teaching hours per week. For 300 pupils, around £27,000 gross per year after expenses could be earnt, for only 12.5 teaching hours per week.

Is there training/support for franchisees? Yes. Comprehensive training in the La Jolie Ronde methodology is provided. We also organise for the Area Co-ordinator to do a Quality Assurance visits in the first term of teaching to help with any practical concerns. There is also an annual training meeting for all licensees.

Best suited to: Anyone who can speak French or Spanish, has a love and enthusiasm for languages and a desire to teach children, coupled with dynamism. Being a La Jolie Ronde licensee can be a full or part time occupation and you can work the numbers of hours you wish to suit your lifestyle.

For more information: Telephone 01949 839715 - select option 2 or Email info@lajolieronde.co.uk or visit www.lajolieronde.co.uk for more information.

Name: Suzanne

Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Family: 2 children - 1 boy aged 4 (just started in reception class) and 1 girl aged 7 (in Year 2)

How often do you work?
I usually work three days a week at lunchtimes and after school during term time, and this fits around my family life.

How does the job fit around your family life?
I am able to take my children to school every morning, which gives me peace of mind knowing that they are settled into their classes for the day. I collect my children from school twice a week and make alternative arrangements for them to be collected when I am teaching (grand-parents, friends, after-school club). I actually teach my own daughter and organised her class so that she is in an after-school session and therefore do not have to arrange childcare for her! I teach in term-time only and so I am always available to look after my children during the school holidays.

How much roughly did the franchise cost you?
£600+ VAT plus a £150 refundable bond.

What did that investment buy?
My initial investment in the franchise included a comprehensive marketing pack which had a wealth of useful information ranging from sample letters to ideas on how to talk to people when introducing oneself as a licensee. It also bought me the right to operate in the teaching centres I set up, using the La Jolie Ronde logo and name, which is very highly regarded and being part of such a well-known, well-respected and forward-thinking organisation has proved to be an invaluable passport to introducing oneself to prospective schools and parents. The refundable bond covered the cost of all of the teaching materials within the progressive course including in-depth teaching notes, photocopiable masters, flashcards, CDs.

Do you get support/training?
As part of your franchise agreement you are required to complete basic training which involves familiarising oneself with the La Jolie Ronde materials and its teaching methodology. A straight-forward training package has to be completed and returned to La Jolie Ronde Head Office. New Licensees are required to observe established licensees teaching and to be observed themselves once they are teaching. We all also receive annual training at a head office organised training meeting.

Are there on-going costs?
Yes, each year licensees are required to renew their licence which costs £110.50. This includes public liability insurance. Licensees are also required to pay 'royalty' fees to La Jolie Ronde at the beginning of each term of 80pence per pupil per class paid termly in advance.

How much do you earn (roughly)?
I currently charge £4.25 per pupil per class and usually try to work as many weeks as there are in the term, although I often take longer holidays than school-teachers. I started with 67 pupils and the most that I have ever taught at one time was 148 over three and a half days. I am currently teaching about 120 pupils in a 12-week term and so this term my turnover will be about £6,120. Out of this amount, I have to pay royalty fees and tax and national insurance. My estimated income for this term is about £4,420 which works out at just over £1,000 per month.

Do you advertise?
I advertised when I first set up my franchise by putting leaflets up but now I do not advertise at all as I have many pupils on waiting lists and have had schools, nurseries and individual parents phone me up asking me if I would set up in their school because they have heard from other schools and parents whose children are making great progress learning French through La Jolie Ronde.

What is the best thing about La Jolie Ronde for you?
The work is completely flexible - I decide how often I work, how much I charge, who I work with. The La Jolie Ronde teaching materials are of an excellent quality and are award-winning and are suitable to licensees who are new to teaching or who may come from a teaching background; they are easy to work with but are not prescriptive and, therefore, once again are very flexible. As a working mother of two young children, I truly value this flexibility.

Are there any downsides to the job?
Coming from a teaching background, I do not enjoy doing my own accounting, but this may appeal to other licensees! I teach in my daughter's school, so whereas with other schools parents have to contact me by telephone or send their fees through the post, I do have to sometimes deal with people when I am being a mum, which can occasionally be irritating, but it's a small price to pay!

Would you recommend this franchise opportunity to other Mums?
Yes - I would highly recommend this franchise to any mum who speaks French and enjoys working with young children. Every day I go to work knowing that I am going to have fun with the children that I teach and knowing that I am making a difference to them in that I inspire them to love language-learning (I know this because of feedback from both the children and their parents and, indeed, from head teachers!)