To start a beauty therapy training school you need to love your subject and have a real desire to pass on your knowledge. However, there are some more practical elements to setting up a beauty training school.
There are no regulations regarding the requirements for a training school, but for the purposes of accreditation and a good reputation there are a few basics you should adhere to.
Beauty Qualifications
It may seem obvious, but you need to be adequately qualified in all of the subjects you wish to teach. Some accreditation companies also require you to have at least six months worth of experience in that subject as well. You need to feel confident that you know all the aspects of each subject in detail rather than just having a general grasp, as you are sure to be thrown plenty of unexpected questions.
Teaching Qualifications
You may know your subject inside out, but the ability to impart that to someone else is a completely different skill. It is for this reason you should also hold a teaching qualification. This could be a Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS) qualification, an NVQ Assessors Award or a City & Guilds qualification, amongst others. These qualifications will teach you the best ways to go about educating others and should give you the confidence to stand in front of a class full of students. It should also give you a good idea how to put together a course structure. It is important to remember that the minimum qualification required by the accreditation companies will vary so you should check this out first.
Course Structure
Before you can do anything else, you will need to write your courses. You need to develop the theory and practical elements of the course and make sure that you cover all aspects of the treatment. You will also need to include sections on anatomy and physiology, health and safety, hygiene, consultations, contra-indications and contra-actions and aftercare. If you need a rough guide to what you should include then take a look at the Hair And Beauty Industry Authority (HABIA) National Occupational Standards. HABIA are the Sector Skills Council for the hair and beauty industry and put together the standards for courses that are generally expected in the UK. These cover a wide range of treatments and provide a framework to follow.
Once you have written the content of the course, you will then need to think about the assessments. You will need to assess the students knowledge and their practical skills. You will need to decide on a minimum pass mark and you should not provide a certificate of qualification unless the student reaches this mark.
You will then need to look at the course content and decide how it should be presented. Some of it may be suitable for hand-outs, some will need to be explained and some of it demonstrated. You need to decide how much time should be dedicated to each element and you can then plan each day of your course and decide how long it will be in total.
Accreditation
Accreditation is a form of assessment of your courses by the major beauty insurance companies and trade associations. You will be required to submit your course manuals and lesson plans as well as copies of your qualifications. Each accreditation company charges a hefty fee so you will need to decide how many you wish to apply to.
The accreditation will show that your courses reach a particular standard and the student is guaranteed to be able to get insurance with company when they hold your qualification.
Certificates
One of simplest but most important tasks is to create your certificate. This is something that your students will keep in their portfolios or even frame and will be a source of great pride, so you should make sure it looks as good as possible. If you get your courses accredited, you can include the accreditation company’s logo as well as your own.
Premises
You will need to locate adequate premises for your training school. This will need to be a space that can accommodate your maximum class size as well as equipment for each student. The premises should look clean, professional and accessible.
Teaching Insurance
You should make sure that you take out teaching insurance before you hold your first class. This is available from most of the major beauty insurance companies and the cost is often dependent on your class sizes. You will also need to hold Employers Liability cover if you employ any staff.
Other Teachers
If you take on any other teachers you must make sure that they also hold the relevant qualifications, and you should inform your accreditation and insurance companies.
With all this in place you are ready to set your prices and begin the vocation of teaching in the beauty industry.