How do I train a lead teacher to run my language school when I retire?

Begin by listing what you do that never appears on a timetable: hiring, pay questions, placement of new students, complaints, supplier calls, bank and bookkeeping tasks. Sort them into things the lead teacher can take on now, things they can shadow, and things that need training from an outside adviser. Be honest about the gaps; a great teacher may have little experience with budgets.

Then move work across in steps. Let them run the schedule for a trial stretch, then handle enrolment, then meet the main clients with you in the room. After each step, review what went well and what you would change. Keep a decision log that records why you answered a question the way you did, because the reasons are what a successor most needs.

Finally, deal with the human side. Tell the staff early about the plan so no one is surprised, and ask the lead teacher what support they want. Talk with your accountant and lawyer about whether they will buy in, lead on a salary, or both, since the structure shapes how much authority they need. A written plan, shared and revisited, keeps the handover from drifting.

Key takeaways

• List the unseen management tasks you do, then move them across one at a time.
• Keep a decision log so your successor learns the reasons, not only the outcomes.
• Tell staff early and talk to your accountant and lawyer about how the transfer is structured.