Should I use a published curriculum or build my own?

Trade-offs:

Published curricula (Abridge Academy, Cambridge "Super Minds", Oxford "Family and Friends", National Geographic "Our World", and similar):

• Parents recognize the brand — easier to sell.
• Lesson prep drops dramatically.
• Learning sequence is research-backed and tested across millions of students.
• Cost: per-student license or workbook, less flexibility, and you don't own the IP.

DIY curriculum:

• Total flexibility, no licensing cost.
• You can brand it as your own.
• Cost: requires real curriculum design skill (sequencing, scaffolding, assessment) and 5-10× the prep time. New tutors usually underestimate this.

Recommended path: start with a published curriculum as your core, and supplement with your own materials for warm-ups, games, and review.

As Adam Freed, the former CEO of TeachersPayTeachers, observed: "Teachers' favorite content on TpT was free, no-prep content." The fewer barriers between a resource and tomorrow morning's lesson, the more likely you are to actually use it.

Move to DIY only after you've taught the same level 50+ times and clearly see where it falls short.