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Crafting a Compelling Teaching Personal Statement

Your teaching personal statement needs to give an insight into your personality, teaching style & unique qualities only you hold. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of writing a compelling teaching personal statement.

The best personal statements are more than just a list of experiences and achievements. A personal statement which tells a compelling story will always compel the reader to want to find out more. If you keep your philosophy as the central theme and ensure that you use examples of practice which link back to that, it will ensure that your personal statement is a coherent and interesting piece of writing.

What Inspired You:

Begin by reflecting on what motivated you to become a teacher. Headteachers want to understand your background, inspiration, the reason you trained as a teacher and why you want to teach your specialism. Highlight your passion for teaching and your genuine desire to make a positive impact on students’ lives.

Showcase Key Achievements:

Highlight your career achievements, qualifications and teaching milestones that you’re most proud of. Demonstrate your ability to drive student progress and results through concrete examples throughout your teaching personal statement. If you’re an early career teacher, discuss your teaching placements, voluntary work, or even include any quotes from observation reports.

Showcase Teaching Skills:

Demonstrate your teaching skills by providing specific examples. Discuss successful teaching strategies you’ve employed, innovative lesson plans you’ve created, or how you’ve adapted to meet the needs of diverse learners. Highlight any extracurricular involvement, such as coaching sports teams or leading clubs, which showcases your dedication to students’ holistic development.

Keep It Concise and Well-Structured:

Teaching personal statements should be clear, concise, and well-structured. Aim for a maximum of 500-600 words. Use headings or bullet points to organize your content. Start with a captivating opening paragraph and conclude with a strong summary of your qualifications and enthusiasm for teaching.

Proofread and Edit:

Thoroughly proofread your teaching personal statement to eliminate grammatical errors, typos, or awkward phrasing. Consider seeking feedback from mentors, colleagues, or friends to ensure clarity and impact. Editing is crucial to present yourself as a professional and detail-oriented teacher.

Show Enthusiasm:

Infuse your teaching personal statement with enthusiasm and optimism. Convey your passion for teaching, showcase your qualifications, and demonstrate your commitment to fostering student growth. A positive and enthusiastic tone can be infectious and leave a lasting impression.

To conclude, your teaching personal statement is your chance to shine as a teacher. Get personal. Write about what makes YOU in the classroom.

For further support and tips, please reach out to Gemma Yates.

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Teaching personal statement example.

My lifetime goal and aspiration since a young age has been to become a school teacher. While I was in school, I had a favourite teacher whose impactful teaching inspired my interest. Her kindness, genuine appreciation for me, and unique teaching style sparked my passion for becoming an educator. I always want to work with children as I care for them a lot. I always find it interesting to handle children. I can understand well their situation. During my time in school, my principal noticed my rapport with younger students and suggested I assist primary teachers. Engaging with the kids and their fondness towards me inspired me to start teaching. I was able to assist the children in reading, helping them with words that they think are difficult. Witnessing their growth and fostering their self-confidence was immensely rewarding. I just loved having the responsibility of supervising children.

I used to teach my younger brother from kindergarten to fourth grade. He felt most comfortable learning from me within our family. Sometimes, when I had exams, I couldn't teach him, and surprisingly, his grades did not improve during those times. However, whenever I resumed teaching him, his results became excellent, catching everyone's attention. I felt incredibly proud. I recall how my brother wasn't very interested in Bengali initially, but my teaching approach motivated him to study harder, eventually achieving the highest marks in his class.

I have a fondness for children and believe that they can be taught vital and valuable life lessons during their time in primary school which will then help them to grow emotionally and mentally into mature young people. It is this that I want to be a part of, the progression to their success. I remember as a child the amount of respect that teachers earned from their classes which drove me to learn in primary school. I'm extremely passionate about having a big input into a young person's life and making a difference. it is my ambition to become a good role model for the next generation. I am a responsible, hard-working and friendly girl who is known for my strong passion to attain a career as a primary school teacher. I firmly believe that in order to become a great teacher, the desire to help and assist children should be there. The learning process can be tough and challenging, which is one of the reasons that I really love about this profession.

I completed an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Business Management. I learned independently through online classes. I went to university for Business Management but realized it wasn't right for me. The course didn't make me happy. My inner self urged me to follow my true passion. I discovered I love teaching children the most and being around them brings me joy and real happiness. I'm good at talking with people and making things easy to understand. At work, I learned a lot and got inspired. People know me for being friendly and reliable, and I love taking on challenges. In my role at work, I am responsible for providing initial training to new employees. Colleagues find me approachable, and I have a knack for explaining things in a way that's easy for them to understand. I genuinely enjoy teaching people new things. I have great communication skills and work well with others, but I can also do things on my own. When things get busy, I stay organized and always meet goals on time.

The new lessons going to be learned from this program can make me further more suitable and stronger to take up teaching as profession in primary school. Definitely, I will use wisely my past experience to gather more knowledge from this program and groom myself as a best teacher for the primary school. All my past experiences and this current one will help me to explore new heights in your program and I am going to be a special student among the program for sure too.

I feel that my experience and enthusiasm for Primary teaching would make this a fulfilling and rewarding career. I am very much looking forward to expanding my practical and theoretical knowledge by attending university. In pursuing a degree in teaching, I seek to advance my knowledge and work to achieve my life ambition. I believe I have the commitment, patience and persistence to succeed. My teaching practice has confirmed my belief that teaching is one of the most challenging, demanding, exhausting but varied and exciting careers there are. look forward to university and ultimately having a job that is so important and a vital part of so many young lives.

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How to write a teacher personal statement

Your personal statement is your first opportunity to show the school you’re a great fit for the job, and gets you closer to being shortlisted for an interview. The more you show how your skills and interests match the school’s ethos and values, the better. We’ve spoken to a range of teachers to get their top tips for success.

What experience do you have?

Schools want to hear about your trainee experience with different subjects, key stages, types of school, and working with a range of pupils.

Think about your approach to teaching, how you keep pupils engaged, and how you communicate with different kinds of people (children, staff, parents and carers). Ensure you provide evidence for how you have improved student engagement and built positive relationships with pupils.

Schools will be interested in your approach to behaviour management, so think about your go-to strategies.

Are you engaged in teaching theory and research?

Think about any research that has affected your teaching practice. Explain what has worked well and if it didn’t, what you learnt.

Are you up to date on safeguarding statutory guidance?

You need to demonstrate your awareness of the importance of safeguarding and the requirements of Keeping Children Safe in Education . Include any examples of how you worked with a Designated Safeguarding Lead.

What are your skills and qualities?

Are you a well-organised, confident, and motivated teacher? Say it, and provide examples! Schools are looking for great communicators, team players and relationship builders. Make sure you say how you create a positive learning environment, and consider skills like time management, organisation, and flexibility. Schools will also want to know how you overcome challenges.

How can you contribute to wider school life?

Set yourself apart by showing how your hobbies and achievements could contribute to the wider school community. Could you run an after school club or organise school trips?

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• Jan 16, 2021

Writing a Personal Statement

Going for your first NQT post can be a daunting prospect... especially when in teaching, you need to write a personal statement to support your application form.

Schools use your personal statement to help short list candidates for a position by checking off the criteria of the person specification that they can see in your statement. It is always a good idea to write your personal statement alongside the person specification, ensuring that you have included all the "essential" criteria and as much of the "desirable" criteria you can that are assessed through the application.

Where possible, you should also use the language of the school you are applying to - their vision, values, mission and ethos statements will help you here and should be available on the school's website. You will also sometimes find these in the application pack. Read this carefully and then read it again, reading between the lines of what they might be looking for.

Here is an example of the structure of a personal statement for a trainee teacher applying for their first NQT job:

Begin with an impact statement that summarises your philosophy on teaching or that refers to the mission/vision/values/ethos of the school you are applying to:

I believe that it is, as Einstein said, the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge. As a passionate teacher, dedicated to ensuring the very best outcomes for all students I teach, this statement resonates with me as I endeavour to awaken joy in all of the learners within my classroom. It was your belief all young people have the right to a transformational educational experience, that will enable them, no matter what their starting point, to fulfil their potential and realise their ambitions that first attracted me to your school as it aligns with my own personal and professional philosophy on education.

Throughout my practice, I constantly encourage pupils to participate and contribute in an atmosphere highly conducive to learning. I have consistently set high expectations of pupils in different training contexts. There are high levels of mutual respect between me and pupils. I am very effective in promoting learners’ resilience, confidence and independence when tackling challenging activities. In my lesson, I generate high levels of enthusiasm, participation and commitment to learning.

Back this up with an example from your training.

I have also assumed a high level of responsibility for the attainment progress and outcomes of the pupils I have taught. I have demonstrated confident judgement in planning for pupil progression both within individual lessons and over time and I am able to articulate a clear and well-justified rationale as to how I am building on prior achievement. Within my lessons, I seek to actively promote engaging and effective methods that support pupils in reflecting on their learning. I have demonstrated that I am able to set appropriately challenging tasks, drawing on a sound knowledge of the pupils’ prior attainment, which has been obtained through systematic and accurate assessment. I regularly create opportunities for independent and autonomous learning. As a result the majority of pupils make very good progress.

In order to plan effective lessons, I draw on my in-depth subject and curriculum knowledge of [your subject or phase] to plan confidently for progression and to stimulate and capture pupils’ interest. Throughout my training, I have demonstrated very well-developed pedagogical subject knowledge, by anticipating common errors and misconceptions in my planning. I am astutely aware of my own development needs in relation to extending and updating my subject, curriculum and pedagogical knowledge in my early career and have been proactive in developing these effectively during my training. I always model very high standards of written and spoken communication in all professional activities. I also successfully identify and exploit opportunities to develop learners’ skills, in communication, reading and writing.

I plan lessons that often use well-chosen, imaginative and creative strategies, and that match individuals’ needs and interests. I am highly reflective in critically evaluating my practice. I am able to accurately judge the impact of my practice on individual and groups of learners and can use my evaluation to inform future planning, teaching and learning. During my training, I have shown initiative in contributing to curriculum planning and developing and producing effective learning resources in my placement settings.

I have been able to quickly and accurately discern my learners’ strengths and needs and I have been proactive in differentiating and employing a range of effective intervention strategies to secure progression for individuals and groups. I have an astute understanding of how effective different teaching approaches are in relation to impact on learning and engagement of learners

I can confidently and accurately assess pupils’ attainment against national benchmarks. I use a range of assessment strategies very effectively in my day-to-day practice to monitor progress and to inform future planning. In my practice, I systematically and effectively check learners’ understanding throughout lessons, anticipating where intervention may be needed and do so with notable impact on the quality of learning. I have shown that I am able to assess learners’ progress regularly and work with them to accurately target further improvement and secure rapid progress.

I have been able to rapidly adapt to the different circumstances in which I have trained, working confidently within the frameworks established in different settings and applying rules and routines consistently and fairly. I have also demonstrated an ability to adapt to remote working and remote delivery in response to the Global Pandemic. I consistently have high expectations and understand a range of strategies that experienced teachers use to promote positive behaviour and apply these very effectively, including use of school sanctions and rewards, and use of praise, in order to create an environment highly supportive of learning. I am able to manage pupil behaviour with ease so that learners display very high levels of engagement, courtesy, collaboration and co-operation. Where it is needed, I actively seek additional support in addressing the needs of pupils where significantly challenging behaviour is demonstrated.

During my training, I have been proactive in seeking out opportunities to contribute in a significant way to the wider life and ethos of the school. I have built strong professional relationships and have demonstrated that I am able to work collaboratively with colleagues on a regular basis. I have taken responsibility for deploying support staff in my lessons and for seeking advice from relevant professionals in relation to pupils with individual needs. I deliberately seek out opportunities to develop my own professional learning and respond positively to all the feedback I receive. I have also demonstrated that I can communicate very effectively, both verbally and in writing, with parents and carers in relation to pupils’ achievements and well-being when required to do so formally, but I am also proactive in communicating in relation to individual pupils’ emergent needs.

I always treat pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher's professional position. I realise the need to safeguard pupils' well-being, in accordance with statutory provisions. I show tolerance of and respect for the rights of others. I do not undermine fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. I always ensure that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils' vulnerability or might lead them to break the law. I am always punctual and have good attendance. I have attended numerous CPD sessions and will continue to do so. I have also completed a weekly duty (before school and at break} and attends daily briefings (whole school, subject or pastoral). I have taken on board the policies of the school and maintain a high standard in all my practices. I have a good understanding of the framework within which I work and my professional duties

End with a statement that implies/assumes you will be invited for interview:

I would relish the opportunity to work at your school and look forward to discussing this further with you at interview.

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How to Write a Personal Statement for Education Positions

A personal statement is one of the supporting documents included in your application package when you apply to education positions.

Along with your resume, cover letter, philosophy of education statement, and recommendation letters, a personal statement speaks to your skills and talents as an educator.

If you are a newly qualified teacher or a career changer, a personal statement is even more critical to your application as this provides you with a platform to explain and highlight your related skills and accomplishments. It will showcase how you can benefit a school community where your resume may struggle to communicate these facts. So, knowing how to write a personal statement for education positions is extremely important.

Ideally, you will revise your personal statement for each school you apply to, ensuring it is properly targeted to each position. In your personal statement, you will emphasize your individual strengths relevant to the available teaching position.

Additionally, your personal statement should explain why you are applying to the teaching position, detail your credentials, and mention any relevant professional development or training sessions. It should also mention your relevant teaching experiences, classroom management strategies, and teaching style, as well as any other related skills and interests you have that will benefit the position.

The introductory paragraph of your personal statement needs to start interestingly. You want to draw the reader’s attention and make them want to read the rest of the statement. Beginning your statement by saying something like “I’m writing this statement in an application for the ____ teaching position” is a boring way to start your statement and is also unnecessary to write.

This is already stated in your resume, cover letter, and other application documents. The reader knows what position you are applying to, so find a more interesting opening line that will stand out among the other applications. Instead, you can use the opening paragraph to discuss your interest in education and teaching and why.

The personal statement should focus on your experience and skills and how they would benefit the teaching position. If you are a new teacher, it will primarily focus on your educational background and what you learned from your degree and student teaching experiences.

If you are a seasoned educator, you should highlight your relevant teaching experiences in the specific age level and subject area of the position you are applying to. You should also mention any involvement in extracurricular activities, community activities, and leadership initiatives.

Your personal statement should aim to end on a positive note. It should sum up why you are an excellent candidate for the teaching position. You will enhance your application by showing your enthusiasm for the teaching position and education in general.

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How to write your teacher training personal statement

Your teacher training personal statement should express why you'd make a great teacher and spell out your experiences, qualities and skills. We've got the inside track from Admissions Tutors on how to go about writing a good teacher training personal statement, what to do and what not to overlook...

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Let's start with a look at when to apply for teacher training. Places on teacher training courses are filled on a first come first serve basis. This is due to two factors. Firstly, the Department for Education set the maximum number of trainees on some courses. But the thing that really limits the number of places available is ensuring that there are enough school placements for all trainees. Training providers can only recruit up to a number that is manageable in terms of providing the trainees with the placement experiences they need.

Places for the most popular subjects tend to go early, for example, Physical Education (PE), Primary and Psychology. Shortage subjects such as Chemistry, Computing, Maths and Physics don’t fill up so fast.

The route you are taking into teaching may also influence when you apply. School Direct is run by the schools themselves and they can only take as many trainees as they can train within their schools. They may only have the one place available for your chosen subject and once those placements are gone, they’re gone. Universities tend to have larger and wider networks of partner schools which provide school placements. This gives them more options for finding school placements so they may have places available for longer. Unlike School Direct you don’t get to choose exactly which school you go to, though they’ll try to match your school placements to your preferences as much as possible. If you apply late you run the risk that all the placements are gone.

So, you want to apply as soon as you can, with a brilliant personal statement that reflects who you are and why you want to become a teacher. So, what does that look like?

Your teacher training personal statement broadly needs to convey four things:

• Your passion for wanting to become a teacher and commitment to the profession.
• Your reasons for wanting to teach your chosen subject.
• The skills and experience that you’ll bring to the role of teacher.
• Your awareness of the realities of what lies ahead - it’s a challenging but rewarding role so you need to be realistic about this and be aware of some of the hot topics facing the sector.

Kate Brimacombe, Associate Professor of Education and Associate Director of the Teacher Education Partnership at Plymouth Marjon University, explains what she is looking for in a teacher training personal statement:

“It's really lovely to get something that's individual and firstly I want to see that passion for wanting to work with children. You absolutely can get that across - it comes off the page.

“It can’t feel half-hearted, it needs to feel committed. If independence, motivation, and self-reliance don’t sing off the page, then that's an error in a sense. You need to get your personality into the written word, I’m looking for that fire that says ‘this is absolutely what I want to do’. One common mistake is being too short so that it doesn’t get that passion across. The lack of content and desire are the main reasons I don't shortlist candidates.”

You must convey why you want to teach your subject. What is your expertise? Why do you love it? What are the challenges facing teachers of your subject? Why do you want to teach this? Think about the age group you’ll be teaching and discuss why you want to teach them. What relevant experience do you have? How does your experience to date influence your thinking?

Ultimately, you’ve got to inspire others to love your subject, so be clear about how your own relationship to it is going to enable this.

The ingredients of a convincing teacher training personal statement are:

• Passion for teaching. Express your drive and fire on the page.
• Be individual. Stand out in a positive light; one tip here is not to waste characters on quotes, they don’t say anything about you.
• Convey your desire to work with children. Explain where this comes from.
• Prove it. Include the things you have actively done, what you’ve learnt from real life experiences in schools and/or working with children, and what you got out of it.
• Demonstrate the qualities of a teacher. Point out your commitment, empathy, independence, innovation, motivation, patience, self-reliance, and tip-top organisation skills.
• Depth. Don’t cut it too short, you’re allowed up to 4000 characters which is around 600-700 words, so write until you’re thereabouts, and then edit it so that it reads even better.

In addition, for a strong personal statement you’ll want to demonstrate some awareness of the national curriculum for your subject and then highlight how your subject knowledge maps to it.

Back to Kate for another crucial tip: “The other big thing is that we’re checking the accuracy of your spelling and grammar, it must be correct if you’re going to be a teacher. To be fair, we don't get a lot of mistakes because I think people understand that expectations around written and verbal communication are high in teaching.”

Some aspiring teachers know they want to teach but are uncertain on the age group or subject. For example, maybe you love sport and are keen to be a secondary PE teacher, but you also enjoy working with younger children at sports clubs so you’re feeling split. In this scenario, try to settle this before you apply but if you can’t then write honestly about the situation and take extra care to ensure that neither option comes across being the fallback one that you’re not really committed to.

The magic ingredient: Examples from your own experience

There's no one way to structure your teacher training personal statement but be sure to back up every point you make with evidence. A great way to do this is give real life examples of what you actually did, and what you learned from it. It’s not enough to just list your work experience, you need to explain what you learned and how this experience will help you as a teacher.

You don’t need school experience to apply for a teaching course, though it helps. But if you don’t have school experience then you at least need some transferable skills, so any other experience of working with children is valid here, things like helping with sports teams and youth clubs are valid too. Use your examples to demonstrate the skills you’d bring to the role of teacher.

You could also refer to a teacher who made a difference to you at school, or who influenced your love of working with children and helping them to learn.

By discussing examples, you can also demonstrate that you are realistic about the role, in that is challenging as well as rewarding. For example, you might discuss a session you observed or taught, reflecting on what went well, how you adapted to the situation and how you would improve on it.

This is how to make effective use of real life examples, according to Julie Stevens, course leader for PGCE Secondary Education at Plymouth Marjon University: “I want to read about how you’ve helped a pupil to make progress. What did you change? How did you recognise they weren’t learning? What did you adapt to help them understand? Maybe you modelled it or talked it through? How did the child respond? You might talk for example about why a child was messing around or why a seating chart was put together in a certain way. It’s really encouraging when a candidate offers insights into teaching and that sense of self-reflection”.

You can talk about that examples that demonstrate transferable skills. For example, maybe you had to be resilient to get your Duke of Edinburgh award, maybe you’re a leader on the sports field or maybe you’re a dedicated musician with the music exams to prove it?

In addition, the way you talk about children is really important, the training provider needs to know that you see them as individuals and that you want to help them become independent thinkers. Back to Julie again for more about this: “I want to see candidates who talk about children as individuals and how you can help them make the best progress they can. Helping young people to make decisions for themselves and become independent learners, so that they take responsibility for their own success is essential for adulthood.

"It’s great when someone can talk about innovative things, like how to use social media for good outcomes. Anything like that is powerful because it means they understand our role as educators – we aren’t just filling them with knowledge, we're trying to get children and young people to understand how to develop themselves.”

Get your referee geared up

References really do matter. Julie and Kate report that in practice most of barriers to shortlisting a candidate come not from the personal statement, but from references that are too short. They’ve seen references as short as three lines and that doesn’t tell them enough about you and your suitability for a career in teaching. You could be an impressive candidate, but you can’t be offered a place until your reference checks out.

If you’re applying for undergraduate teacher training through UCAS then one reference is required. If you’re applying for postgraduate teacher training then you’ll need two references. If you’re at university, or have been within the past five years, then one reference must be from someone at your university. The other reference can be from someone who knows you from work, and if you’re applying for School Direct then one of your references must come from your current employer.

A good reference says good things about you and backs up some of qualities and skills you’ve outlined in your personal statement. Your referee needs to talk about your character and why they think you could be a great teacher. The training provider is looking for insight; a different perspective on you, and hopefully one that that verifies the impressions they’re taking from your statement.

You can do a lot to make sure your reference is on point. First ask your referees if they are willing to be your referee and if they think you’ve got the potential to be a good teacher. Next you need to arm them with all the arguments as to why you’ll be a good teacher, they probably don’t know everything you do. Ideally they would read your personal statement so that they can write a reference that complements it.

If applicable, ask your referee to comment on your academic abilities, including your predicted grades. If possible, go through the reference with your referee as you might see something they’ve missed. If so, ask if they are willing to add it, it’s up to them but you can suggest things.

A good teacher training personal statement shows passion and love for teaching, as well as that you’ve done some research and that you’re dedicated to teaching career. Show your personality; show them the teacher you could be. @marjonuni

Back to Kate for closing advice: “Speak with honesty and speak from the heart. I’m looking for passion. I'm looking for somebody I think the has the potential. Then when you come to interview, I already know that you have that passion and so you just need to add the shine to that and tell us more about it in-person, one to one. In that way your teacher training personal statement is the stepping stone into the interview, if it does its job then we’ll be excited to find out more about you”.

You’ve got this. Follow the advice above and you’ll have a brilliant teacher training personal statement in the bag. The next step will be your teacher training interview, so why not check out our articles on how to ace your teacher training interview and teacher training interview questions .

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• How to apply for teacher training in Scotland
• After you’ve sent your application
• Fees and funding
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• Preparing for teacher training

Tips for your teacher training application

Tips for your teaching training application.

If you're looking for programmes in  England , use the DfE's  'Apply for teacher training' service . If you're looking for programmes in  Wales or Scotland,  use  UCAS' search tool .

You can only complete one personal statement You can’t change it or create different ones for university or school-based choices. The providers you’re applying to understand this, so they won’t be expecting you to say specific things about them or their programmes. However, if you’re applying for programmes in a particular subject or age group, it would be helpful to explain why you have chosen them, and the skills and attributes you have that make them appropriate for you.

I read hundreds of UCAS applications for teacher training every year, and I cannot stress how important the personal statement is. Claire Harnden, Director of Initial Teacher Training at Surrey South Farnham SCITT

What to include

You do need to think carefully about the things that all your chosen providers will want to know about you. You’ll probably want to include things like:

• your reason(s) for wanting to teach
• evidence that you understand the rewards and challenges of teaching
• details of your previous education and how you have benefitted from it
• any other work with young people, such as helping with a youth club, working at a summer camp or running a sports team
• the range of relevant abilities and skills you can bring to teaching, for example, practical experience, managing people, working with or leading a team, and communication skills
• any reasons why there may be restrictions on your geographical mobility
• why you want to study in the UK, if you don’t currently live here
• whether you have any previous classroom experience, either independently or had a taste of school life via the  Get School Experience service .

These are the things all training providers want to know – whether they’re School Direct, a university or a SCITT – so there’s no need to worry that you can’t write different personal statements. Read what SCITT director, Claire Harnden, looks for in a  teacher training personal statement .

In addition to the details you give in the school and work experience section, you can also expand on your experience of teaching, such as visits to schools, classroom observations or working as a teaching assistant. To help, read  Chris Chivers' tips for completing your teacher training application .

Whatever the route, the process will have similar elements, which are worth considering, so that the appliation has the greatest chance of making an impression. Chris Chivers, experienced ITT tutor and mentor

How to write it

You can use up to 47 lines of text (4,000 characters) in your personal statement. Some word processing packages calculate line counts differently from the UCAS Teacher Training system, so you might need to redraft your statement if there’s a discrepancy between the counts.

• Write in English (or Welsh if you’re applying to Welsh providers) and avoid italics, bold or underlining.
• Get the grammar and punctuation right and redraft your statement until you’re happy with it.
• It’s a good idea to write your personal statement in a word processor first, then copy and paste it into your application.

Don’t copy!

Don’t copy anyone else’s personal statement or from statements posted on the internet.  Make sure your personal statement is all your own work.

You might also like to read

Ucas teacher training: after you send your application, sponsored articles ucas media service, teacher training: three things to consider before you apply, how to find a job, five reasons to sign up to the ucas newsletter.

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How to write a teacher training personal statement or Initial Teacher Training application

Teacher training personal statements: the dos and don'ts

An Initial Teacher Training (ITT) or teacher training personal statement is a key part of any initial teacher training application – it's your chance to sell yourself.

Your personal statement gives teacher training providers an opportunity to find out more about you – your motivations for pursuing a career in teaching, your reflections on any school experience you have and the skills, competencies, values and attitudes that you bring to the table. What can you offer teaching? What will make you an outstanding teacher who will inspire, engage and challenge pupils? 

A teacher training personal statement shouldn’t be a list of all your jobs or qualifications – those are set out elsewhere in your application. Nor should it simply be a factual account of what you have observed or what you did in a classroom during your school experience. While it's important to give a brief context of this, it's much more important to explain what you learnt during your time in school; skills you developed and reflections on what you observed or did. Teacher training providers or ITT partnership schools need to see that you have thought about your experience carefully.

It's also worth reiterating how important it is to check your spelling and grammar. You're going to be in charge of educating the next generation – you must have strong written communication skills.

Examples can be a great way of demonstrating what you have learnt

Steer away from overusing general teaching related statements such as “I’ve always wanted to work with children”, especially when writing a primary school teacher training personal statement. Obviously, teacher training providers want to see that you have an interest in working with children but this can be demonstrated through your reflections on what you learnt during any school or similar experience and what you found rewarding about the work.

Examples can be a great way of demonstrating what you have learnt. Think about the skills that  make a good teacher  and give examples of any relevant projects you've worked on or any children you've worked with (always remember to anonymise the people involved). What was challenging about the situation, what did you learn and what were the outcomes you achieved?

By all means draw on skills you've gained elsewhere, maybe in a different career field or in your own education or family life. If you've overcome obstacles or challenges that you believe show your resilience and adaptability, draw on that experience to demonstrate how you would handle the pressurised environment of teaching and working in a school.

Your teacher training personal statement should be coherent and well-structured

If you hold a non-subject specific degree and you know you have some gaps in your subject knowledge, it’s a good idea to mention this in your teaching training personal statement but to also offer the provider a solution. You can demonstrate that you've done some research and you've already considered a solution to this challenge by mentioning that you would like to do a  subject knowledge enhancement  (SKE)  course prior to starting your teacher training to bring your knowledge up to the level you need to teach.

Find out more about about SKE

There are plenty of guides on how to write a personal statement for teacher training which outline the basics, but the most important thing remains your own personal reasons for applying. Be clear about what motivates you. A personal statement that suggests you haven't thought through your reasons for going into teaching will not help your application to succeed. Teacher training providers are less likely to be concerned about someone who has had a diverse career but is now committed to teaching than someone who says they have always wanted to teach but can’t give clear reasons why. If you’re not currently based in the UK, include reasons why you want to pursue your teaching career here. And last but definitely not least, your personal statement should be coherent and well-structured.

In summary:

• Draw on your experiences  (especially teaching experience) to show what you've learnt and what you will bring to the teaching profession
• Evidence your skills , competencies and values, with relevant examples if possible
• Be clear about your motivations  for going into teaching
• Make sure your statement is  coherent and accurate
• Don’t copy!  Your statement should be entirely your own work; do not copy online examples.

Good luck! Further advice from UCAS can be  found here .

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• How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples

Published on February 12, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 3, 2023.

A personal statement is a short essay of around 500–1,000 words, in which you tell a compelling story about who you are, what drives you, and why you’re applying.

To write a successful personal statement for a graduate school application , don’t just summarize your experience; instead, craft a focused narrative in your own voice. Aim to demonstrate three things:

• Your personality: what are your interests, values, and motivations?
• Your talents: what can you bring to the program?
• Your goals: what do you hope the program will do for you?

This article guides you through some winning strategies to build a strong, well-structured personal statement for a master’s or PhD application. You can download the full examples below.

Urban Planning Psychology History

Table of contents

Getting started with your personal statement, the introduction: start with an attention-grabbing opening, the main body: craft your narrative, the conclusion: look ahead, revising, editing, and proofreading your personal statement, frequently asked questions, other interesting articles.

Before you start writing, the first step is to understand exactly what’s expected of you. If the application gives you a question or prompt for your personal statement, the most important thing is to respond to it directly.

For example, you might be asked to focus on the development of your personal identity; challenges you have faced in your life; or your career motivations. This will shape your focus and emphasis—but you still need to find your own unique approach to answering it.

There’s no universal template for a personal statement; it’s your chance to be creative and let your own voice shine through. But there are strategies you can use to build a compelling, well-structured story.

The first paragraph of your personal statement should set the tone and lead smoothly into the story you want to tell.

Strategy 1: Open with a concrete scene

An effective way to catch the reader’s attention is to set up a scene that illustrates something about your character and interests. If you’re stuck, try thinking about:

• A personal experience that changed your perspective
• A story from your family’s history
• A memorable teacher or learning experience
• An unusual or unexpected encounter

To write an effective scene, try to go beyond straightforward description; start with an intriguing sentence that pulls the reader in, and give concrete details to create a convincing atmosphere.

Strategy 2: Open with your motivations

To emphasize your enthusiasm and commitment, you can start by explaining your interest in the subject you want to study or the career path you want to follow.

Just stating that it interests you isn’t enough: first, you need to figure out why you’re interested in this field:

• Is it a longstanding passion or a recent discovery?
• Does it come naturally or have you had to work hard at it?
• How does it fit into the rest of your life?
• What do you think it contributes to society?

Tips for the introduction

• Don’t start on a cliche: avoid phrases like “Ever since I was a child…” or “For as long as I can remember…”
• Do save the introduction for last. If you’re struggling to come up with a strong opening, leave it aside, and note down any interesting ideas that occur to you as you write the rest of the personal statement.

Once you’ve set up the main themes of your personal statement, you’ll delve into more detail about your experiences and motivations.

To structure the body of your personal statement, there are various strategies you can use.

Strategy 1: Describe your development over time

One of the simplest strategies is to give a chronological overview of key experiences that have led you to apply for graduate school.

• What first sparked your interest in the field?
• Which classes, assignments, classmates, internships, or other activities helped you develop your knowledge and skills?
• Where do you want to go next? How does this program fit into your future plans?

Don’t try to include absolutely everything you’ve done—pick out highlights that are relevant to your application. Aim to craft a compelling narrative that shows how you’ve changed and actively developed yourself.

My interest in psychology was first sparked early in my high school career. Though somewhat scientifically inclined, I found that what interested me most was not the equations we learned about in physics and chemistry, but the motivations and perceptions of my fellow students, and the subtle social dynamics that I observed inside and outside the classroom. I wanted to learn how our identities, beliefs, and behaviours are shaped through our interactions with others, so I decided to major in Social Psychology. My undergraduate studies deepened my understanding of, and fascination with, the interplay between an individual mind and its social context.During my studies, I acquired a solid foundation of knowledge about concepts like social influence and group dynamics, but I also took classes on various topics not strictly related to my major. I was particularly interested in how other fields intersect with psychology—the classes I took on media studies, biology, and literature all enhanced my understanding of psychological concepts by providing different lenses through which to look at the issues involved.

Strategy 2: Own your challenges and obstacles

If your path to graduate school hasn’t been easy or straightforward, you can turn this into a strength, and structure your personal statement as a story of overcoming obstacles.

• Is your social, cultural or economic background underrepresented in the field? Show how your experiences will contribute a unique perspective.
• Do you have gaps in your resume or lower-than-ideal grades? Explain the challenges you faced and how you dealt with them.

Don’t focus too heavily on negatives, but use them to highlight your positive qualities. Resilience, resourcefulness and perseverance make you a promising graduate school candidate.

Growing up working class, urban decay becomes depressingly familiar. The sight of a row of abandoned houses does not surprise me, but it continues to bother me. Since high school, I have been determined to pursue a career in urban planning. While people of my background experience the consequences of urban planning decisions first-hand, we are underrepresented in the field itself. Ironically, given my motivation, my economic background has made my studies challenging. I was fortunate enough to be awarded a scholarship for my undergraduate studies, but after graduation I took jobs in unrelated fields to help support my parents. In the three years since, I have not lost my ambition. Now I am keen to resume my studies, and I believe I can bring an invaluable perspective to the table: that of the people most impacted by the decisions of urban planners.

Strategy 3: Demonstrate your knowledge of the field

Especially if you’re applying for a PhD or another research-focused program, it’s a good idea to show your familiarity with the subject and the department. Your personal statement can focus on the area you want to specialize in and reflect on why it matters to you.

• Reflect on the topics or themes that you’ve focused on in your studies. What draws you to them?
• Discuss any academic achievements, influential teachers, or other highlights of your education.
• Talk about the questions you’d like to explore in your research and why you think they’re important.

The personal statement isn’t a research proposal , so don’t go overboard on detail—but it’s a great opportunity to show your enthusiasm for the field and your capacity for original thinking.

In applying for this research program, my intention is to build on the multidisciplinary approach I have taken in my studies so far, combining knowledge from disparate fields of study to better understand psychological concepts and issues. The Media Psychology program stands out to me as the perfect environment for this kind of research, given its researchers’ openness to collaboration across diverse fields. I am impressed by the department’s innovative interdisciplinary projects that focus on the shifting landscape of media and technology, and I hope that my own work can follow a similarly trailblazing approach. More specifically, I want to develop my understanding of the intersection of psychology and media studies, and explore how media psychology theories and methods might be applied to neurodivergent minds. I am interested not only in media psychology but also in psychological disorders, and how the two interact. This is something I touched on during my undergraduate studies and that I’m excited to delve into further.

Strategy 4: Discuss your professional ambitions

Especially if you’re applying for a more professionally-oriented program (such as an MBA), it’s a good idea to focus on concrete goals and how the program will help you achieve them.

• If your career is just getting started, show how your character is suited to the field, and explain how graduate school will help you develop your talents.
• If you have already worked in the profession, show what you’ve achieved so far, and explain how the program will allow you to take the next step.
• If you are planning a career change, explain what has driven this decision and how your existing experience will help you succeed.

Don’t just state the position you want to achieve. You should demonstrate that you’ve put plenty of thought into your career plans and show why you’re well-suited to this profession.

One thing that fascinated me about the field during my undergraduate studies was the sheer number of different elements whose interactions constitute a person’s experience of an urban environment. Any number of factors could transform the scene I described at the beginning: What if there were no bus route? Better community outreach in the neighborhood? Worse law enforcement? More or fewer jobs available in the area? Some of these factors are out of the hands of an urban planner, but without taking them all into consideration, the planner has an incomplete picture of their task. Through further study I hope to develop my understanding of how these disparate elements combine and interact to create the urban environment. I am interested in the social, psychological and political effects our surroundings have on our lives. My studies will allow me to work on projects directly affecting the kinds of working-class urban communities I know well. I believe I can bring my own experiences, as well as my education, to bear upon the problem of improving infrastructure and quality of life in these communities.

Tips for the main body

• Don’t rehash your resume by trying to summarize everything you’ve done so far; the personal statement isn’t about listing your academic or professional experience, but about reflecting, evaluating, and relating it to broader themes.
• Do make your statements into stories: Instead of saying you’re hard-working and self-motivated, write about your internship where you took the initiative to start a new project. Instead of saying you’ve always loved reading, reflect on a novel or poem that changed your perspective.

Your conclusion should bring the focus back to the program and what you hope to get out of it, whether that’s developing practical skills, exploring intellectual questions, or both.

Emphasize the fit with your specific interests, showing why this program would be the best way to achieve your aims.

Strategy 1: What do you want to know?

If you’re applying for a more academic or research-focused program, end on a note of curiosity: what do you hope to learn, and why do you think this is the best place to learn it?

If there are specific classes or faculty members that you’re excited to learn from, this is the place to express your enthusiasm.

Strategy 2: What do you want to do?

If you’re applying for a program that focuses more on professional training, your conclusion can look to your career aspirations: what role do you want to play in society, and why is this program the best choice to help you get there?

Tips for the conclusion

• Don’t summarize what you’ve already said. You have limited space in a personal statement, so use it wisely!
• Do think bigger than yourself: try to express how your individual aspirations relate to your local community, your academic field, or society more broadly. It’s not just about what you’ll get out of graduate school, but about what you’ll be able to give back.

You’ll be expected to do a lot of writing in graduate school, so make a good first impression: leave yourself plenty of time to revise and polish the text.

Your style doesn’t have to be as formal as other kinds of academic writing, but it should be clear, direct and coherent. Make sure that each paragraph flows smoothly from the last, using topic sentences and transitions to create clear connections between each part.

Don’t be afraid to rewrite and restructure as much as necessary. Since you have a lot of freedom in the structure of a personal statement, you can experiment and move information around to see what works best.

Finally, it’s essential to carefully proofread your personal statement and fix any language errors. Before you submit your application, consider investing in professional personal statement editing . For $150, you have the peace of mind that your personal statement is grammatically correct, strong in term of your arguments, and free of awkward mistakes.

A statement of purpose is usually more formal, focusing on your academic or professional goals. It shouldn’t include anything that isn’t directly relevant to the application.

A personal statement can often be more creative. It might tell a story that isn’t directly related to the application, but that shows something about your personality, values, and motivations.

However, both types of document have the same overall goal: to demonstrate your potential as a graduate student and s how why you’re a great match for the program.

The typical length of a personal statement for graduate school applications is between 500 and 1,000 words.

Different programs have different requirements, so always check if there’s a minimum or maximum length and stick to the guidelines. If there is no recommended word count, aim for no more than 1-2 pages.

If you’re applying to multiple graduate school programs, you should tailor your personal statement to each application.

Some applications provide a prompt or question. In this case, you might have to write a new personal statement from scratch: the most important task is to respond to what you have been asked.

If there’s no prompt or guidelines, you can re-use the same idea for your personal statement – but change the details wherever relevant, making sure to emphasize why you’re applying to this specific program.

If the application also includes other essays, such as a statement of purpose , you might have to revise your personal statement to avoid repeating the same information.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

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Writing a Postgraduate Teacher Education personal statement

Updated on 7 July 2023

Guidance on how to write a PGDE/CE personal statement and an example to help demonstrate your skills, experience and motivation for teaching.

A personal statement is a short piece of writing (47 lines/4000 characters) which you are asked to submit in support of your application to study a PGDE/CE made through UCAS. It is your opportunity to demonstrate your skills, experience and motivation for teaching.

Before you start

Remember that this is a very important part of your application. Take your time to carefully plan out and practise your statement. It is a good idea to draft your statement in a word document and get some feedback on it before committing to the final version..

• Don't waste space with irrelevant or repetitive information. Be succinct and avoid complicated language and overly long sentences.
• Be specific about what you have to offer. Detail what you have gained from your experiences in schools/working with children. Give appropriate evidence of the skills you possess for teaching.
• Indicate the relevance of other types of experience or skills you possess, e.g. supervising people or sports
• Avoid using negative language. Present any gaps in skills or experience positively.
• Finish with a summary of what you have to offer     leave the selectors with a clear understanding of your suitability for the course.
• Let your enthusiasm for teaching and working with children shine through in everything you say.
• Check grammar and spelling thoroughly! Do not rely on the spelling and grammar check on your word processing package alone. Ask someone to proof read it for you.
• If you are cutting and pasting from a word document, remember to check the formatting.

Questions to consider when structuring your Personal Statement

• Why do you want to be a teacher? - What has inspired you; who/what influenced you?
• Why do you want to work with young people? - What appeals to you about working with this age group; what skills do you possess that will help you?
• Why do you want to teach your subject? For primary: demonstrate a breadth of knowledge across a range of curriculum areas. For secondary, show how your subject knowledge is relevant to the curriculum.
• What have you gained from working with young people? - Have you had any experience in schools or working with children in other settings? Reflect upon what you did, what you observed, what you learned.
• What else can you offer? Skills in sports, music, languages, arts and crafts, ICT etc.

This is an example personal statement. There is considerable room for improvement and the notes make suggestions to help you with writing yours.

I am applying for the PGDE course because I have always wanted to be a teacher. I really like working with children and think that I have the right kinds of skills to become a good teacher .

• The above statement is far too short: you are allowed 47 lines/4000 characters so use them.
• Remember to specify whether you are applying f or primary or secondary courses.
• It is not enough to say that you have developed the "right kinds of skills". Be specific about them.
• It is important to have a strong opening statement . It is the first thing the selectors will read so you want to make an impact. 
• Think about why you have always wanted to teach and clearly demonstrate.

New Paragraph

At school, I was involved with the Primary 1 class when I was in final year. I helped the less able children with reading on a one to one basis. I also help out at my local Brownie pack every week, keeping the girls busy with various activities. I have applied to do the Student Tutoring Scheme.

• When describing experience with children, make sure you are specific about what you learned from the work and the skills you developed.
• You need to demonstrate (by providing evidence) that you have developed/ have the potential to develop skills such as communication, leadership, teamwork, problem solving, organisation, planning and time management.

At school I studied a wide range of subjects but the one I enjoyed most was History so that is what I have studied at university. I also took Psychology and Politics in first year and Politics in second year too.

• When describing your studies, remember to show how this is relevant to the subject(s) you will be teaching.

I have been a babysitter for two children for several years and enjoy helping the older child with his homework now that he is at school.

• When describing your experience remember to demonstrate the transferable skills you have gained in this role that would be relevant to teaching. For example with babysitting you could link to the skill of 'behaviour management'.

I am very interested in education generally and keep up to date with current issues by reading the BBC website.

It is not enough to say that you 'keep up-to-date' here. Give a summary of what you have to offer and stating why you should be offered a place on the course.

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Personal statement for PGCE secondary

If you want to teach children aged 11 and over you'll need to apply through the Department for Education's (DfE) Apply for teacher training service

This example should be used for guidance only. Copying any of this text could significantly harm your chances of securing a place on a course.

Example personal statement for PGCE secondary

I became interested in teaching after realising how much I had benefited from excellent and passionate teachers. They exuded a real sense of enthusiasm for learning, which inspires me to pass on that passion.

My love for computing developed during my A-levels after discovering an aptitude for programming and networking. This drove me to study more, going on to gain a 2:1 in BSc Computer Systems and Network Engineering from the University of England. Studying at university developed my passion for computer sciences and taught me a range of transferable skills that I believe are fundamentally important to teach young people. This is demonstrated in my dissertation, which was awarded a first, investigating The Internet of Things (IoT) and how it can help shape educational establishments of the future.

While at university I decided to volunteer as a teaching assistant in a mainstream school. By my final year I was able to take responsibility for running activities in the classroom, balancing the needs of each child and managing behaviour issues. In addition, I regularly helped run the lunchtime computer club. In working with more vulnerable students such as SEN learners I saw the role played by support staff in maintaining control of the classroom, particularly with those who can be disruptive when under stimulated. I learned the importance of differentiating lesson plans to educate and engage students with special needs and the power of strategies such as a well thought out seating plan and friendly competitiveness in learners. I saw students develop within the classroom as a result of my determined support and these good working relationships are beginning to result in higher grades. I have liaised well across several departments to communicate information about students in an organised and diplomatic way.

One highlight was when I supported a young person with ADHD who attended computer club. They had been struggling to remain focussed and on task in class but were able to focus well when completing tasks on a computer. As a result, they suffered from poor behaviour, disengagement and low self-esteem. I negotiated with some class teachers to allow this pupil to use a tablet during their lessons. The pupil could then access any PowerPoint presentations being delivered to enable them to go back and reread specific slides. They could also access links to visual resources to enhance their understanding of the subject being taught. Homework was posted online for them to complete and submit electronically. This was such a success that the school invested in more tablets to be used by a range of students across the school. This further inspired me to want to become a teacher to enable me to support others who may be facing barriers to learning that could be tackled through the introduction of technology.

To support my professional development further I undertook short work placements in two other schools. Volunteering in Key Stages 1 and 2 confirmed my desire to teach Key Stages 3 and 4. I became aware of the many demands placed upon teachers and their time and I believe that the project management, communication and problem-solving skills gained during my degree will be invaluable assets within the classroom and beyond. I was exposed to a range of pedagogical models and teaching methods, which is something I look forward to learning more about on a PGCE.

One of my hobbies is to make short films about how to use different forms of technology and software packages. I post these on YouTube as instructional videos. These have proved to be very popular and I am considering how I can use this type of activity to benefit the students I teach. One option is to support students to create their own videos to help deepen their understanding of a subject, which they can then choose to upload to the school's virtual learning environment to aid their peers if they wish.

During school placements I witnessed the challenges and rewards present in a school environment. Teachers need to be resilient particularly when working with students who find school difficult, do not want to engage and do not want to accept support. However, I look forward to working in the education system and believe I could help and inspire students to develop their future aspirations.

While researching for my dissertation I spoke with secondary school teachers about the challenges their students faced and one that came up often was digital poverty. In many inner-city schools, pupils do not always have access to up to date and reliable computer technology to allow them to keep up with the advances in technology that they’ll face when seeking employment. One of my aims would be to investigate how the use of integrated technologies, as well as fostering links with local companies and the community, could result in a cost-effective solution allowing all students equal access to computer technology.

Technology has become its own form of literacy due to its prevalence in everyday life. Numerous careers use at least one aspect of Microsoft Office or Google Drive daily; balancing budgets on spreadsheets, creating slides to be presented, or attaching documents to emails to communicate important information. Allowing students to learn and refine these skills prepares them for life beyond the classroom.

With technology being present in many classrooms, and not just to teach computing skills, the introduction of the IoT could enhance learning activities even more. It could provide improved connectivity, introduce artificial intelligence and virtual reality to the learning environment as well as cloud computing platforms. I am excited about the future of education and how I can be an active part of it.

When writing your personal statement, you need to include:

• What inspired you to choose teaching.
• Why you wish to teach at secondary level.
• Your knowledge of the pressures and rewards of teaching.
• The personal qualities and skills that will make you a good teacher.
• How you might contribute to the wider school environment such as running extra-curricular activities and clubs.
• Any experience of working with children and what you learnt through doing this.
• Evidence of your knowledge related to the subject you hope to teach.
• Any relevant work or unpaid experience.
• Your degree, degree modules and dissertation topic where relevant.
• Any relevant skills, hobbies and achievements.

Find out more

• Read all about applying for teacher training .
• Get prepared with our teaching interview questions .
• See more examples of teaching personal statements .

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Your NQT Personal Statement – 13 Tips to Make it Stand Out

When you’re applying for your first NQT teaching job it can be quite challenging. You might feel like you’re all alone, with no one to help and advise you. We don’t want you to struggle and perhaps lose the opportunity to get that teaching position you have set your eyes on. Therefore, we’ve created this post just for you.

Once you’re ready to start looking for a teaching position, one of the first things you will need to prepare is your application. There are usually three main components to an effective application, and these elements are:

• The application form
• A supporting statement or letter of application
• An executive summary to show how you comply with the criteria, and that you are the person the school is looking for.

In this article we will be focusing on your NQT Personal Statement. 

Your NQT personal statement is likely to be the first impression that you will make with this new school or NQT pool and an ideal opportunity to show your unique qualities that make you the best person for the position on offer. 

Therefore, you will want this opportunity to promote yourself to the school in the best way possible. So it’s important that your writing is coherent, focused and clearly explains your reasoning behind wanting to be a teacher. In addition, a strong NQT personal statement will set you apart from other candidates in the competitive marketplace. 

Just like a resume and cover letter for a regular job, your personal statement should be rewritten for every position you apply for.

Never use the same NQT personal statement for multiple applications. Generic personal statements are super easy for employers to spot. And after all, you want to shine, right? Plus, you don’t want to copy someone else’s statement. Your employer might screen all personal statements using a similarity detection service like Copycatch. This could really hurt your application right out of the gate. And quite possibly end up in the bin. 

Remember, your personal statement is your chance to show your personality and enthusiasm, relevant to the school and prove you understand what they are looking for.

Your personal statement also shows your communication skills. That’s why you want to grab their attention, just like you want to with your students at the start of every lesson.

What is the NQT personal statement?

The NQT personal statement is an important document which schools use to understand why you want to become a teacher and whether you are suitable to teach at their school.

Of course, your application form will lay out all your qualifications, your skills, your strengths and weaknesses and also any relevant work experience. But your NQT personal statement is where you allow your unique personality to shine.

It is important to put your heart into writing your statement. And be prepared to write multiple drafts.

How do you write an effective NQT personal statement?

Your application and your NQT statement are going to be the first steps in securing the position you are looking for. Therefore, you obviously want to make a great first impression. Be ready to go through multiple drafts. Take your time, and get feedback from friends and family members.

I’m sure you have a ton of questions, such as:

• How do I write a killer, successful NQT statement?
• Where do I start?
• What should I include in my NQT statement?

These are all important questions. And I’m sure you have many more. So, let’s dive in and show you how to write an NQT statement which will stand out and give you the best chance of getting hired in your chosen teaching position.

Are you ready to write your killer NQT personal statement?

Great. Here are some important tips to help you.

1. The first rule when writing a successful NQT statement is to know your audience.

Before you start, it’s a great idea to step back for a minute and put yourself in your hiring manager’s shoes.

Think about what's important to them. What are they passionate about? What are they looking for? How can you improve their life?

When you think about what your hiring manager is looking for, you’ll have a much better chance of writing a concise and effective personal statement.

It’s a good idea to write a list of 10 things you think will be important to them.

However, the most critical step at this stage is to do your research and find out exactly what is required for this specific application. Different schools or LEA’s will have different requirements for the personal statement and should have guidelines somewhere in their application advert or portal.

Clearly your first task is to make sure that the personal statement you prepare is tailored to the requirements that have been set out for that job.

2. What is your objective?

• What is the purpose of your personal statement?
• Why should they hire you?
• What action are you trying to get the reader to take?

You need to be clear on this before you start writing your personal statement. If the answer isn't clear to you, it certainly won't be clear to your potential employer.

3. Why do you want to be a teacher?

Seems a simple question on the surface. But this is a great opportunity to show you’ve thought through this question. You could mention a past teacher who inspired you. Or the challenges and rewards of teaching. You could also talk about any lessons you have observed or taught previously which impacted you. You could also discuss particular teaching styles and your interests in using technology in the classroom.

Key tip: Think about creating a story for this question. Remember, the hiring manager is first and foremost a human being. Many new teachers make the mistake of forgetting this vital point. You are equal to them in this respect. Use emotional language to touch your reader. Help them imagine themselves in the situation you are describing. Help them feel what it was like in the situation that drove your desire in becoming a teacher. This is a major key in rousing your reader’s emotions.

4. Make sure you start your personal statement strongly.

Just like a great book or movie, your opening sentence should stand out. Make it memorable, without being overly dramatic. Effective personal statements often start with what inspired you to enter teaching in the first place.

• Did a high school teacher inspire you?
• Was it your own experience of learning?
• Was it a good or bad teacher you had previously?

This is a great opportunity to show some passion. Like point no.3 above, use some emotional language.

5. Why do you want to teach a particular age group?

Be ready to explain why a certain age group appeals to you. Mention specific examples of your experience with this age group.

For example, anyone who has taught kindergarten knows how much energy the students have. Lessons are always full on. And as cute as the kids are, if your lessons are not jam-packed with active, high-energy games, you’re going to lose them. 

Similarly, elementary students are at a stage where they are slowly beginning to think for themselves and many of them think they already know it all. At this age role-playing is effective, as the students like to see themselves as tiny adults. 

If your chosen age group is teenagers, you’ll be aware that this age group has its own challenges. Being a teenager has never been an easy task, and with so many changes going on in their lives and their bodies, their confidence is up and down. 

So, when you answer this question, you’ll need to show that you can relate to what is going on in your chosen group’s world. Show you are able to look back to when you were their age, relate to the age group and show how you keep your lessons relevant and exciting.

6. What experience do you have?

Relevant teaching experience is always going to help you when applying for any position. But it is also important to reflect on how that experience has helped you develop as a teacher. If you haven’t had much classroom time:

• Do you have any experience in voluntary teaching?
• Have you coached a sports team or been involved with a summer camp?

Obviously, as a new teacher, you can’t recite years of experience. Help your hiring manager imagine you in action. For example, you could describe a particular lesson which was either a success or failure. Think about retelling a memorable or challenging experience with a student, or a description of what your classroom looks and sounds like on a typical day. This will be much more valuable to enable them to envision your teaching experience than to cite pedagogical terms or talk vaguely about your teaching experience.

Always use specific examples of how your experiences have developed your teaching skills.

7. You should highlight your achievements, strengths and skills

Explain what you can bring to the school. Show how you differ from the other candidates. You could mention past experience and achievements, your unique talents, as well as your professional goals. You could also add specific classroom strategies you have developed and how they helped your students.

Many applications will make it clear that they want you to cover your specific qualifications, skills and understanding of elements of the National Curriculum, your classroom and educational skills plu your short and long term goals for making a difference to the education of your pupils.

The exact requirements should be set out in the application guidelines which should also tell you what you need to focus on.

8. How long should your NQT personal statement be?

This is not an essay. It’s simply a summary of you, your skills and your experience, and how they relate to the position you are applying for. Therefore, you should be specific and keep your personal statement short and informative.

This will help you keep your personal statement under a widely recommended  500-word limit. The school will not be impressed by minor childhood achievements, so keep your statement pertinent and focused.

That said, again, check the specific requirements in each case. Some applications will welcome a longer NQT personal statement, as is the case with Lambeth where we are happy to read up to three pages of A4, but no more.

If there is no guidance then the 500 word range is a very solid guide.

9. Make every word count

It’s a good idea to take a leaf out of a professional copywriter’s book here. Don’t waffle. Make every word count. Use powerful words where possible, without being overly dramatic. Avoid weak words like may, maybe, hope, wish, try, and perhaps. Instead, use words like will and can to help your personal statement command attention.

10. Take your time

Edit and then re-edit your personal statement. Besides being difficult to read, misspelled words and grammatical errors will destroy your credibility. Once you think you’ve written a great personal statement, it’s a good idea to leave it for a day or two. Then come back and see if you can improve it.

11. Read your statement out loud

This next tip is super-effective, and one many people fail to do. Read your statement out loud. If you do this, you’ll spot areas that don’t flow properly. And if you stumble when reading your statement out loud, you can be sure your potential employer will have the same trouble.

Key tip: Why don’t you record yourself as you read out your statement? This is simple to do with your phone. Then play it back and see if you can spot areas you can improve.

12. Let friends and relatives read your personal statement

Make sure whoever you ask to read your personal statement knows you want them to be critical. The whole purpose of this exercise is to improve your statement, not to make you happy that they love it. Choose your feedback team carefully. 

13. Finish strongly

The way you finish your personal statement should reinforce your enthusiasm for your career in teaching. Acknowledge that hard work is necessary, but also make your excitement stand out.

Your personal statement for PGCE primary

You should explain the experience you’ve gained with primary-age children.

The PGCE primary personal statements usually demonstrate your personality and the various skills you have which would benefit primary schools such as being artistic, your musical talents or your sporting prowess. 

All these types of skills would be very useful during primary schools’ extracurricular activities.  

Your personal statement for PGCE secondary

In this type of personal statement, you will want to make it clear you understand the challenges of teaching older students.

You could mention specific examples of situations and challenges you have faced teaching this age of students, and how you overcame them.  

You’ll also want to document how your degree ties in with the position you are applying for.

Final thoughts on your NQT Personal Statement

So, that is the nuts and bolts of what your NQT personal statement should include. The basic foundation for an effective personal statement is that it’s all about the pupils. What the school wants for the pupils, what you can provide for the pupils.  

You should always write your personal statement, and indeed your whole application from the angle of what will benefit the pupils, not what’s best for you.  The school is not interested at this stage in what’s good for you, it’s more interested in what’s good for its pupils, and if you can provide that. 

Now you know the structure of a strong NQT personal statement, we hope you will be in a perfect position to write an effective statement to get that dream job you’ve had your eyes on.

There’s more on the specific requirements of what Lambeth are looking for in the NQT personal statement for the Lambeth NQT pool on pages 10 and 11 of the NQT Information Pack which you can download here .

Remember that, as we said at the start of this article, each job you apply for should come with clear requirements for the application and hopefully some guidance. In the case of Lambeth we have a requirement for your NQT personal statement to clearly cover how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the requirements of being an NQT, and we outline a set structure that helps you do that.

Download our NQT Information Pack now to learn more.

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How to Write a Personal Statement for a Teaching Job – 7 Step Guide

Education / August 9, 2020 by admin / Leave a Comment

When you’re applying for a new teaching job, you want to do everything that you can to impress your future employer. You want them to see your potential and understand why you’d be such a good fit for the job. Luckily, your personal statement can help you show them exactly that.

A personal statement is your chance to leave that unique mark on your application and make it more memorable. It will help you stand out from the rest of the candidates and show your personality. All you have to do is know how to write it. Don’t worry, because we’ve got you covered. Keep reading to find some of the best tips on writing a personal statement for a teaching job.

How to write a great cover letter for teacher jobs?

Let’s break it down together.

1. Write For a Specific Job

First things first, each personal statement that you write needs to be written for a specific job that you have in mind.

That means that you shouldn’t have one generic personal statement and send it out to all teaching job openings.

Instead, you need to rewrite it paying attention to:

• The job description
• Type of work it requires
• Type of skills they’re looking for

After you analyze the job description, you can start brainstorming and getting ready to write your personal statement. Adjust it to the job description, and it’s going to have more success than you expect.

Best resume software | Give the finest first impression

2. Share Your Education & Experience

Your personal statement should include your previous education and experience that you’ve had so far. But, since you’ll be sending your CV as well, don’t go into too much detail in this part of the personal statement. Make it short and mention,

• Formal education
• Professional experience
• Skills you’ve acquired

You can make it a one to two-sentence introduction since it’s a more technical part of your personal statement. Then, you can move on to a more personal level.

How to be a better online teacher | Best practices for teaching online

3. Share What Drives You

Every potential employer wants to see the passion and drive in their candidates. Since you’re applying for a teaching job, it’s very important that you show your love for the job.

A teacher needs to be motivated and ready to walk the extra mile just to reach all their students.

Therefore, make sure that you cover the following:

• Why you love teaching
• How you first started doing it
• What makes transferring knowledge so special for you
• What is it about this job you’re so passionate about

Tell them why you love teaching and just how passionate and motivated you are to wake up every day to a job you love. This will make sure they recognize you as a potentially great employee.

What is your teaching philosophy? | Writing your philosophy statement

Now it’s time to distinguish yourself from all the candidates that will apply for the same job. There could be tens and even hundreds of them applying. 

So, why you?

There’s nothing wrong with distinguishing yourself from the rest of the candidates and saying why you are the obvious choice.

Make sure that you share:

• Your vision for this job opening
• The contribution you’d make
• The opportunity it would give you to show your skills and talents
• The specific reason why you would be perfect for it

Don’t just say, “I’d be a perfect fit for this job.” Instead, share something more specific like:

 “Thanks to my year working with children with special needs, I learned how to be patient and adjust to the needs of every student.”

Give actual examples and make this section the strongest one in your personal statement.

5. Show Your Personality

A personal statement gives you the chance to show your personality and help the hiring managers get to know you better.

Unlike a CV, which is more technical in terms of structure and content, a personal statement makes room for you to be yourself.

Make sure that you:

• use everyday language
• show our personality
• add your spice to it

Don’t make your personal statement too reserved or uniform. Instead, make it more about you and tailor it to fit your personality.

This will impress hiring managers and potential employers.

Remote education jobs | How To Land Remote Education Jobs

6. Make it Short

A personal statement needs to be short yet powerful. 

If you make it too long, it will seem like you think too highly of yourself. Also, you might come across as unprofessional and unable to distinguish the most important facts they want to hear.

This is why the length and structure of your personal statement plays an important role.

Here’s a couple of rules to follow:

• Keep your sentences short
• Make every word count
• Avoid fluff words
• Be to the point
• Keep the whole thing up to 600 words long (unless they specifically require a different length)

Make sure your personal statement is informative and packed with valuable information. Don’t waste any words on making the sentences sound poetic.

10 Teacher interview questions & answers | Guide to teaching interview

7. Watch Your Accuracy

Finally, before you turn in the personal statement, you have to ensure you’ve written it like a true academic worker. 

As a teacher, your writing accuracy is highly valuable and will be appreciated by the hiring managers. That’s why you have to check your accuracy.

That implies:

• Proofreading
• Removing any spelling or grammar mistakes
• Adjusting your vocabulary
• Checking sentence structure

You can use one of the  writing services  if you need help with this, and polish your personal statement to perfection.

This will show you’re educated, professional, and detail-oriented.

Final Thoughts

Writing a personal statement for a teaching job is a process that requires some strategic planning and preparation. You need to make sure your personal statement is unique and shows you in the best possible light.

Use the tips we’ve shared above to write a killer personal statement for a teaching job. Make sure you submit a memorable statement that will help you outshine the rest of the candidates. 

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How To Write an ECT Personal Statement and Land Your First Job as a Newly Qualified Teacher

About over 2 years ago By Scott Owen

If you’re an early career teacher (ECT; still known in Wales as an NQT), then a well-written ECT personal statement is the bridge between you and an interview for the school of your choice. But how to write a personal statement?

While Googling examples of ECT personal statements can sometimes prove helpful, it can also just lead to more confusion. There’s a reason for that. Whilst it’s helpful to get some guidance on what people are looking for, at the end of the day, the personal touches on your statement are what make you stand out. Sticking rigidly to someone else’s template is a risky road to take.

Most people will admit to finding personal statements tedious things to write, particularly when tailoring them to multiple different applications. Protocol Education can help you find an ECT job for September without the need to handcraft dozens of personal statements.

Our ECT Pool consists of a single application form, a few chats with your consultant and interviews in schools where you want to work.  Find out more about the ECT Pool here .

However, if you’re dead set on a particular job which expects you to write a personal statement as part of the application process, here’s how you do it.

So, let’s think about the actual purpose of the statement, show the school you are the right person for their job, the right fit for their school, and how you will benefit their students.

Did you notice how many times I used 'their' in that sentence?

This is because a one-size-fits-all ECT Personal Statement is not going to cut it. Any school hiring manager can see straight through a generic, templated statement.

Where do I begin, though, you ask? These tips for writing your personal statement should help you get started.

Read, read, read

The very first thing you need to do is read all the documentation included in the application pack. The letter, the job description, the person specification, the application guidance, everything!

Get out your highlighter pen and start reading and colouring in anything that stands out as important. Focus on important things to the school, unique to the school’s ethos, approach, values, and anything that is particularly aligned to your skills and work experience.

Get personal with the Person Specification

Next up, you need to look at what they have specified the essential criteria for the role. Put each point on a sheet of paper and start jotting down notes underneath each showing how you meet that criteria – it could be a qualification, teaching experience, depth of subject knowledge, your extra-curricular interests, your approach to teaching or your particular specialisms.

Get your skeleton structure in place

Good supporting statements share a fairly consistent anatomy. Here’s a handy NQT personal statement example structure:

Your area(s) of interest/expertise: Subjects, age ranges, SEN, all the details relevant to your desired career route and the needs of their role.

Your teaching experience – Include a general overview and a specific example that lets them visualise you in the classroom, how you work, how you support their pupils with their teaching and learning.

Address the Person Spec - This is where you demonstrate how you meet any additional criteria in the Person Specification that haven’t been covered yet. Have they said that experience in a particular area would be beneficial? Are they looking for knowledge of a specific learning style? Do they want some technical expertise to help with blended learning? This is the part to include all that extra detail.

Your USP - Your unique selling point goes in your NQT personal statement here. This is where you make yourself stand out from the crowd – try to answer the question ‘why would you hire you? It may be a specific skill, achievement or experience, your approach to teaching or work, or your alignment to their mission and ethos.

Let’s say you're applying for an SEN primary school that has a sensory garden, and you are an experienced gardener who has been involved in community gardening? Tell them. Do they run a chess club, and you played chess for the county? Let them know. Perhaps they have a dedicated SEN department, and you have volunteered in this area for the past couple of years. Whatever value you can add, it’s on you to make them aware of it.

Sum up what you have learnt in your teacher training and experience so far and how you are looking to develop your skills. Talk about why teaching is so important to you, and explain clearly why you want to work for that particular school.

Finally, the ‘SO-WHAT’ test

Once you’ve written everything up, apply the so-what test to each point.

For every point you have included, ask yourself – so what?

How does this point show I can benefit the students – and if it doesn’t, re-write or remove it. This document is not about what you want for yourself; it’s about what you can give to the individuals you are teaching, and highlighting this throughout is what will make your NQT Personal Statement shine!

Oh, and one last thing – proofread your statement, and proofread it again!

​Alternatively, you could just join our ECT Pool to bypass it altogether and start teaching in your first role as an early career teacher. The choice is yours.

Join the ECT Pool

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Struggling with my personal statement

I'm currently a PGCE student and I can't believe I'm already getting ready to apply for jobs! I've started writing my personal statement based off some examples that we got given, but I hate it already because it just seems so fake and over the top.

I'm pretty bad at selling myself too which is a bit of a problem. I'll get over it though just needed a bit of a vent.

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Free Teacher Resume Template and Tips, Plus 21 Teacher Resume Examples

Make a great first impression!

Whether you’re searching for your first teaching job or you’re ready for a change, you’ll need a solid resume. There’s a lot of conflicting advice out there on how to write a resume that will land you an interview, so it’s worth taking some time to review teacher resume examples first. We’ve rounded up examples for pretty much any kind of educator and assembled tips for how to write a strong modern teacher resume.

Best of all, we’ve got a free, fully customizable teacher resume template to get you started quickly and easily. Fill out the form on this page to grab your template, then use our tips to start building your resume today.

Teacher Resume Tips

Teacher resume examples.

Resumes have changed a lot in recent years, so do your research to find out what the latest trends are. For instance, while an “objectives” section used to be a resume standard, people often drop this section today in favor of more space to highlight their accomplishments. Start with these general resume tips, then get more advice for completing our free teacher resume template, section by section.

General Tips

• Keep it to one or two pages. Hiring managers don’t have time to read overly long resumes. Put the most important information up front, and remove anything that doesn’t truly strengthen your application.
• Be honest. While you want to highlight your strengths and achievements, don’t go overboard. If you exaggerate your experience but are unable to perform certain tasks, you may put your future job at risk before you even get started.
• Skip the gimmicks. Some people will tell you the way to make your resume stand out is to use fun fonts or a “creative” design. The fact is, people who are hiring want an easy-to-read, clear presentation that highlights your achievements and credentials. That’s what will land you an interview.
• Tailor your resume. Keep a standard resume document that you can customize for the specific job you’re applying for. That might mean moving sections around, highlighting specific skills or experiences, or deciding which parts of your career deserve to be placed up front. Take a close look at the job description, and tailor your resume accordingly.
• Don’t try to circumvent the system. Years ago, people would tell you to ignore requests to send your resume and instead show up in person. Our advice: Don’t do it! Application systems are nearly all online these days, and for good reason. This helps hiring committees by organizing information efficiently and ensuring they meet all anti-discrimination laws. So just send your resume and application using the method requested.
• Don’t forget a cover letter. A great cover letter really can help your resume stand out. Learn how to make your teacher cover letter special here.

Contact Information

On today’s resumes, your mailing address is optional. In fact, if you’re looking for a job outside of your current geographical area, it can sometimes be helpful to leave it off. This way, employers won’t worry about whether you’re willing to relocate for the job.

Email addresses are not optional. This is the way most schools will contact you today, so be sure to provide yours. You might want to take a look at your address to make sure it sounds relatively professional too. Ideally, it simply contains a version of your name (e.g., “[email protected]”); don’t forget you can grab a free email address from sites like Gmail if you need to. But other addresses are fine too, as long as there’s nothing questionable. “[email protected]” is fine. “[email protected]” is not.

Professional Objective/Summary

As mentioned earlier, resume objectives are used less and less today. Recent college grads or those transitioning to teaching careers might still decide to include a professional objective statement. Those with more experience have replaced objectives with a summary statement that provides an overview of their career. It’s also OK to delete this section altogether if you’d like more space in the Relevant Work Experience section.

Education and Certifications

Include your undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as any certifications or licensures you hold. Note: It’s up to you whether you include your graduation date. Some people worry it can open them up to age discrimination. You’ll likely be asked for this information if you continue in the hiring process, so they can verify your degrees.

Related Experience

This is the real meat of your teacher resume. You can list jobs chronologically starting with the most recent, or choose to place your most relevant experience first. Either way, include your employer’s name, dates of employment, and the position/s you held. Then, highlight your experience and achievements. Strive to make your statements measurable and quantifiable rather than just a listing of your job duties.

Weak statements:

• Taught fifth grade science and math
• Prepared students for standardized math tests
• Oversaw annual school science fair

Strong statements:

• Instructed 100+ students each year in fifth grade science fundamentals, including human anatomy, electricity and magnetism, and earth and space science
• Improved standardized testing math scores by an average of 8% over a period of five years
• Organized seven annual school science fairs by coordinating 200+ participants, finding qualified judges, and arranging for prizes donated by the community

New college grad? You should definitely include your student teaching or internship experience in this section!

Additional Experience

You can use this section to include jobs you’ve held that aren’t quite as relevant to the one you’re applying for. If you’re new to the working world, it’s OK to include non-teaching jobs here. For those with longer careers, it’s probably not necessary to list every job you’ve ever had. Just highlight any experience that helps support your application or fills any employment gaps.

Professional Honors and Leadership

If you’ve received awards or honors related to teaching, share them here. The same goes for any leadership roles you’ve held in educational professional orgs.

Professional Affiliations

If space allows, you might want to include a short list of respected professional organizations you belong to. You should definitely include them if you play a very active role, have been invited to speak as an education expert at a conference, etc. Otherwise, this section is optional.

Other Teacher Resume Sections

Here are some sections you might consider adding if you have space, and a few to skip altogether.

• Professional skills: Don’t include this section if your skills are simply those expected of any teacher. But if you’ve built up any unusual and relevant teaching skills through experience or professional development, you could include them here. (Fluency in multiple languages, for example.)
• Community involvement or volunteer work: If you’ve been heavily involved in community organizations that work with children or education, consider highlighting those achievements on your resume.
• Publications: Have you published articles in an educational or professional journal, or had your work featured on a trusted, well-known website? Include any relevant articles and links.

Here’s what you don’t need on your resume:

• Hobbies or “unique” unrelated skills (like “juggling” or “Cordon Bleu chef”).
• Any information about religious or political affiliations, or your marital status, gender, race, or age. These could lead to potential bias or discrimination in the hiring process.
• References: Most people leave this section off their resume these days, as job applications or hiring committees will ask you for them separately. Line up your references and gather their contact information, but hang onto them until you’re asked to provide the info. You don’t even need to put “References available upon request,” since hiring managers already assume that.

As you complete your teacher resume template, use these examples for ideas about what to include and how to word it.

1. First-time teacher

This is a great resume for teachers with little to no experience.

2. Another first-time teacher example

Here’s one more example of a great teacher resume for those with limited experience.

3. Experienced elementary teacher

This one allows you to showcase your skills in a compact, visually appealing design.

4. Another experienced elementary teacher

This is one of those teacher resume examples that work best for those with some experience but who are still early in their career. (Note: Click the link above and scroll down to find it.)

5. Summer school teacher

Use this resume to highlight the unique skills of summer school teachers who work with students who are either repeating a course or trying to get ahead for the following school year.

6. Assistant teacher

Applying for an assistant teacher job will be much easier using one of the five fantastic teacher resume examples through this resource.

7. Special education teacher

As a special educator, your responsibilities may change from minute to minute and your skills need to adapt. This template helps you simplify your experience in a one-page resume.

8. School counselor

This resume will help you showcase your excellent mentoring, counseling, and leadership skills.

9. School guidance counselor

As a guidance counselor, your role is to guide students through academic development as well as personal growth. Use this template to show you how to highlight your unique talents.

10. Library media specialist

Showcase your ability to collect and maintain the valuable resources needed to foster a strong learning environment for students.

11. High school English teacher

Use this guide to create a great English teacher resume that will highlight your communication, interpersonal, and planning skills to edge out the competition.

12. Technology teacher

Emphasize your commitment to the ongoing professional development necessary to continue integrating the latest technology into the existing curriculum, and coming up with new lesson plans for today’s classrooms.

13. Music teacher

Share and showcase your love of introducing music to students with this straightforward teacher resume.

14. Drama teacher

This resume example is simple but perfect for drama teachers who want to emphasize their experience as well as their knowledge of acting techniques and production.

15. World language teacher

Establish yourself as the ideal candidate by demonstrating teaching skills, language proficiency, communication, and organizational skills.

16. Sports coach

As a coach, this template will help you demonstrate your ability to manage teams and sports programs as well as encourage academic performance.

17. ESL teacher

This teacher resume example allows you to highlight your classroom management skills, as well as your commitment to empathy, patience, and cultural awareness. (Note: Click the link above and scroll down to find it.)

18. Math teacher

This clean resume template showcases a math teacher’s ability to break down complex math concepts through patient, meaningful engagement with students.

19. Pre-K teacher

It takes a special person to be a great pre-K teacher. Working with young children while creating lesson and activity plans, monitoring progress, and providing quality supervision takes patience and kindness.

20. Business teacher

Put your best foot forward with this business teacher resume that emphasizes teaching methods and a commitment to ongoing professional development.

21. International school teacher

Use this resume to let hiring managers know that you’re not only motivated to help students learn but uniquely qualified. Be sure to highlight any experience living or traveling abroad as well as foreign language skills.

Get Your Free Teacher Resume Template

Just fill out the form on this landing page for instant access to a free Google Doc featuring a fully customizable teacher resume template.

Plus, check out tips for teacher job fairs and the most common teacher interview questions.

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Teacher resume example & writing guide

Elementary school teacher 

High school teacher, choosing the best resume format for a teacher, make use of a summary, outline your teaching experience: your career syllabus, list the education that elevates your teacher candidacy, choose the right resume layout and design for a teacher resume, what type of salary you can expect in teaching.

With the right approach and a great resume, you can find a teacher position that is the perfect balance of job satisfaction and good pay. Educating the principal on your qualifications with an A+ resume will put you at the head of the interview class. 

Teaching has always been an important and challenging career path. It can also be one of the most rewarding and financially stable professions. Working as a teacher has the potential to be satisfying, as well as emotionally and intellectually engaging. But with the changing landscape of educational practices and technologies, aspiring education professionals need to adapt to the modern world. 

With the right approach and a great resume, you can find a teacher position that is the perfect balance of job satisfaction and good pay. 

Resume guide for a teacher resume

So how do you write an excellent teacher resume? Resume.io’s expert advice guides and resume examples cover over 500 professions, and our resume builder takes the tough job of formatting and leaves the personalization to you.

This resume guide and corresponding car sales resume example will cover the following:

How to write a teacher resume

• Choosing the right resume format for a teacher
• How to add your contact information (and what to omit)
• Using summaries
• Adding your teaching experience
• Listing education and relevant experience
• Picking the right resume design/layout
• What the teacher market looks like and what salary you can expect

When you teach writing, you probably include an outline step. Consider the necessary sections of any resume for a teacher as your outline. Your resume should contain the following elements:

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

One key difference among teacher resumes may be a publications section. Those who teach at the university level are much more likely to need to include their professional writing.

A resume is a type of persuasive essay that needs to offer strong evidence for your suitability for the position. The best arguments target the reader directly with points that are sure to hit home. Your teacher application is no different.

Research the school, its demographics and philosophy as well as the open position to understand as clearly as possible what the role entails and how your teaching expertise will enhance the student body, faculty and community as a whole.

What does this mean in practice, for you as a teacher seeking a job?

• Tailor your resume for a specific position and purpose. Start with a general resume but make sure you research the employer and customize your resume to address its needs.
• Analyze the job application/listing for specific requirements that are emphasized or mentioned multiple times.

Honing your resume for the ATS

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are automated software applications used by most medium and large employers to process the hundreds or thousands of resumes before they reach their recruiters or hiring specialists. Most ATS systems work by scanning resumes and ranking them for keywords. 

These keywords may be related to certifications/licenses, specific skills or qualities, job experience or other factors. ATS software is widely used by educational institutions, both in the general variety (services like RecruitCRM, TalentCube, JobItUs and others) and even the specialized variety (ATS specifically developed for schools like eTeach). In fact, many schools use school management software that helps with all operational aspects of education. These programs often have built-in ATS.

HR surveys show that, in general, 75% of resumes (U.S. data) are never seen by human eyes because they fail the ATS test, falling into a resume black hole.

Getting specific is the key to mastering the ATS.

• Instead of “Taught reading”
• Use “Implemented Mathology program and realized 11% jump in standardized test scores.

Naming software and curriculum mentioned in the job listing boosts your chances of beating the ATS and shows the hiring department that you understand the requirements of the job.

Your resume format is vitally important no matter the type of teaching job you are aiming for. Not only does the resume formatting impact ATS filtering of your teacher resume, but the template visuals will affect how much attention your teacher resume receives from recruiters. 

Similar to the use of keywords and your summary description, your resume format presents a dual challenge: pass the ATS filtering and win over the hiring manager. The best format for a teacher resume is reverse chronological order . This puts the information that recruiters seek – mainly your most recent position and your contact information – right where they are expecting to find it. The ATS is also designed to look for this format when it scans your education resume.

Career changers should consider a hybrid or functional style resume since they expand the space for transferable skills, or skills that you used in your previous career that will make you a great teacher.

Include your contact information

How many times have you drilled into your students’ heads that papers with no names on them will receive zero credit? Of course, you wouldn’t do that on your teaching resume, but there are considerations for your header . 

The goal of the header is to provide the best methods to contact you using the most professional presentation. Definitely include the following:

• Full name and title. List your first and last name. If you have earned a doctorate, feel free to use Dr. Also list the title of the role you are pursuing.
• Professional email address. If you don’t have one, create an email address with a format such as [email protected] .
• Phone number. Avoid using your work number and instead choose your cell phone, making sure you check it frequently.
• Address. Your street address should not be included. List only your city and state . If you are applying to positions outside your commutable area, let your prospective employer know that you are willing to move by stating that here.
• LinkedIn. If your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date include it here.

Do not include any personal information such as your social security number, marital status or date of birth. Definitely don’t put a portrait on your header. HR personnel want to avoid any appearance of bias.

Dr. Hannah Jonas

Professor of integral calculus

(415) 612-0045

[email protected]

San Mateo, CA

Willing to relocate

Looking for position as professor of integral calculus

914 24th Street, San Mateo, CA

The summary (or profile) section of your teacher resume is a snapshot of both your personality and your professional qualities. It allows you a bit of leeway (about four sentences) to tell your teaching story and express your classroom style. Give it some energy.

The summary (also known as the profile or the personal statement) is the only place on your teacher resume where you can realistically employ some creative writing skills, adding energy and personality to gain a competitive edge.

Here are two goals for your teacher resume summary:

• Convey the most important hand-picked information about your past career, qualities and achievements.
• Tell your future employer how you can contribute to its school or business as an amazing teacher.

In most cases, the summary is going to be prominently featured at the top of your resume. It’s prime “real estate” on your single page of professional characteristics. Make it count. The idea is to have it describe an actual living person, avoid clichés and provide a window into your professional character as a teacher. Action verbs are great for this. Here are some sample sentences that you may be able to adapt to your own teacher resume summary:

• Established a warm, caring and friendly environment for kids to develop and learn in the classroom.
• Supported parents and children in my class in navigating through early childhood development.
• Employed advanced teaching techniques based on kids’ neurobiology and childhood psychology to make sure my pupils had the best learning environment possible.
• Published paper detailing research results in professional journal.

Don’t include obvious phrases like “able to rise to the challenge” or “can adapt to stressful situations.” Phrases like these are either expected by the employer as a given or make it sound like you have nothing real to say about your professional qualities/achievements.

If you’re feeling a bit lost when trying to come up with your 3- to 4-sentence summary, try looking at your experience, skills and certifications, and cherry-pick the most impressive ones. Additionally, try to evaluate what aspect of your career or professional personality is strongest. Is it your knowledge and education? Is it your skills and qualities? Is it your experience as a teacher? Based on this, you can determine whether your resume summary is one of the following examples:

• Knowledge-oriented: if your strongest professional features are your education, expertise in certain areas, certifications and so on, mention these first and make them prominent.
• Skills-oriented: If you’re a natural or acquired talent in some areas and tasks, proven by your former coworkers, students and students’ parents, highlight these aspects of your career.
• Experience-oriented: If you’re a seasoned veteran, with a wealth of experience in numerous jobs and schools, underline this fact to show how valuable and reliable you would be.

Need inspiration for your summary? Check out our more specific teacher resumes: 

• Early Childhood Educator resume sample
• College Student resume sample
• Student resume sample
• Academic Librarian resume sample
• Health Educator resume sample
• ESL Teacher resume sample
• Tutor resume sample 
• Teacher Assistant resume sample 
• Substitute Teacher resume sample
• Middle School Teacher resume sample
• Elementary School Teacher resume sample
• College Professor resume sample
• Internship resume sample
• High School Teacher resume sample
• Academic Tutor resume sample 
• College Admissions resume sample
• Academic resume sample
• Education resume sample
• Research Assistant resume sample
• Teen resume sample
• School Counselor resume sample
• Instructional Designer resume sample
• Camp Counselor resume sample
• Special Education Teacher resume sample

You can find adaptable teacher resume example summaries below:

Enthusiastic middle school science teacher brimming with ideas and ready for my own classroom. Strong belief that every student is a budding scientist who simply needs inspiration. Experienced in data collection, curriculum differentiation, and consistent communication with parents, guardians, and colleagues.

Dedicated and dynamic certified Childhood Educator with several years of experience working to facilitate the highest level of learning possible. Adept in differentiating curriculum to meet the needs of all students, while ensuring the mastery of specific learning standards. 

Experienced and passionate Teacher with a love for educating today's youth. Adept in creating a comprehensive and well-rounded curriculum that meets education requirements and standards. Able to act as a facilitator of powerful learning experiences, while allowing students to dictate certain lessons and lead with curiosity. Familiar with many renowned educational philosophies aimed at supporting a child academically, emotionally, and socially. Bringing forth dedication, skill, and the desire to positively impact the lives of children.

The employment history section is the core of an experienced teacher resume. It ties everything together by listing and quantifying (when possible) the successes you have already achieved in your teaching career. Make sure it’s the most robust and detailed resume section you have. 

Each of the entries in this section should ideally include the following:

• Position / job title
• Organization / workplace name
• Dates of employment
• Short descriptive examples of the most important duties, achievements, metrics, projects

The best way to show how productive and industrious you are as a teacher is to offer facts, figures, numbers and project names wherever possible. 

Here are ideas for a preschool teacher resume employment section. Note the strong action words and variety of skills demonstrated.

• Served as a passionate and dynamic Lead Teacher for students ages 3-5.
• Created and implemented stimulating curriculum, aimed at supporting the appropriate learning standards.
• Supported the academic, emotional, and social growth of students.
• Maintained positive communication habits with parents and families.
• Collaborated with staff and administrators to enhance programs and remain united in our goals.

And for an elementary school teacher:

• Worked to empower two classes of fourth grade students by motivating them to become lovers of learning.
• Created and implemented lesson plans that supported fourth grade learning standards.
• Developed and implemented cross-curriculum lessons to support multiple academic disciplines simultaneously.
• Communicated with parents and families using an online portal, complete with documentation of class learning experiences, activities, and events.

The best way to show how productive and industrious you are as a teacher is to offer facts, figures, numbers and project names wherever possible. Below you will find a sample teacher resume work experience section.

Early Childhood Teacher at The Seed, Brooklyn September 2015 - Present

• Provide optimal care and academic support to students aged 1-3 years.
• Create and implement lesson plans based on child-led interests and curiosities.
• Encourage students to actively play and explore new things with fellow classmates.
• Maintain organized files for each student containing documents indicative of their progress.
• Facilitate outdoor learning experiences and the involvement of nature as much as possible.
• Follow school policies and regulations regarding safety and school procedures at all times.

Early Childhood Teacher at The Ridge Hill School, New York September 2013 - May 2015

• Developed and implemented a well-rounded curriculum designed for students aged 1-3.
• Encouraged the social development of students by facilitating meaningful opportunities for play.
• Encouraged students to engage in the world by introducing them to interesting and thought-provoking subjects.
• Created and fostered positive relationships with parents and family members of students.
• Provided various hands-on activities to promote critical thinking skills.
• Monitored and recorded the progress of students and created plans for improvement.

Build a snapshot of your key teaching skills 

The skills section is one of the shortest parts of your teacher resume. There isn’t much room to elaborate. Make each item count towards your shining professional teacher toolbox. Recruiters are likely to scan this section first to see if they want to read on.

The skills section is used by recruiters (as well as ATS software) to evaluate how productive and versatile you will be as a teacher in both your day-to-day activities and in challenging situations. Unlike the summary, you don’t have much room to be creative in this resume section. There isn’t much “real estate” here to expand upon, so each skill needs to be carefully evaluated to determine whether it should take up precious space on your resume. 

According to DATA USA, the most highly valued skills by employers of elementary and middle school teachers are related to these general categories: 

• Learning Strategies
• Instructing
• Social Perceptiveness

For preschool teachers, the skill categories are similar but with an additional emphasis on Organizational and Monitoring skills, as young children require constant attention.

You’re likely familiar with the concept of hard and soft skills , but to reiterate the general rule of thumb: hard skills relate to very specific and pragmatic activities, for example: knowledge sets, software, sciences or methodologies. Soft skills mostly relate to personal interaction – examples include emotional intellect and communication. Try to aim for a good balance of both categories in your teacher resume.You’re likely familiar with the concept of hard and soft skills, but to reiterate the general rule of thumb: hard skills relate to very specific and pragmatic activities, for example: knowledge sets, software, sciences or methodologies. Soft skills mostly relate to personal interaction – examples include emotional intellect and communication. Try to aim for a good balance of both categories in your teacher resume.

Teaching skills

The education section of a teacher resume should be crafted with care, as this is your field, but keep it short, listing only your schools and degrees. If you have earned a postsecondary degree, it’s generally considered unnecessary to mention your high school.

Be meticulous in ensuring you have clean formatting in this resume section, clear and concise descriptions and any relevant licenses and educational awards that demonstrate your aptitude as a teacher. Teaching is a profession that places a certain amount of emphasis on certifications and licenses. The most prominent of these should be mentioned in your resume summary, and the rest should go here.

Professional development and publications

All teachers must complete hours of professional development to maintain their certifications. If you are particularly active, have designed and presented at seminars or completely relevant seminars or coursework outside your degree, include a separate Professional Development section.

Postgraduate teachers are often required to publish, but even if you are work at a lower level, any academic or education articles you have published are worthy of highlighting. If you have the space, create a separate Publications section.

Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education, Hunter College, New York August 2013 - May 2017

High School Diploma, St. Catherine's High School, New York September 2009 - June 2013

• Graduated with High Honors.

While you want to gain the attention of recruiters, you should also exhibit restraint in the design of your teaching resume, especially if you are teaching at the high school level or above. Elementary and preschool teachers can be a bit more creative.

To optimize the design of your educator resume for recruiters and HR departments, follow these tips: 

• Make sure to include some white space between your resume sections. A resume that is completely covered in text leaves no room for the brain or eyes to rest.
• Make sure the sections of your resume are clean, symmetrical and well-placed. An aesthetically pleasing format will make recruiters more likely to read your resume.
• Use professional resume templates that have been tested and designed by experts. Make sure your template expresses your values and personality as a teacher.

Keep it simple - there is no need for your resume to be creative. Clear and concise is all that is required.

Ensure your resume is spaced out well and that it is clear and easy to read.

Write a resume that is more than two pages long. Recruiters simply don't have the time to read pages and pages.

Use tables and graphs, or any images on your resume. Text only is fine.

Because your resume format is so important in creating a great first impression as a teacher, you're going to want to place a lot of emphasis on its design and style. If you have graphic design experience, you might enjoy designing a CV yourself. If not, professional templates can make putting together your resume a much easier affair. 

Resume.io offers a variety of teacher resume templates for all types of positions: Professional for formal workplaces, simple for new teachers or teaching assistants and modern or creative templates for more forward-thinking employers. 

Choose the resume template that works for you and then edit the sample sentences inside of our convenient resume builder. Our resume templates are designed to provide a foundation – you make them your own!

Teacher job market and outlook

Teachers are one of the most varied and flexible professions out there, both in terms of job experience and the varied backgrounds that teachers come from. According to National Center for Education Statistics data, while the average age of elementary, middle and high school teachers is around 42, the age range is quite wide: from 19 all the way to 86. If you’re just starting out or are making a career change to education from another field, it’s completely acceptable to list marginally related work experience. 

Remember that schools are not the only organizations that hire teachers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , the three runner-up employer categories are: the executive branch of the federal government, educational support services and performing arts companies. If you’re submitting a resume to one of these alternative categories, make sure to tailor it to your potential employer. Do your research.

Let’s start at the beginning and take a look at some sample data from the teacher job market of recent years. Here’s what the ranking of different categories of teachers looks like based on job market growth (according to U.S. Labor Department statistics):

• Elementary school teachers (+1% jobs per year)
• Secondary school teachers (+1% jobs per year)
• Preschool teachers (+3% jobs per year)
• Special education teachers (no change)
• Postsecondary teachers (8% per year)

A teaching resume for a postsecondary professor will look different from that of an elementary school teacher. Keep the environment in which you want to teach at the forefront as you develop your application.

Key takeaways for building a teacher resume

• To land an interview and a great teaching position, tailor your teacher resume for each application. This will greatly increase your chances.
• Pay attention to your teacher resume format and choose the right resume template both for the sake of passing the ATS test and impressing hiring managers.
• Your summary/personal statement is there to convince your potential employer you are a productive, knowledgeable and reliable teacher.
• Craft a robust employment history section by using reverse chronological order and supplying examples of results, facts and achievements.
• In your skills section, try to organically use sample keywords found in the job description.
• Show some love to your education section, as this is your own field as a teacher.

Beautiful ready-to-use resume templates