early years teaching assistant personal statement

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Early childhood education personal statement example.

I believe that early childhood is the most crucial stage in a child’s life, it has become my goal to be an early years teacher so I can offer support at this important stage and help children learn and grow as they interact with the world around them. The skills children learn at this age will stick with them for life such as reading, writing and communication, to be able to a part of this process would be very rewarding.

During my A-levels, I completed a weeks work experience at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School. I was a teaching assistant for year groups two and three. This role allowed me to work closely with the children and support them in their lessons. This experience was gratifying, and I enjoyed helping the children learn and solve problems. I found myself excited to get to work and see the children and they seemed just as excited to see me. Although I only spent a week at St Joseph’s, I still formed a friendship with lots of the children and learned some essential skills for working with young children such as safeguarding and following a curriculum. Lastly, I taught a child with special needs and supported him in his lessons.

After my A-levels, I decided to take a gap year. Although the pandemic disrupted my original plans I tried my best to make the most of this time and keep motivated. Throughout lockdown, I completed an online course on the Open Learn website through the Open University called “An Introduction to Social Work.” This course covered a variety of subjects including the Attachment Theory developed by John Bowlby. This theory highlights how the brain develops differently depending on what kind of experiences it receives, especially in the early years. I found this very fascinating as I have loved learning about people since I started studying sociology at GCSE. I am intrigued by what influences people to act the way they do and have a particular fascination with how children develop in society. Becoming an early years teacher would allow me to make a difference in children’s lives and see this development first hand.

During my gap year, I also developed leadership and teamwork skills while working at my local café: Deli-Licious. I started this job in 2019 as Saturday help and gradually progressed and gained more responsibility, such as gaining more hours and eventually becoming a key holder. This customer-facing role allowed me to develop good people skills and taught me how to deal with the many characters I came across every day. I was also often in a leadership role allowing me to gain the skills and experience needed to be a good team leader. Furthermore, this job required great communication skills which are very useful when working in a team, especially while looking after children.

I have recently been offered and enthusiastically accepted a job at Bright Horizons Day Nursery as a Nursery Assistant. My responsibilities will include supervising children at playtime, engaging with the children in learning and play activities as well as working with the other nursery staff and attending staff meetings. This job will allow me to build skills such as childcare, proactivity, and time management which will help me build a strong foundation for early years teaching. I am excited to start this job as it is the first step I am taking to pursue a lifetime career in early education.

Studying early childhood studies at university will be a perfect opportunity for me to further my understanding of children in early years and allow me to learn about new areas I haven’t come across yet. My goal is to gain practical experience working with young children while also gaining relevant qualifications to be the best early years teacher I can be.

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I got an offer for a degree in Early Childhood Studies with this personal statement so I hope it can help someone out there :)

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Examples of a Teaching Assistant's Personal Statement

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Examples of a Letter of Intent for a Teaching Job

How to avoid burnout as a preschool teacher, good objectives for resumes for working with kids.

• Role of Teacher Assistants in Kindergarten Classrooms
• List of Goals for Elementary Teacher Aides

A teaching assistant position gives you the chance to work with kids, even if you don't have a teaching license. The application and hiring process varies, but it may include writing a personal statement covering your beliefs about education, discussing your teaching skills as well as other relevant information that highlights your qualifications. Taking time to craft a well-written statement can put you ahead of the competition, when applying for teaching assistant positions.

Succinct Opening

Your entire personal statement should be to the point. A large block of text may cause the hiring manager to skim or skip the section entirely. Personal statements typically start off with a simple description of your job title as a teaching assistant, how much experience you have in education, and the expertise you have or specific position you're seeking. This is your first impression and your chance to hook the hiring manager, so choose powerful words that make an impact.

"Energetic teaching assistant with two years of classroom experience in supporting elementary students with reading, writing, math and science activities."

Education and Teaching Experience

Describing your training and education in the field shows that you're qualified and knowledgeable about how to work with students. If you have experience in the classroom as a teaching assistant, highlight that work to show that you're ready to work with students. Other experience outside of the classroom can also fit into the personal statement, if it somehow relates to teaching or can translate to work as a teaching assistant.

"While completing my studies in elementary education, I gained knowledge on child development, teaching strategies and behavior management. I completed three practicum experiences in elementary classrooms, which gave me the opportunity to plan lessons, manage behaviors in the classroom and support student learning."

Strengths and Skills

The goal of your personal statement is to set you apart from other applicants. To do that, you want to highlight your special skills and strengths that relate to being a teaching assistant. Some people excel at connecting with students. Others have excellent communication skills with parents and colleagues. Some might know how to support kids who struggle with the learning activities.

"As a teaching assistant, I have a unique ability to see where students need support, enabling me to reteach the ideas in a way the students can understand. I also communicate well with lead teachers and with other teaching assistants, to support a team atmosphere."

Reasons for Wanting the Position

Your personal statement usually includes a section that explains why you want the position. It's your chance to emphasize why you're a good fit for the role and what you can offer the school.

"This position offers the challenging environment I enjoy, while allowing me to work with elementary students, which is the level in which I have the most experience. I welcome the opportunity to support the classroom teacher, while continuing to add to my experience."

• University of Kent Careers and Employability Service: PGCE Personal Statements
• Purdue Online Writing Lab: Writing the Personal Statement
• Fish4Jobs: Teaching Assistant Personal Statement
• Total Jobs: How to Write a Personal Statement

Shelley Frost holds a degree in education and has experience in educational management, insurance and software testing. She currently runs her own business and writes frequently on business and job topics for Chron and Intuit QuickBooks.

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Teaching Assistant Personal Statement

• CV Templates & Advice

Are you seeking advice to improve your chances of landing your dream teaching assistant role? Fish4jobs is here to help! Follow our expert advice and guidance to create a teaching assistant personal statement for your CV that helps you to shine.

We recommend that you use this 100-150 words to successfully present your knowledge, skills and past experience, as well as your great personality, to create a fantastic first impression on a prospective employer.

You can also check out our complete guide on how to write a personal statement .

What to include in your teaching assistant personal statement

Why you’re applying for the specific role:.

• Mention why have you applied for that specific role - what appealed to you in the job description?
• Highlight any past experience that relates to the role.
• Provide information on your previous education – School/University/Courses attended or completed.
• Highlight any relevant qualifications.

Your teaching experience:

• Mention what year groups have you assisted in teaching in the past.
• What subjects you have taught, or specialised in assisting with.
• Any use of assessment strategies or special features of the practices, for example, open-plan, multi-ethnic, team teaching.
• Provide examples of assistance to teachers.

Short Example:

A kind, friendly, passionate and highly experienced teaching assistant. I am an enthusiastic and motivated assistant, who has a passion for supporting children with all aspects of school life. In previous teaching assistant roles my daily tasks included encouraging students, assisting with learning, and providing support to the class teachers. This role has appealed to me as I have a keen desire to continue learning, as well as assisting students and teachers in all aspects inside and outside the classroom. With my previous experience, responsibility, dependability and enthusiasm for education I feel that I would be a great asset to your team.

Check out our guide on how to become a Teaching Assistant for more details on the role and requirements. Alternatively, check out the latest Teaching Assistant jobs on Fish4jobs today.

Related links

• How to Become a Teaching Assistant
• Teacher CV Template
• How to Write a Personal Statement

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Special Education and Inclusive Learning

Writing a Personal Statement for a Teaching Assistant Post

Introduction..

A key part of the application process for a Teaching Assistant job is the personal statement. A personal statement is a document that tells the panel who are doing the shortlisting about your motivations for wanting to become a Teaching Assistant. This guide will teach you how to write an effective personal statement for a Teaching Assistant job in a UK mainstream or special school. We will discuss the different components of a personal statement, provide tips for writing a persuasive application, and give you a couple of sample personal statements for a teaching assistant role in a special school. By following this guide, you will be prepared to write the perfect personal statement for a teaching assistant vacancy.

1. What is a Teaching Assistant?

A Teaching Assistant is an essential role for supporting the educational provision in any school. I would argue it is a vital role in any school but especially in special schools The responsibilities of a Teaching Assistant can vary depending on the school, but generally include assisting teachers in the classroom, leading small group or 1:1 interventions, such as phonics or maths. There will probably be times where a TA will take the whole class for short periods. When writing a personal statement for a Teaching Assistant job, it is important to be honest and upfront about your skills and experience. Even now schools may receive multiple applications for each advertised post so it is important to provide compelling reasons why you are the best candidate for the position.

To help you write a personal statement that will stand out, we have created this teaching assistant personal statement guide. This guide contains tips on how to write a personal statement that will be both interesting and informative, as well as tips on how to make your candidacy stand out.

If you like this post and want to know more we have an in-depth e-book with more examples, templates and information about writing a personal statement.

Teaching Assistant Recruitment Articles

I would recommend having a read of these articles that discuss other elements of the Teaching Assistant recruitment process.

• Teaching Assistant Interview Questions – Read Here
• How Teaching Assistants can motivate pupils to learn – Read Here
• What are the most important qualities of a Teaching Assistant – Read Here
• The Teaching Assistant Guide – Read Here

2. What qualities are necessary for a successful Teaching Assistant application?

There are a few qualities that are necessary to include for a successful Teaching Assistant application. First and foremost, you must be a highly motivated individual who is looking for a new opportunity to use their skills and knowledge. Secondly, you must be a team player who is able to work well under pressure and be positive. Finally, you must have excellent communication and organisational skills.

We have written a whole article on answering the question on the qualities of a great teaching assistant – here . If you can demonstrate all of these qualities, then you are well on your way to being a successful Teaching Assistant applicant. However, if you don’t have any teaching experience or experience working with SEN students, it will be difficult to show that you are the right candidate for this position. In order to make a strong application, you will need to gather as much information as possible about the school and the position.

3. What should be included in a Teaching Assistant Personal Statement?

When writing a personal statement, you will want to include information that will help the school make an educated decision about hiring you. This includes your educational and work experience, your motivations for wanting to be a teaching assistant, and your skills. Most schools will include a Job Description and Person Specification with the advert. Use these to your advantage. Try and mention each of the elements in the person specification in your personal statement. When writing your personal statement, be honest and concise. Try to be specific about why you would be a good fit for the position and what you can bring to the table. You should also be sure to list any teaching experience you have and any workshops or courses you have taken that relate to special education. I would recommend an absolute maximum of 1 sides of A4. Try to stick to 1/2 side or about 200 words. This is because the admin and leadership team shortlisting need to be able to quickly see who fits the criteria. You can fill in the details at interview.

List your Experience

List any volunteer work you have done in the field of SEN or teaching. This may include supporting playgroups, running a sports club or even parent groups. This will help to demonstrate your dedication and interest in the field. Be sure to include your references when submitting your application. These have to include your last and current employers. You can usually request that they are not contacted before the interview if you haven’t told them you are looking for another job.

When writing your statement, be sure to focus on your reasons for wanting to teach in that specific school. This will show that you are passionate about the field and have a good understanding of the students and the school. It will also show that you are committed to helping the school achieve its goals. Read their website, look at their tweets or facebook posts. This will give you an insight into what they value and are proud of. You can mention some of these nuggets of information in your personal statement i.e “It is clear from the pictures of your Sports Day that the school’s values of inclusion align with my own.”

Summary Of What to Include in Your TA Personal Statement:

Here is a summary of the key points you want to include when writing a teaching assistant personal statement:

• The personal statement highlights your achievements, experience, and interests. It allows you to showcase your personality and motivation.
• The opening paragraph briefly introduces yourself, your years of experience, and your accomplishments.
• Next, describe your relevant education and how it aligns with the role. Mention academic achievements.
• Detail your professional experiences such as tutoring, sports coaching or teaching, that relate to the teaching assistant role.
• List hard and soft skills that will make you effective as a teaching assistant.
• Conclude by explaining your motivations for wanting the position and how you can contribute. Thank them for considering your application.
• Align your statement with the job description and provide examples of fulfilling similar needs.
• Keep it succinct – under two pages using bullet points rather than long paragraphs.
• Create an impactful, concise opening paragraph to hook the reader.

4. Tips for writing a High Impact Personal statement for a Teaching Assistant

Having read hundreds of application forms and personal statements there are a few things to keep in mind when writing a personal statement for a Teaching Assistant post.

• Sell your skills – word things in ways that show you are proud of what you can bring to the role. “I am adept at finding ways to support pupils to engage with learning”. They may then follow this up with questions such as “Give me an example…” at interview.
• Sleep on it. If you are struggling to think of things to include read the Teaching Assistant job description then take a break. You will come up with better ideas sleeping on it rather than staring at the page.
• Make sure you have used capital letters correctly especially in the Information bits of the form. This seems to be a common error on online forms.
• Name the school you are applying for in the body of the text. This shows you are not just copy and pasting the same form to multiple schools.
• Personal experience is valuable – what makes you want to support teaching and learning in a school? Your own experiences? I know many TA’s who went into the job because of family members with SEN.
• Put spaces between paragraphs – it really helps the people reading.
• Fill out every box on the form
• Get a sensible email address – especially if your is um… a little edgy. GMail and outlook are free.
• Finally, be sure to proofread your statement carefully. This will help you catch any errors and make sure that your statement is easy to read and understand.

5. Key points to remember.

When you are applying for a Teaching Assistant role in a special school, the personal statement is one of the most important components of your application. You want to make sure that you present yourself in the best possible light. When writing your personal statement, you want to focus on why you are the perfect candidate for the job. What qualities do you bring to the table that make you the best candidate for this position? How can you describe your strengths and weaknesses? What are your goals for the future? Be sure to outline your teaching experience, what you are specifically good at and why, and how your teaching experience will benefit the students in the school.

There are a number of books that can help guide your thinking and gain insight into the role. Including How to be an Outstanding Primary Teaching Assistant by Emma Davie.

8. Conclusion

In conclusion, writing a personal statement for a Teaching Assistant job in a school can be a daunting task. By following the tips outlined in this guide, you will be able to produce a statement that will have a good chance of securing the interview.

We hope you enjoyed our article about writing a personal statement for a Teaching Assistant job in a school. A Teaching Assistant role is a great opportunity to gain experience in a specific field and to learn more about the school that you are applying to. By following these steps, you will be sure to stand out from the other applicants and make the Teaching Assistant selection process simle for you and those shortlisting. Thank you for reading, and we wish you the best of luck in your job hunt.

Please share if you enjoyed this post.

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How to Write Your Teaching Assistant Personal Statement

Are you aspiring to land a rewarding teaching assistant job ? Crafting a compelling teaching assistant personal statement is your chance to shine and make a lasting impression on your prospective employer. This document serves as your introduction to the teaching assistant role and offers a glimpse into your teaching skills, personal qualities, and passion for supporting children in their educational journey.

Whilst not all job applications require one, providing a personal statement is often required if you are considering applying for higher education, or enrolment in teacher training programmes.

For further advice, check out our Teaching Assistant Career Guide.

Key Points to Consider:

When creating your teaching assistant personal statement, it’s important to keep in mind the following key points:

1. Understand the Job Description

Before you begin writing, thoroughly read the teaching assistant job description. This will help you tailor your statement to align with the specific requirements and responsibilities of the position. For instance, is there an SEN specialism? Will any of your extra-curricular interests be a boost to the classroom?

2. Highlight Relevant Skills

Following on from this, your personal statement should showcase your relevant skills and abilities. Whether it’s classroom management, excellent communication skills, or expertise in child development, focus on skills that are directly applicable to the teaching assistant role.

3. Share Teaching Experience

If you have previous teaching experience, share it in your statement. This could include volunteer work, internships, or any other relevant teaching roles that demonstrate your keen desire to work in an educational environment.

4. Provide Examples

Support your claims with specific examples from your experience. For instance, if you’ve been involved in supporting students with special educational needs (SEN), discuss the strategies you’ve employed to assist them effectively and talk about how this led directly to their progress.

5. Showcase a range of Soft and Hard Skills

A well-rounded teaching assistant possesses a combination of ‘soft’ (interpersonal) and ‘hard’ (specific knowledge or experience) skills. These include excellent communication, behavior management, classroom activities planning, and the ability to plan and deliver lessons that cater to diverse learning styles.

6. Emphasize Classroom Management

Classroom management is a critical aspect of the teaching assistant role. Explain your approach to maintaining an orderly and engaging learning environment, which is essential for supporting both students and teachers.

Why not take our Prospero Learning course, ‘An Introduction to Behaviour Management for Teaching Assistants’ ?

7. Be Passionate and Positive

Express your passion for education and your enthusiasm for contributing to the growth and development of young learners. A teaching assistant with a genuine love for teaching can make a significant impact on the learning experience.

8. Tailor for Special Educational Needs

If you’re interested in working with SEN students, mention your willingness and ability to adapt your teaching methods to cater to their specific needs.

Prospero Learning Course: ‘An Introduction to SEND in the Classroom.’

9. Keep It Concise

While you want to provide all the necessary information, aim for a concise statement that is around two pages. This ensures that your prospective employer can quickly grasp your qualifications and suitability for the position.

Top Tips for Writing Your Teaching Assistant Personal Statement:

• Start Strong: Begin with a captivating introduction that immediately captures the reader’s attention and introduces your passion for teaching.
• Be Unique: Avoid generic statements and share what sets you apart from other applicants. Your personal experiences and perspective are valuable.
• Structure Matters: Divide your statement into clear paragraphs, focusing on your teacher skills, experience, and personal qualities. Headers can help with clarity.
• Proofread and Edit: Grammatical errors can detract from the impact of your statement. Proofread multiple times and consider seeking feedback from others.
• Connect with the School: Tailor your statement to the specific school and its values. Show that you’ve done your research and are genuinely interested in the position.
• Provide Examples: Back up your claims with concrete examples to demonstrate your expertise and experience.
• Stay Positive: Maintain a positive and enthusiastic tone throughout your statement. Showcase your excitement for the teaching assistant role.

Remember, your teaching assistant personal statement is your opportunity to showcase yourself as the perfect candidate for the position. Craft it carefully, and you’ll be well on your way to sending the perfect job application. Good luck! If you’re passionate about supporting children, get in touch today to find out about teaching assistant opportunities with Prospero Teaching.

Would you like career support? Are you looking for a new role for September?

You can view all our  latest school vacancies  here. Alternatively, register your interest  here.

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Top Tips for Writing Your NQT Personal Statement

While there are many moving parts when applying for a job as an  Early Career Teacher  (formerly known as an NQT), the most important of them all is your personal statement. The application form is for you to lay out your qualifications and skills. But your personal statement is where you can shine through as a candidate. It’s an opportunity to sell yourself, highlight your personality and explain why you would be an asset to their school.  

It’s not an easy thing to write. But as many successful ECTs can attest each year, it’s certainly not impossible.   

To give you the best chance to succeed, we’ve put together six top tips that will help you create a personal statement that lands you an ECT interview at your dream school. 

1. Tailor your statement to each school 

As an Early Career Teacher, you’re probably applying to a large number of schools at once. When you’re in the middle of your busy PGCE year, it might feel like a waste of valuable time to edit your personal statement for every job application. In fact, it’s the most important thing you can do.  

Every school is different, and so every application you send should be different. Take the time to read the job advertisement carefully, have a look through their website, and their latest Ofsted report. Make a list of the exact requirements of the position, plus what is most important in the school’s ethos, and connect all these to your own passions and experience.  

2. Craft a killer opening line

Just like a great novel, your opening sentence should stand out (for the right reasons). Effective personal statements often start with a brief explanation of what inspired them to become a teacher in the first place, or why they’re excited to be applying for this particular position.  

3. Focus on the age group you will be teaching 

Rather than saying you enjoy teaching a particular age group, show that you understand the challenges (and how to overcome them) that come with those particular students.  

For example, if you’re applying for a job within a secondary school that has a sixth form, you might want to show how you have helped students with UCAS applications. Or if you’re applying for a primary position, you could demonstrate why it’s important to keep an element of play within your lesson plans.  

4. Highlight how your experience has develop

A list of your working experience is a necessary part of your CV, but it’s not what schools are looking for in your ECT personal statement. Instead, you should use this as a space to give your own perspective on how all this experience has shaped your outlook as a new teacher.  

Whether you want to talk about classroom time, a school trip, or coaching a youth sports team, specific examples of how your experiences have improved your skills will give the school’s hiring team a fuller picture of what you’d look like in the role.  

5. Show off your strengths and skills

Use your personal statement to demonstrate what you, as an NQT, can bring to the school that no other applicants can. Achievements, professional goals, strategies you’ve developed; all of these will highlight what makes you unique and how you (and only you) can specifically help that school.  

6. End on a strong note

Just like your pupils’ best essays, your conclusion should mirror your introduction. Reinforce your enthusiasm for teaching and the school your applying to. 

Finally, before you click send, take the time to triple check your statement for any errors!  

How to skip the ECT personal statement 

If you’d prefer to avoid writing a personal statement altogether, then Teaching Personnel is here to help.  

Our  ECT Pool  is the most efficient way for newly qualified teachers to start their careers. We will actively promote you to schools in your local area and help you prepare to nail the interview.  

As soon as you register, our educational recruitment specialists will create a detailed profile of your skills, abilities, personality, and professional goals. We use all that information to match you to jobs at local schools. This saves you precious time writing out many detailed applications. 

Find your first job as an Early Career Teacher  –  register for the ECT Pool today .    

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Teaching assistant CV examples & guide

If you’re looking to land a top teaching assistant (TA) role, it’s vital that you have a quality CV.

A strong teaching assistant CV needs to be well formatted, and contain the right content to impress recruiters and teaching employers.

This guide tells you everything you need to know about writing a first-class CV for teaching assistant roles, and even contains a teaching assistant CV example , to show you exactly how your CV should look.

CV templates 

Teaching assistant CV example

SEN teaching assistant CV example

Early years teaching assistant CV example

Teaching assistant CV example (no experience)

See also : Our teacher CV example 

How to write your teaching assistant CV

Now that you’ve seen how your CV ( curriculum vitae ) should look – the following guide will tell you how to write your CV step-by-step and what content should be going into it.

Guide contents

• Format & structure your CV
• Work experience 

Teaching assistant skills

• Education & qualifications
• Hobbies & interests

CV structure and Format

Before you type one word on your CV, it’s important to understand how it should be laid out and formatted .

This diagram gives you a very high-level view of how your CV should be structured.

Try to stick to this layout as closely as you can.

Key CV structure points

Personal/contact details

Make sure recruiters can contact you easily by placing your contact details at the top of your CV.

Profile/Personal statement

Grab recruiter’s attention with a catchy paragraph selling your most valuable skills.

Core skills

A bullet pointed list of your skills split over two columns will give readers a great snapshot of your value.

Work experience

Show employers the impact you make in the workplace by detailing your previous roles thoroughly.

Round your CV off with a detailed list of your education to prove you are qualified.

Remember to keep your CV at around 2 pages in length  – anything longer and you risk losing readers’ attention.

Keep your CV style very simple with a clean font and muted colours – don’t be tempted to jazz it up with wacky colours or pictures, this can look unprofessional and messy.

Now let’s take a look at those sections in detail, and see what content needs to go into each one.

Contact details

At the very top of your CV, add your name and contact details, using up minimal space on the CV.

You want to make it extremely easy for recruiters to contact you – after all, that is the purpose of your CV!

Be sure to include…

Your phone number (mobile ideally so you can answer calls about jobs 24/7)

Your email address (Use a professional looking email address and not a nickname)

Your location (Just a rough area such as London/Leeds/Oxford)

Do not include…

Your full address – it’s not needed at this stage and will take up too much space

Your date of birth – Your age shouldn’t have any effect on a hiring decision

A photograph – Employers are only interested in what skills and knowledge you can bring to their school, they aren’t concerned with how you look.

CV profile / personal statement

To hold the attention of recruiters and school staff reading your CV, it’s essential to sell yourself with a quick punchy paragraph at the top.

Your profile or personal-statement should give a nice summary of your skills , experience, qualifications and knowledge.

(You can see more CV profile examples here )

The idea is to sell yourself, and encourage readers to continue reading your CV.

So, what kind of info should you put into your teaching assistant CV profile?

At this stage in your CV, schools will want to know these types of details…

• Types of schools you have worked in
• Ages of children you work with
• Teaching related qualifications
• Subjects or curriculums you have knowledge of
• Skills related to teaching – Classroom management, supporting teachers etc
• Anything else that could be relevant to the jobs you are applying for.

Avoid writing too many cliché phrases like, “ works well in a team or individually ” because they don’t tell readers anything factual about you.

Quick tip:  If you worry that your spelling and grammar might not be correct, try using our quick-and-easy CV Builder  to eliminate the risk of making mistakes.

Core skills section

If you really want to make sure that you grab recruiters’ attention in those vital first few seconds of them opening your CV – you need to add a core skills section.

Like this one.

All you need to do is list your most vital skills and knowledge in a bullet pointed list.

By adding this section, anybody who opens your CV can get a very good idea of your abilities from just a quick glance – perfect for creating a big impact.

Your work experience

To show recruiters and potential employers that you can contribute plenty of value in the workplace, you need to give a detailed account of your work experience.

If you have experience working within schools or other educational settings, that’s great – and you should focus on it within your CV.

If you don’t have any direct education experience – that’s OK. You just need to focus on drawing out transferable skills from your previous work (I’ll talk about what those skills are later in this post) or even consider getting some voluntary experience first.

To start with, order your roles in reverse chronology, which means start with the most recent job, and work down to your older roles – like the diagram below.

Structuring your role descriptions

To ensure that your roles are easy to read and show recruiters how you contribute to employers’ success, it’s important to structure your roles properly.

Use this simple but effective method to structure your roles.

• Responsibilities
• Achievements

This annotated example shows you how it works in practice

Start by detailing the start and finish dates of your roles (month and year) along with the name of your employer and job title

Jan 2013 – Nov 2016                 Long Lane Primary School | Primary Teaching Assistant

Then head the role with an outline which tells readers, who you work for (school, year group etc.) and what the overall goal of the role is.

Then list your responsibilities for the job in a series of short sharp bullet points to explain your input, show who you interact with, and showcase your skills.

Typical responsibilities could look like this:

• “Designing and creating classroom displays to aid students in learning ongoing topics”
• “Supporting class teacher in classroom management and keeping students focused”

Once you’ve listed your responsibilities, throw in some impressive achievements to really wow recruiters.

Achievements should give examples of times where you have gone the extra mile to help your employer, students or colleagues

For example…

• Ran after school revision workshops and all attendees achieved 80% + exam scores
• Introduced new reward system which greatly improved classroom behaviour

See our  best CV templates  for more examples of role structures.

When writing your CV roles (and the rest of your CV) it’s important to know exactly what recruiters are looking for, so you can reflect relevant skills.

So here is a quick list of some important skills and knowledge that recruiters will be expecting from a teaching assistant.

Some of these will require direct experience previously working in a teaching related role, whereas some of these skills can be gained in other workplaces or even study – so be creative if you don’t have the exact experience.

• Working with children – Teaching assistant work involves constant interaction with children of varied ages, so it helps to have some previous experience working with young people. This could be gained in a school, or perhaps in youth centres, sports clubs etc.
• Communication – Communication skill are vital in the classroom, so it pays to pack your CV with examples of your written, spoken and visual communication talents.
• Supporting teachers – The TA role revolves around supporting the class teacher so be sure to include this on your CV, or at least occasions where you have supported other senior staff.
• Behaviour management – Ensuring students are well-behaved and focused on work.
• Reading, writing and numeracy – An educational role will require you to have high standards across all three of these areas.
• Planning – Helping students to make progress requires long-term planning , which TA’s will likely support their class teacher with.
• Administration tasks – Admin is a vital part of many roles, and within a TA’s role it could involve photocopying class work, or filing attendance records.
• Creating displays – Teaching assistants need a healthy dose of creativity and artistic flair to create engaging classroom displays.
• Teaching qualifications – Whilst teaching qualifications aren’t necessarily needed for TA roles, it can be helpful to have them. GCSE’s in maths in English are an entry requirement though.

Round your CV up by listing your education at the bottom, including GCSE’s, A-levels, vocational qualifications etc.

Format the roles by listing:

• School/college attended
• Attendance dates
• Qualifications

Any qualifications that are highly relevant to teaching assistant roles (such as Maths GCSEs or teaching qualifications) should also be mentioned at the top of your CV in the profile to ensure they aren’t missed.

Hobbies and interests

Hobbies are an optional section, but you can add them if you think they will add value to your applications.

For example, if you don’t have much school experience, but you volunteer at local kid’s clubs in your spare time, then it would certainly be worth mentioning that in your CV.

Conclusion – create an impressive teaching assistant CV

If you’re looking to land a top teaching assistant job, use the above outlines to ensure you attract recruiters and impress employers.

Start by doing some research and looking at teaching assistant roles online to find out more about what your target employers are looking for.

Create an easy-to-read structure for readers, kick your CV off with an eye-catching profile, and cram your roles full of highly relevant skills and knowledge.

Once you’ve perfected your CV, proofread it and remove any typos before sending it out to plenty of recruiters and employers.

Good luck with your job search

• Skip to content

How to write a great personal statement for a teaching job

Vinny Potter

Last updated: 7 Feb 2024, 16:23

Discover our top tips on what to include in your personal statement for a teaching job and how to present your skills, knowledge, experience and attributes.

Supported by:

Academies Enterprise Trust

Your personal statement is the heart of your application for work as an early career teacher and should be tailored for each role. For teaching applications this is sometimes also called a letter of application, but it is essentially the same thing. This is your opportunity to provide evidence of how you match the needs of the specific teaching job you are applying for, and earn yourself an invitation to the next stage, which is likely to be a selection day held at the school.

Writing tips for personal statements

See our example personal statement for primary school teaching, below. Imagine it was written in response to the following job advert:

We are advertising for a Year 3 Classroom Teacher. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Committed to our school and our values
• Experience across a range of age groups
• Committed to reflection and improving practice
• Knowledge of the National Curriculum
• Excellent lesson planning
• Knowledge of assessment
• Good knowledge of SEND and positive interventions
• Positive approach to provide challenge and support student success
• Excellent behaviour management
• Good communication skills with parents
• Enthusiastic and creative approach to lessons
• Willing to contribute to the wider life of the school.

See our personal statement for secondary school teaching, below. Imagine it was written in response to the following job advert:

Country High School are advertising for an enthusiastic Secondary PE Teacher. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Ability to adapt and tailor your approach for the differing needs of pupils
• Knowledge of the National Curriculum for your subject
• Knowledge of a wide range of sports
• Willing to engage in extra curricular activities and the wider life of the school
• Experience of supporting high ability students, as well as those who may be less able or motivated
• Ability to use data effectively
• Teach across all ability levels including SEND
• Ability to use Technology to enhance learning.

When completing a personal statement for a teaching job, you should typically observe the following guidelines:

• Do not write a generic statement. Instead use the person specification and job advert for the vacancy as a structure for your statement or consider using the government's Teachers' Standards if no person specification is provided.
• Do not exceed two sides of A4, unless otherwise instructed.
• Tailor your statement for each new application according to the nature of the school or LA and the advertised role.
• Always read any guidance provided – many schools and LAs will tell you how they want this section set out.
• Emphasise your individual strengths in relation to the role.
• For a pool application, make sure you give a good overview of your skills and experience.
• It is essential that you give specific examples of what you have done to back up your claims.

Primary school personal statement

Examples of a personal statements for a primary school teaching job.

Primary school personal statement example

Secondary school personal statement

See our example of a personal statement for a secondary school teaching job.

Secondary school personal statement example

What you should cover in your personal statement

When schools advertise graduate teaching jobs , they write a job description which states the essential attributes they are looking for. This is their marking criteria for the job. When they read your statement, they will usually score this based on their essential and desirable criteria. Therefore, you need to read their documents carefully to find the criteria and provide an example or evidence of each point. If the job advert does not include any documents which include their criteria, then you can use the following structure for your statement and use the Teachers’ Standards as a guide for the criteria they may be looking for.

Why you are applying for the role:

• Refer to any knowledge you have of the LA or the school, including any visits to the school and what you learned from them.
• Show you would be a good fit for the school. The best way to do this is to look at the school’s values and give an example of how you match these.
• Mention any special circumstances (for example, your religious faith) which you think are relevant.

Details about your course:

• Give an overview of your training course - including the age range and subjects covered - and any special features.
• If you are a PGCE student, mention your first degree, your dissertation (if appropriate), any classroom-based research projects and relevant modules studied. Also mention if you have studied any masters modules.

Your teaching experience:

• What year groups you have taught.
• What subjects you have covered.
• Your use and understanding of formative and summative assessment practices.

Your classroom management strategies:

• Give examples of how you planned and delivered lessons and evaluated learning outcomes, including differentiation, scaffolding etc.
• Explain how you have managed classrooms and behaviour.
• Detail your experience of working with assistants or parents in your class.

Your visions and beliefs about primary/secondary education:

• What are your beliefs about learning and your visions for the future? You could touch on areas such as learning and teaching styles and strategies.
• Reflect on key policies relevant to the age range you want to teach.

Other related experience:

• This can include information about any previous work experience.
• Include training activities you have carried out and ways in which your subject knowledge has been developed.

Other related skills and interests:

• Give details of any particular competencies, experiences or leisure interests. This will help the school to know more about you as a person and could ‘add value’ in a school environment.
• Any involvement in working with children (running clubs, youth work and summer camps) is particularly useful to include.

Aim to end on a positive note. A conclusion which displays your enthusiasm in relation to the specific application and teaching in general will enhance your application - but avoid general statements and clichés.

Written by Vinny Potter, St Marys University, Twickenham, July 2023

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how to write a teaching assistant personal statement.

If you're looking for your dream teaching assistant job , you're going to need to know how to write a personal statement. A teaching personal statement will form a vital part of your job application: it gives you a chance to describe your skills, experience and expertise as well as demonstrate how you meet the needs of the job you’re applying for.

A well-written, mistake-free personal statement could lead to you being invited to attend an interview or a school selection day, so it is vital you get it right from the start. It's important to:

• use plenty of examples from your recent teaching experience
• write clearly and succinctly, with no spelling or grammar errors!
• tailor your personal statement to the school and job you're applying for
• be honest and show off your passion for teaching

What is a teaching personal statement?

Your personal statement is used to explain why you want to become a teacher and your suitability for the role in question. While your application form briefly outlines your qualifications, skills and work experience, your teaching personal statement is your chance to stand out of the crowd and show off your personality.

What should be included?

Your personal statement should be tailored to the school or local authority to which you are applying and should be written with enthusiasm. It is your chance to describe your skills, experience, and why you have applied for the job in greater depth than you’re able to in your CV.

It’s also an opportunity to use evidence to back up your statement and show how you meet the requirements of the job you’re applying for. Give examples of your teaching experience , what year groups you have taught, any teaching methods you have used and how effective these have been. 

Detail your beliefs and your vision for education in the future, your experience of working with class teachers, and your thoughts on any key policies relevant to the age range you will be teaching. 

You can also include other related experience and interests such as extra-curricular activities or hobbies, which will give the school a chance to know more about you as a person, and your achievements and how those make you suitable for the role.

What shouldn’t be included?

No matter how hard we all try, we inevitably include information which probably doesn’t need to be in the personal statement. A prospective employer wants to know about your successes and achievements; what they don’t need is an intricate description of your interest in historical re-enactments. Try and stick to what is relevant.

You should also avoid clichés and try and write with some originality. You should also avoid simply stating that you’re the right person for the job and instead, provide evidence of why you are the right person.

Humour can be used to good effect but avoid controversial statements that could paint you in a bad light, and avoid great long lists of texts you have read. Instead, talk about how different texts, online resources, and studies have influenced your teaching style and back it up with examples of your previous teaching experience and any feedback you received. 

• Check obsessively. Use a spell checker but read through several times looking for grammar and spelling mistakes
• Use your own tone of voice. Don’t try and pretend to be someone you’re not
• Make everything count – don’t waste space with long lists but rather explain how your past experiences will benefit the new role
• Avoid overused opening sentences
• Don’t use overly complex or convoluted language. Stick to a natural, professional tone, citing relevant examples and experience

Want any further advice on writing a personal statement? Click here to get in touch with our team of experts. 

• career as a teaching assistant
• career in education
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How to write the perfect teaching personal statement

Application and interview, tes editorial.

When applying for a new job, you may be competing with tens or hundreds of other applicants in a race for the role.

The HR manager or headteacher recruiting for the job will be scrutinising every detail of your application to make sure they are bringing in the right people for interview.

The application form is the first hurdle you have to get over and sets the first impression of you as a person in the recruiter’s mind.

• Advice on honing your job search
• How to write a personal statement for teacher training
• How to write a must-read CV

The personal statement: why does it matter? 

The personal statement presents the perfect opportunity to show you are an exceptional candidate, understand teaching and know the school you are applying to.

It is not an easy task and is a tricky thing to get right. It requires being concise and clear – it shouldn’t be too long or read like a list.

You should talk about yourself and your professional achievements, while at the same time apply those experiences to the school itself.

We spoke to Malcolm Trobe, deputy general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders , about what goes into the perfect personal statement. Here's what he said:

What does a great teaching personal statement look like?

"In general, I would say no longer than two sides of A4 – typescript. It needs to be well structured and linked to the specific school. It will need to include a number of key areas, including behavioural management, educational philosophy, subject expertise, pedagogy, personal organisation and skills and enrichment activities that the candidate can bring."

What should it contain?

"I would recommend that candidates include three elements in each of the key areas:

• What their beliefs/philosophy/approach is – i.e., the theory
• Their experience in that area
• How they would use that experience in the school they are applying to and specific to the job they are applying for

The statement should also include something personal in terms of their outside interests to indicate that they live an interesting and well-balanced life."

What are school leaders looking to read in a good personal statement?

"They will want to see something of the person’s character come through. It must not be just a list of achievements or repeat of the CV. It needs to be well-written, error-free and mention the school they are applying for – but not too many times. It should read as if it has been specifically written for the school and job they are applying for. I would be looking for something similar to the approach I have indicated above, covering all of the key areas and indicating that they have a vocation for working with young people. Somehow I would like to see a ‘generosity of spirit’ come through in the statement."

How can a candidate stand out in a personal statement?

"A good personal statement needs to include something of the person themselves. It has to make the reader believe that the candidate has something special without bragging or appearing arrogant – but something a bit above what other candidates may offer. A really good introduction and ending are important, and it's worth spending a great deal of time crafting those sections of the statement. Hook the reader in at the beginning and finish on a high note so that they want to meet the person and explore what has been written."

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Teaching personal statement examples

Giving you the chance to show why you'd be a great teacher, your personal statement is an important part of your application and worth taking the time over

What is a teaching personal statement?

Your personal statement is used to explain why you want to become a teacher and your suitability for the role. While your application form briefly outlines your qualifications, skills and work experience, your teaching personal statement is where your personality shines through.

Take your time with it. Many candidates often spend a few weeks on this part of the application as you don't have to write it all at once. You should get someone to read over it and be prepared to receive constructive feedback and write a few drafts before you send it off.

It's important to:

• use examples based on your recent teaching experience
• tailor your personal statement according to the school/age group
• use good, clear, written English, using first person terms such as 'my' and 'I'
• be original and honest
• avoid clichés and general statements, such as 'I've always wanted to teach'
• demonstrate a passion for teaching.

While it's crucial to get it right, your teaching personal statement is only a small part of the application process. Find out how else you'll need to prepare to  get a teaching job .

How to write a personal statement for teaching

Your personal statement should be between 500 and 1,000 words. It's crucial that you  don't copy  and that the statement you provide is  your own work .

This is your opportunity to:

• write about any relevant skills and experience you have
• explain your understanding of why teaching is important
• detail why you want to become a teacher
• list any extra skills or experience you have, such as volunteering or first aid.

See  personal statements for postgraduate applications  for more guidance.

The nature of your personal statement will vary, depending on the type of teaching you'd like to pursue. Take a look at some of our example personal statements to get an idea of how they differ.

Personal statement for PGCE primary

As well as focusing on roles in which you've gained experience with primary-age children, a PGCE primary personal statement should demonstrate your well-rounded personality and any skills that could be useful for the range of extra-curricular activities primary schools provide (such as the ability to read music for recorder lessons, or drama experience to help with school plays).

Personal statement for PGCE secondary

Many good PGCE secondary personal statements acknowledge the challenges involved in teaching older pupils and provide examples of where the candidate has worked to overcome these problems. As secondary teaching roles are geared towards teaching a specific subject, training providers are looking for more evidence of your subject and degree knowledge.

Personal statement for School Direct

If you're applying for the salaried School Direct route, you should discuss the experience you've gained in the classroom prior to your application. One of your references will need to be from an employer, or someone who can comment on your work ethic and suitability for teaching. Don't worry if your degree is unrelated to the subject you'd like to teach - you may still be able to apply by completing a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course .

Find out more

• Discover how to structure a teaching CV .
• Find out what it's really like to be a primary or secondary school teacher .
• Search postgraduate courses in teaching .

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