assistant headteacher personal statement

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Assistant Head job application personal statement

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5 July 2022

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This is the cover letter I used for a successful job application for the position of Assistant Headteacher. It demonstrates how to construct a personal statement using middle leadership skills, experiences and CPD, linking each of these to the progress of students. This resource is also part of my Assistant Head job personal statement bundle, which includes this document, advice on how to be successful at the interview tasks and the common questions used at Assistant Head interviews. Two of the 5 resources in the bundle have an audio voice over with important advice from a Headteacher’s perspective, about how to be successful when applying for an Assistant Head position. The cost of the bundle is excellent value at £10.

As part of this ‘sale’ I also offer a free mentoring session to help and guide you with your job application. If you would like to take advantage of this, please send me a message to [email protected]

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Teaching Leadership Personal Statement

Example Teaching Leadership Personal Statement

Like many people who are passionate about their career, I find that I work at my best when faced with a fresh and exciting challenge. Having spent almost twenty years as a primary school teacher, during which time I have held several positions of increasing responsibility, culminating in my current position of Assistant Headteacher, I am highly motivated to take on a position of greater leadership in a school that corresponds to my core teaching values of inclusion, openness and continually striving to improve its pupils’ learning experience.

Since attaining Qualified Teacher Status in 1994, I have been eager throughout my career to be as closely involved with continuing professional development initiatives as possible. In addition to gaining expertise in qualitative analysis of data and overseeing SEN initiatives through the different positions of responsibility that I have held, I also regularly participate in training programmes to develop my skillset. Recently, for example, I completed the Barnet’s Deputy Heads Course, and in the past have attended courses on subject leader and senior management training. Furthermore, in the leadership positions that I have held to date I have placed significant emphasis on encouraging staff to become more closely involved with CPD initiatives.

I have always prided myself on my commitment to teaching excellence, something which is corroborated by the high levels of positive feedback that I have received from assessments of my lessons. I have a very broad range of primary teaching experience. I have been involved in teaching children at all years within the primary range, and in the past have also held co-ordinator positions for numeracy, physical education and Key Stage Two. My lesson delivery is based on a pedagogical philosophy of taking a hands-on and enthusiastic approach to teaching and creating a learning environment that is characterized by empathy, mutual support and, above all, an inclusion of all pupils. Wherever possible I have sought both the feedback and input of colleagues to help to continually improve my own teaching skills, as well as enthusiastically share my own teaching techniques and experiences with my colleagues.

Over the course of my career I have been involved with monitoring pupils’ achievements with a view to improving pupil attainment levels. During my time at Sacred Heart RC Primary School I completed a Foundation Stage Profile on all of the children in my care. Doing so gave me an insight into how the collection of such data can be used to chart pupils’ progress and to set future targets, which in this case were based around the achievement of Early Learning goals. In my current position I have created an assessment tracking system that reflects the changing pupil population of our school. The system has produced highly satisfying results, with the average point progress of our pupils increasing to 3.5 APS.

I have always performed my teaching and leadership duties in a way that has placed emphasis on the latest educational developments. Whilst working as a numeracy co-ordinator, for example, I spearheaded training initiatives to bring my colleagues up to speed on the national numeracy strategy, and was involved in similar training initiatives whilst working as Key Stage 2 co-ordinator. My current role has been very much shaped by responding to the new budgetary demands under which all schools are now operating. This positionalso offered me a unique opportunity to reflect on all aspects of current primary educational needs in the form of the move that our school made in 2009 to a new building. The process of the move gave me a much greater appreciation of the overall impact of learning areas – not just classrooms, but communal and outside areas – on the wellbeing of the school’s children, and it was rewarding to be able to be involved in focusing on these matters with a view to ensuring the new premises offered an optimal learning environment.

Having spent my professional life so far working in primary schools within London, I am acutely sensitive to the need for primary schools to cut across the social and cultural diversity of the city to provide an inclusive educational experience for all pupils. In my classroom I have always sought to foster an open environment that embraces the rich breadth of my pupils’ backgrounds. As an Assistant Headteacher, I have been at the forefront of tracking initiatives that have ensured that the school can respond to the challenges of a changing pupil demographic. Above all, however, I have tried to maintain a positive dialogue with parents with the goal of ensuring that they understand the objectives of the school. This has included giving presentations to parents on matters such as sex education and safeguarding of pupils, this latter topic being within my remit of overseeing child protection at the school.

Seeking to encourage inclusion at my current school has also entailed making the effort to work with groups within the school that require special attention, such as EAL and SEN pupils. For example, I have become increasingly involved with the implementation of pupil progress meetings with the parents of SEN pupils to help focus on pupil attainment, an initiative that over the last three years has delivered excellent results for our SEN pupils. In my current role I have also spent a significant amount of time examining the links between the social background of pupils and their levels of attainment in the classroom, with the goal of ensuring that pupils are not left behind and are offered support when they need it. This is an aspect of school leadership that I think is essential, and I will be firmly committed to developing other such initiatives in my future professional roles.

Through my current role as Assistant Headteacher and in my past co-ordinator positions I have acquired considerable experience in staff leadership and in managing teams of staff. To me it is essential to include staff members in consultation processes and make as much use as possible of their personal insights when leading a team. Having risen through the different grades of responsibility, I am attuned to the expertise of middle-level leaders, and as a consequence I am always eager for middle leaders to be closely involved in initiatives that are aimed at improving the school’s performance. At the heart of my teaching and leadership style is a focus on excellent communication skills. I ensure that in communications with colleagues and parents, whether in spoken or written form, are clear, concise and sensitively written.

I have been involved in leading teams for specific, short-term projects such as school sports days, as well as more complex, longer-term challenges, such as leading preparations for an OFSTED inspection whilst working as acting Deputy Head. My current position at Parkfield Primary School has offered me several opportunities to make use of my leadership skills for the betterment of the school. Amongst other initiatives, I led the school away from the QCA framework and towards a more creative curriculum. This process was made possible through the positive relationships I had forged with colleagues, who were able to assist me in developing a curriculum that met the needs of our diverse community of pupils. More recently I oversaw the introduction of a new behavioural policy at the school, which was drawn up and implemented with the full collaboration of staff and pupils. Because of the close involvement of all stakeholders in this policy, we have found that the new code has been adopted efficiently and enthusiastically, with behavioural standards at the school increasing significantly as a result.

I have also taken a leading role in helping to mentor newly qualified teachers and student teachers, as I believe that a positive mentoring experience can have a crucial impact on the development of new teachers. My approach to date has been based on assessing the individual needs of each trainee, implementing a structured timetable of classroom observations and offering feedback sessions that are open and democratic, in which the students can express their perspectives on the training experience as well as receiving insights from experienced teachers.

Throughout my career I have taken special efforts to gain professional qualitative skills in order to be able to be able to correctly interpret data and therefore make informed management decisions. Whilst working at Sacred Heart, for example, I played a key role in making use of Early Years Foundation Stage data to create attainment profiles for Year 1 students. I have found that developing these data analysis skills has paid off as it has allowed me in my current position to make effective use of pupil data to help develop strategies for pupil inclusion based on the changing profiles of our pupil intake.

For me, the most satisfying aspect of my transition into an increasingly leadership-based role has been the opportunities that it has given me to help my schools become an integral part of their local community. Through being an Assistant Headteacher I have gained an overall appreciation of how, through elements such as its curriculum, its physical environment, its approach to the diverse needs of its pupils and the relations it maintains with parents, a primary school can – and should – provide a nurturing environment, in which pupils from all backgrounds feel included and able to take part in an enriching learning experience, and where local parents can feel confident about sending their children. This overall vision guides my current work, and will continue to do so as I seek new professional challenges.

We hope that this Teaching Leadership Personal Statement will be a good point of reference for those looking for help with writing their own statement.

To help with your application, please visit Personal Statement Service .

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Becoming an effective assistant headteacher

June 27, 2013 //  by  Admin

What does it take to become an effective assistant headteacher? Dr Ray Chatwin looks at how to manage the teacher transition from middle leader to assistant headteacher

The transition from successful middle leader to successful assistant headteacher (AHT) is sometimes harder than it looks. Headteachers and others can help, providing the nature of this transition is understood, including those aspects of it that can contribute to feelings of insecurity and even of incompetence on the part of the new member of the senior team.

Though often overlooked, the emotional aspects of transition are important. Prior to taking up the post, the emotional security of the new AHT has usually, if they have followed a subject leadership route, been supported by:

• their own feelings of mastery of a subject to which they are committed and which they have taught for several years
• the recognition and respect given to them by others in their department on the basis of the daily demonstration of their professionalism and expertise in teaching the subject
• their own achievements in relation to the leadership of the department
• the physical space, or territory, they have been able to occupy. For a core subject, this is often in terms of a suite of rooms.

Upon becoming an AHT, this is swept away because:

• the expectation of competence extends over a much wider range of issues, many of them having little to do with subjects – or even teaching, in a direct sense
• respect and recognition cannot be won on the basis of subject expertise but on satisfying the needs and expectations of others, many of them not directly visible or directly involved, or even inside the school itself
• leadership is often indirect, and dependent on supporting those who lead others
• personal achievements are harder to identify and to attribute – often it is more important to credit others with an achievement which may owe much to the AHT’s own behind-the-scenes activities and overtime
• there is no physical territory – the territory now extends across the whole school and frequently outside it.

If the emotional aspects of transition are overlooked or ignored, this can lead to unnecessary periods of stress, and sometimes considerable distress, on the part of the new AHT, who feels obliged to emerge as a perfectly formed senior team member. Butterflies seem to have managed a complex transition of this kind, but humans sometimes need a bit more consideration and help. Since AHTs are not only human, but also an expensive acquisition, effort in planning for and supporting them in the first year or so of their appointment would seem to be well worth the investment.

A change of perspective Changes of position within an organisation often require a change of perspective. What you see, and the way you see things, depends on where you stand in relation to what is happening. Although it is of course possible to transcend the limitations of positional perspective, this should not be left to chance during role transitions. It might help many new AHTs if they understood where their role had originated and what it was intended to do. Fundamental to being able to handle the job properly is an understanding that, keeping things running smoothly on a daily basis despite the constant bumps in the road will constitute up to 90% of daily managerial activity, and the other 10% must involve giving the school a strong directional focus.

The emphasis on the direction-giving aspects of the role are to be found in Key Proposal 3, Leadership Group, in a document entitled, Teachers Meeting the Challenge of Change , published by the then DfEE in 1999. This paper was based on a study commissioned by the School Teachers Review Body and carried out by the consultancy firm KPMG: The Heads and Deputies Study , published in July 1998. Paragraph 75 of TMCC states:

‘(A)s schools use more managerial flexibility to cope with the range of new demands being made on them, school leadership is becoming broader than just the head teacher. In some schools the concept of leadership is expanding to cover a wider range of staff who develop and manage the strategic direction of the school.’

An understanding of strategy Experience shows that top leadership teams with a poor grasp of strategy can lead any organisation to disaster. What matters for an AHT in this respect is two-fold. Firstly, they need to be able to contribute to debates about the strategic priorities of the school during SMT meetings and other meetings of strategic importance. Secondly, they need to be able to implement the strategic priorities in ways that enable them to guide work in the areas of activity for which they are responsible. If they are simply doing ‘jobs’ without any sense of the required directional steer, they are not carrying out the role as it was intended to be, that of strategic integrator. Without people who can translate and integrate vision and strategy behaviourally, both may remain little more than fantasies, the reality being that the school is simply being managed on a day-by-day basis but it is not developing and facing up to its challenges.

Making a contribution to SMT strategic discussions means being able to self-start on information-gathering. This goes far beyond the immediate concerns of the school. For example, it means knowing about the political debates within and beyond the agenda of the governing party; knowing about the state of the economy and how this affects the locality; understanding societal changes; changes in technology; changes in the law and finally, how each of these may affect the direction and daily work of the school. In simple terms, the AHT needs to be an educated citizen, alert to what is going on and eager to debate these issues with fellow professionals. It means recognising that the SMT is a significant element in the intellectual leadership of the school.

To do less is to reduce the role simply to a set of reactive and mechanistic tasks, which are inadequate for a professionally staffed organisation operating in an increasingly complex environment. This may seem self-evident, but experience shows that many SMTs become excessively preoccupied with the minutiae of managing the school and, in effect, have their noses down hoovering the ground when they should be looking upwards and outwards at the task environment and relating this to the necessary direction of travel.

Clarity of intent Putting strategy into effect on a daily basis means being clear about what Hamel and Prahalad (1989) refer to as ‘strategic intents’. It is about being clear about a narrow set of intentions that will steer the school to where it wants to be, provide a sense of discovery of new territory and motivate staff by encouraging them to commit to what they perceive as valuable. Clarity about these means that the AHT can recognise, for example, when an idea put forward by others should be accepted, encouraged and resourced because it fits in with where the school is going, when it needs shaping and finally, when it should be discouraged because it will take the school in quite a different direction.

The SI concept also allows prioritisation of tasks, another difficulty for an AHT lacking strategic awareness, because without it all jobs seem to be of equal importance. Strategic, directional jobs are the most important, though this does not mean that they are necessarily the most immediately urgent or that they need to take up much time. They can for example, be enacted through a snatched conversation, a progress chase or a phone call, just as much as in a lengthy meeting or position paper. What matters is whether these behaviours play a role in moving the school forward towards the goals that have been set for the future.

Problem-solving is an essential ability for AHTs and it is not easily taught. The difference between an expert manager and a novice manager is that the former has encountered a far more extensive range of problems than the latter and usually has a richer repertoire of strategies for dealing with them. It is important for the newly appointed AHT to be able to draw upon the experience of more expert managers in order to fatten up their problem-solution portfolio as quickly as possible. However, this needs to be against a background of understanding that management decisions are seldom made with all the information necessary to make the best possible decision. In addition, context and contingency are crucial; there are no how-to-do-it manuals that will tell you exactly what to do regardless of context and contingency.

For this reason, managers must be reflective and reflexive; a reasonable injunction is, ‘Do your best with what you know, look for evidence of success or shortcoming or failure, and think how you would do it better next time.’

Training during transition Perfection is elusive in managerial work. This is particularly true in education because, unlike medicine, where one starts out as a generalist and becomes a specialist, education works the other way around. As one becomes more senior, there are more and more general tasks which one does not, at first, know much about. While this is not unique to education – engineering specialists often find difficulty in adapting to management and leadership roles if they have progressed through a specialist route – it does draw attention to the need for adequate training and mentoring during the transition, a period that should relate to the needs of the AHT and not be time-limited nor be confined to one form of support offered by a single individual or course.

The training, or skill-related elements of a programme for an AHT relate to capabilities, which are usually important for the role. These include making meetings more effective as both chair and participant; influencing skills: improving personal organisation and time-management; carrying out performance reviews and writing accurate statements; project planning report writing; speaking in public; handling poor performance and disciplinary problems; and minimising conflict.

There appears to be very little of this kind of general management training for AHTs, although there are many suitable courses leading to qualifications such as those offered by the Chartered Management Institute. These have the additional benefit of being taught either with a group from the same school, a group of schools or with people from outside education, thus giving a wider perspective on the management role.

Coupled with a good grounding in strategic thinking and with the kind of supported problem-solving carried out with regular mentor contacts, such a three-fold programme can have significant benefits for AHTs and for the effectiveness of the SMT as a direction giving group within the staff. By implication, it also helps the headteacher, whose leadership is mediated by – and may indeed be partly shaped by – these key members of staff.

• Chartered Management Institute website: www.managers.org.uk
• Department for Education and Employment (1999). Teachers Meeting the Challenge of Change. Technical Consultation on Pay and Performance Management . London: DfES publication PP3D16/36854/25.
• Hamel, G and Prahalad, CK (1989). ‘Strategic Intent’. Harvard Business Review . May-June, 63-76.

Dr Ray Chatwin is a senior lecturer at the University of Gloucestershire

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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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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How to write an outstanding job application

Everyone dreads those personal statement boxes on the job application form but we’ve all had to write ‘em and, if we’re in employment, they’ve clearly done the trick. Why would anyone literate need a guide to writing job applications?

Well, as an English teacher I certainly consider myself to be more than merely functionally literate and I some of the feedback on my ability to write a letter of application I had last year was very hard to hear.

The head teacher of a school at which I’d applied to become an assistant head told me the reason I wasn’t called for interview was because he’d been put off by my application letter. He didn’t like my writing style and thought it wasn’t specific enough. In particular he disliked the fact that I’d put several phrases in ‘inverted commas’ and used too many italics.

What do you do with this kind of criticism? Should I write it off as the views of one individual and stay true to myself, or should I take on board the advice offered wholesale? This sounds like a trite rhetorical question, but for a few weeks I felt really torn. I know it’s impossible to second guess exactly what someone else wants to hear and even if you could, you’d probably regret it, but still: if only there was a winning formula.

A few weeks later, I attended a course rune by  Hays Leadership  called Aspiring Leaders. I had very little idea what to expect and was pleasantly surprised to discover the thrust of the course was on securing and succeeding at interviews for school leadership positions. Perfect.

The advice was that applicants should use the National Standards for Headship to structure their applications. A copy of these can be downloaded   here .

The standards are:

• shaping the future
• leading learning and teaching
• developing self and working with others
• managing the organisation
• securing accountability and
• strengthening community.

I am ashamed to say, I knew nothing about these standards beforehand and it made perfect sense to demonstrate my understanding of these qualities in any application. The course leader went through what they each meant and I would recommend reading through them and making some detailed notes before beginning the application process.

Some schools design their job description and person specification around these standards which makes it very straightforward to construct your application. Others don’t. The advice offered in these cases is to work out which parts of the person spec/job description apply to which standards. So, if you’re asked to demonstrate  “ Courageous and committed leadership through effective role modeling”  you would slot this into your ‘managing the organisation’ section and, “ A significant contributor to strategic thinking and development”  would come under ‘shaping the future’ .  I’d advise putting the whole lot into a speadsheet to work out exactly what should go where.

The other important piece of advice is to make sure that for each of the standards you have a clear example which shows the  context  you are working in, what your  vision  was or is, the  actions  you have taken to implement your vision and the  impact  they have had (CVAI).  By doing this you avoid wooly hypothetical statements.

All of this was, needless to say, extraordinarily helpful. The next two applications I completed resulted in being offered an interview. One head told me that my application was “outstanding” and one of the best she had ever read! Sadly I didn’t get either job but that doesn’t matter. I now know how to write a leadership application and am confident that when the next job comes along I stand a very good chance of being interviewed for it.

Whilst this advice is aimed at leadership applications, the CVAI structure should be used in all applications and interviews whether you’re an NQT or a headteacher.

Another useful post on writing job applications from Simon Warburton here .

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This is excellent advice. We have a free job application at our site. Though it was designed for employers, it may be useful for your viewers as you can download and practice filling it out before you actually go in and fill out a real job application.

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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

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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
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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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How to apply for your first headship – and get the job

1999 seems a long time ago – but it was then that I made my first application for a headship. It was a bit of a false start as I actually withdrew the application after visiting the school. This is no reflection on the school, which was excellent, but I hadn't fully thought through uprooting my whole family and moving to a different part of the country.

My next applications were more considered. After not getting through to the second day for the first post I interviewed for, I was the only person taken through to the second day at St. Mary's Catholic College , where I have served as headteacher for the last 13 years. Here is my advice for those applying for the first time.

Make sure your vision matches the school

It's interesting to reflect back on the only two experiences I have of being interviewed for a headship. The feedback from the first school was that they thought I was far too radical in my thinking and not in touch with reality. They may have been right. At St. Mary's, however, they were looking for a leader who would help develop a new vision for the school and lead it into the 21st century.

This isn't about good school/bad school or good applicant/bad applicant – it is about matching your vision and aspirations with those of the school and governors that you will be working for. If the two aren't aligned it will be like being in a boat with everyone rowing in a different direction – meaning the governors and headteacher are in for a torrid time. Governing bodies aren't always confident in articulating their own vision, but they do know an engaging and inspiring one when they hear it. If you can't articulate your vision to a friend or relative – or to yourself in the mirror – you are not yet ready to lead a school.

You can't ever be truly prepared – but you'll learn

With the exception of vision, I think that you have to accept that there is no preparation for headship quite like actually being a headteacher. You need a good knowledge of how schools work; an awareness of the structures and systems that ensure good order and high standards of teaching & learning; the ability to work with and influence people and an abundance of resilience.

What I knew about premises and finance when I became a headteacher, you could write on the back of an envelope – and a not very big one at that. And yet, over the past 13 years, I have had overall responsibility for £30m of capital building programmes and £80m of recurrent funding. Another worry for applicants can be personnel issues that go beyond the difficult conversation into formal procedures. Outside of a few difficult meetings where I had been alongside the headteacher as a "professional development opportunity", again my experience was limited. Remember to follow the policy, make sure you have a good HR provider and be calm and balanced in your approach. You will grow in confidence with experience in time.

Headship is a team game

I hope we have eventually given up on the myth of the heroic headteacher who gallops in to save the day single-handed. Headship is now more about the team than simply the individual. Make sure you meet the senior leadership team of the school you are applying for, and consider whether this is a group you can work with. I would tend to keep it social and just get a feel for the group and start to build the relationships. Most of all, be yourself; this is what you bring to genuine and authentic leadership, and it has already got you to deputy headship.

Make fewer but better applications

A few high quality applications are more likely to succeed that trying to send in a generic application for lots of headships. This is a major decision and you have to get it right. Research the school well, visit it prior to applying if you can and make sure the application is totally tailored to the school. We recently appointed three assistant headteachers at St. Mary's. All of them, along with a number of other potential applicants, visited the school before applying and took the time to write highly personalised letters. These are the people you want working at your school, these are the type of people you want leading your school.

Interview days

This is likely to be a pretty gruelling few days with a series of panel interviews, data tasks and presentations. I was successfully interviewed for the executive headship of St. Mary's Catholic College and Christ the King Catholic Primary School earlier this year, but I had no idea how many other candidates would be invited for interview. The poor governors may have had to listen to presentations all afternoon. I wanted to make the point that, if we wanted to be outstanding, we were going to have to do something different and that the skills I had acquired as a secondary headteacher would be transferable to the executive headteacher role.

The opening two minutes of my presentation was a card sort of the characteristics of outstanding primary and secondary schools taken from two Ofsted documents. It was only after they had sorted them into a couple of groups and noticed all the repetition that I explained where they had come from. I was doing something different while showing them my skills are transferable.

Please don't fall into the trap of gimmicks, but look for the opportunity to let your light shine out from the crowd. If you're not successful then maybe it just wasn't the job for you. Remember to learn from each experience and keep a record of questions asked and tasks given.

And good luck – I hope the right school is out there for you.

Stephen Tierney is executive headteacher at Christ the King Catholic Primary School & St Mary's Catholic College. Previously he was headteacher of St. Mary's Catholic College, Blackpool for the past 13 years. He blogs at Leading Learner and tweets as @LeadingLearner

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Personal Statement for Assistant Headteacher for Teaching, Learning and Curriculum FOR ADULTS | Teaching Resources

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Personal Assistant to the Headteacher

16 days remaining to apply, start date details.

Required for October 2024

Closing date

3 May 2024 at 12pm (midday)

Date listed

16 April 2024

Job details

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Working pattern.

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• 37 hours a week

Contract type

What skills and experience we're looking for.

Personal Assistant to the Headteacher Full Time

(52 weeks/37 hours per week) or Term Time (43 weeks/37 hours per week)

Salary: Kent Range 10 - £36,866 - £43,011

The Headteacher and Governing Body are seeking to appoint an experienced and dynamic Personal Assistant to the Headteacher. The successful candidate will provide comprehensive and strategic administrative support to the Headteacher and be appropriately qualified. Experience of a school setting would be desirable but is not essential. The role requires a collaborative team player who is able to multitask effectively, motivate others and demonstrate excellent interpersonal and organisational skills. Confidentiality, integrity and loyalty are important expectations of this role. This a varied role that encompasses all areas of personnel, HR, recruitment, staffing and student administration and therefore experience, knowledge and understanding of school administration or similar environment is an important element.

MGS is an 11-18 academically selective boys’ grammar school with a mixed sixth form and offers a stimulating academic environment in which to work with students whose commitment to study has been highly praised by Ofsted.

Please contact the Headteacher’s PA, Mrs DA Friend, by phone or e-mail ([email protected]) for an information pack or download one from the MGS website https://mgs.kent.sch.uk/

The deadline for the receipt of applications, by letter, with completed MGS application form, is midday on Friday 3 May 2024. Please complete the application form via this LINK. If you would like to visit the school and meet the Headteacher during 22- 25 April or 29 April to 1 May, please contact Mrs D Friend via the email address above. CVs are not accepted, please complete the application form in full. Interviews will take place on Tuesday 21 May 2024.

What the school offers its staff

Commitment to safeguarding.

Maidstone Grammar School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants will undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with former employers and the DBS. Maidstone Grammar School is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

Applying for the job

Apply for the job by following the link below

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If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.

About Maidstone Grammar School

Boys' Grammar School for aged 11 to 16 with girls in the sixth form

Arranging a visit to Maidstone Grammar School

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email [email protected] .

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