assistant headteacher personal statement

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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My personal statements and top 10 tips

Personal statements. They’re probably the most difficult things you’ll ever have to write. You want to stand out from the crowd but be credible and honest. You want to look great even though you feel rank average most of the time. You want that job so badly, but at best your personal statement gets you to the start line of the final challenge, the interview.

I think I’m getting better at writing them as I get older — I’ve always been able to find the next job pretty quickly — so I thought I’d share some personal statements where I’ve either got the job or at least an interview. That’s not to say I think they’re particularly good. Looking at them now makes my feet cramp from toe-curling. They’re littered with errors and things I’d love to change. But, they’re honest, authentic and have served their purpose well, and if by making myself vulnerable helps others, it’s a risk I’m happy to take. To help you write yours, I’ve put together ten tips that I’ve had to learn the hard way. I hope it helps.

My personal statement examples

School 2 personal statement — 1 ½ years into my career

School 3 personal statement — 5 years into my career

Lecturer personal statement — 10 years into my career

The first personal statement was for my second teaching job (I couldn’t find my first one). It’s raw, it’s long, it’s error-strewn. But it got me into an alright school after a horror-show of an NQT year. The next personal statement was for a school that turned out to be my utopia. Loved the place. They loved me. Sharing a beer with them years after, the head and deputy both said that they read my statement and said ‘we’ve got to have him in’. The last personal statement is for an application for a teacher training lecturer role. They gave me an interview but didn’t give me the job – it went to the right person though. Still, the personal statement got me onto the start line of the final round.

If you think they’re full of BS, you’re probably right in one way or another. I’ve been told more than once that I’m full of it. Please let me know because I’d love to improve them! If you think they’re just generally crap, please let me know that too – I welcome the feedback.

10 tips I wished I followed for all my personal statements

• Tailor your application to the school. Not all of it necessarily, but at least some. Fruitful places to tailor to are the ‘ethos and values’ type pages or ‘welcome from the headteacher’ pages on schools’ websites. Try to get at least the opening statement and the final statement written from scratch with the school in mind. Also, be sure your ethos matches theirs: it’s no good showing your passion for restorative conversations if they’re a no-excuses school.
• Write the top 3 or 4 things that you’d like the reader to know about . If they’re things that make you unique, all the better. I leaned a lot on my developing experience and knowledge of ICT leadership and still do. Of course, match these to the school’s needs.
• Don’t bury the lead . Those 3 or 4 things are important, so don’t let them get lost. If someone’s reading 30 applications, they’ll likely skim read and won’t spend a lot of time working out what the point you’re trying to make is. It’s our job as applicants to spell it out. Introduce the key points early on, maybe in your introduction paragraph and in topic sentences .
• Resist the temptation to undersell yourself . If you can’t blow your own trumpet now when it’s your passage into a new job, when can you? To help with this, write in the third person first, then turn it into the first person after . According to Schneiderman (2015) , ‘the third-person voice diffuses emotionally charged situations, enabling people to reconstruct an understanding of their experiences and gain new insights without feeling overwhelmed.’ It sounds gimmicky, but it’s worked for me every time.
• Give other points of view . It’s tiresome writing ‘I am…’ and ‘I did this…’ sentences, let alone reading them. Of course, you can’t get away from using at least some of these sentences, but giving other points of view adds variety and increases your credibility. For example, instead of saying ‘I work hard to build a supportive class culture and communicate my high expectations’, you could say ‘my mentor commented on how supportive my class culture felt and how pupils responded well to my high expectations.’ Other points of view add a different dimension, and as long as they’re true and anonymised, use them to your advantage.
• Give examples at a middling level of detail to enhance your credibility . Too general — you risk a ‘meh’ response. Too specific — you risk boring the reader and running out of words. Focusing on outcomes and touching on a few tangible activities work for me. Here’s what I mean:

• Write in the active voice – it’ll save you words and make you appear confident. The passive voice sounds waffly and hesitant. Which of the following is better?

The active voice version makes it much clearer that you played a key part. In the passive voice, it’s less clear how much of a role you played.

Put your personal statement through the free Hemingway checker to spot offending sentences. Grammarly is another free alternative that does similar things.

• Proof-read . It’s amazing how many mistakes you’ll find. Put it through the Hemingway or Grammarly checker to pick up the inevitable errors you’ve missed.
• Keep it to one page . Senior leaders have to read a lot of these, so don’t give them an excuse to get bored.
• Keep Ofsted references to a minimum . Often, they’re woefully out of date (even 6 months is a long time) and in my opinion and the opinion of many others (for example, Roberts, 2020 ), inspections are woefully inaccurate and skewed. On one occasion, when we were doing one of the almost obligatory walk-arounds I mentioned the school’s Ofsted report. The Head said, ‘Pay no attention to that. It’s out of date and we’ve done all the stuff we need to. Besides, it wasn’t an accurate reflection.’ Unfortunately, I had my completed application form in my hand where — you’ve guessed it — I referred to their Ofsted report a fair bit. Needless to say, I didn’t get an invitation to interview.

I hope this reaches and helps people on the way to finding a new role they love. Any feedback you could offer would be wonderful. What do you think of the personal statements and my tips? What other tips have I missed? How do you go about writing yours? Please leave a reply below.

Roberts, J (2020) ‘Basic errors’: 6 complaints about Ofsted inspections . Available at: https://www.tes.com/news/basic-errors-6-complaints-about-ofsted-inspections [Accessed 23 May 2020]

Schneiderman, K (2015) Fooling Your Ego: Writing in the third-person frees you to explore your story. Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-novel-perspective/201506/fooling-your-ego [Accessed 23 May 2020]

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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.  If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you might consider hiring professionals to write my essay with best writers to ensure your statement shines.

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.

The newly released (2023) Working Effectively With Your Teaching Assistant by Sara Alston is currently on offer via the Bloomsbury website .

6. 2 Example Teaching Assistant Personal Statements

Don’t just copy and paste these add some of your own personality!

I am an enthusiastic graduate seeking a teaching assistant position at Park Primary School where I can apply my knowledge of child development and experience engaging young learners. During my undergraduate studies in Education at Durham University, I discovered my passion for fostering student growth. 

My practical experiences allowed me to develop skills in scaffolding instruction, managing behaviour, and boosting student confidence. Drawing on my strong interpersonal abilities and creativity, I am committed to supporting students’ diverse needs. 

Park Primary’s dedication to making learning enjoyable resonates with me. I would be honoured to join a team that nurtures students’ curiosity and emotional growth alongside academic skills. 

With 2 years of experience as a one-to-one tutor for pupils with special educational needs, I am eager to expand my skills as a teaching assistant at Swan Academy. I studied Childhood and Youth Studies at the University of Manchester and relished modules on inclusive environments and differentiated learning. 

My tutoring role enabled me to gain expertise in adapting lessons for neurodiverse students and employing sensory integration techniques. I built a strong rapport with pupils by incorporating their interests into activities. At Swan Academy, I would apply my expertise in personalised learning and collaboration to promote equal access, confidence, and achievement amongst students. 

Supporting Swan’s diverse student body is perfectly aligned with my values and aspirations as an educator.

Template Statement to Adapt

I am a [your experience level] teaching assistant currently seeking a position at [school name]. With [number] years of classroom experience and a [degree] in [subject], I am committed to supporting impactful learning experiences as a teaching assistant. 

During my studies at [university name], I [note any relevant experiences, courses, extracurriculars] which allowed me to develop key skills in [list relevant hard and soft skills]. [Optional: As part of my degree, I undertook teaching placements at X school, where I gained first-hand classroom experience]. 

In previous teaching assistant roles at [school names], my responsibilities included [list 2-3 main duties]. Through this experience, I gained expertise in [list skills gained]. At [school name], I am eager to leverage my background in [subjects/specialities] and my strengths in [strengths] to help students thrive. 

The teaching assistant opportunity strongly appeals to me due to [school name’s] reputation for [positive qualities] and commitment to [mission or values]. I would welcome the chance to support such a [collaborative/student-focused/high-achieving] learning community. Please accept my enthusiastic application for this role which is perfectly aligned with my dedication to student development and education.

7. Useful websites and resources for Teaching Assistants

There are many websites and resources available to a prospective Teaching Assistant, but the most important thing is to use the right ones for your specific situation. Facebook groups can be brilliant for sharing ideas. Some groups are used by staff to vent and can be really demotivating so find one that suits you. Some helpful websites and resources for teaching assistants include:

Free Courses for TAs – This article has lots of free, short courses suitable for teaching assistants. Undertaking and mentioning these in your personal statement or application may be a good way to get noticed if you have limited experience. the courses include, child development, SEN and subject specific courses.

Lots of schools engage with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) research. They have released a guidance report on effective use of Teaching Assistants . I would recommend reading this if you are looking at applying for a role as a TA. The poster is visual and easy to read.

NASEN are a brilliant organisation for those working in schools and supporting SEN learners. They have a range of mini-guides that are accessible, including Identifying and Supporting Children with SEND in the Early Years: PVI and governing body-led early years settings Mini Guide. All free.

In addition to all these free online resources, do not forget about the importance of protecting your online activity. Consider using a dual VPN   for an additional level of security when working in an online environment

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.

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Writing the perfect personal statement

Written by Emma Johnston

Thinking about applying for a new teaching position? With so many roles available on Eteach , there are sometimes hundreds of applications for each post. So how can you make sure that your personal statement (or cover letter) stands out from the crowd?

Showcase your strengths

Probably the most important part of any job application (particularly those relating to teaching roles) is the personal statement. Most schools require applicants to fill in forms rather than include a CV, so this is your chance to show off just how suitable you are for the position. Make sure that you match your skills and experiences to the job specification closely - include any year groups or subjects you have taught that are relevant to the role advertised, as well as general teaching areas that you feel are strengths, such as deployment of additional adults, creativity, or behaviour management.

Be creative

An effective way to ensure that your personal statement stands out from the outset is to include an interesting opening sentence. This could be expressing your excitement about finding the vacancy, a reference to a particular accomplishment of yours or even something humorous or surprising. Once you have caught the reader’s attention, you need to maintain it, so it is a good idea to vary your sentence structure and keep the content interesting and relevant.

Do your research

The school staff advertising the position will be looking for somebody who will fit in with the school’s ethos and environment. This means that you must tailor your personal statement closely to the school. Explain why you are attracted to the school and why you think you would be a good fit. Flattery gets you everywhere, so do your best to highlight the school’s strengths and positive aspects. If possible, I would always recommend trying to plan a visit to the school in advance, or even an informal telephone call with the headteacher, so that you can ask questions and get a feel for the place.

Do your research and have a look at their website and Ofsted report, then try to quote aspects from these in your letter, along with how your skills and experience fit in. Headteachers are looking for staff who can bring something extra to the school and meet their needs. For example, if the school is known for having quite challenging students, write about your behaviour management skills and how you have developed positive relationships with pupils in the past.

Express to impress

Headteachers also want to know that you are going to be enthusiastic and committed, so it is important to express through your cover letter just how much you love teaching. Provide real-life examples of when you have really made a difference to your pupils and added value to the lesson. You need to demonstrate that you are willing to go the extra mile for the students in your class. If this is going to be your first teaching role since completing your teacher training, then use examples from your placements or even non-teaching experiences that may be relevant.

Extra-curricular experience

Additional experiences all count towards making your application stand out. If you provide tuition (which you can do through our very own Education Boutique ) or take part in volunteering in your spare time, be sure to include this. Likewise, if you have any specific skills, such as knowledge of working with learners with special educational needs or experience preparing pupils for national assessments, do not forget to add this in. Include any extracurricular hobbies, interests or skills that you have – if you are fluent in Mandarin or an expert chess player, you could run an after-school club. Schools are keen to employ anybody who can expand their staff’s skillset.

End on a high note

When completing your personal statement, try to end on a positive note and thank your potential employer for taking the time to consider you. Don’t forget to proofread and ask somebody else to have a read if you can - a fresh pair of eyes is always useful.

Whichever role you are applying for, do not be disheartened if you aren’t successful. Eteach makes it easy to submit your details using our ‘Fast Apply’ tool, so you have the opportunity to apply for any vacancies that look like they might be a good match for you. With so many teaching jobs at your fingertips both in the UK and overseas, the world is your oyster. Search jobs

About the author

Emma johnston.

After graduating with a BA in Communications from Bournemouth University, Emma worked in public relations and marketing before deciding to undertake a PGCE at Kingston University and begin her journey as a primary school teacher. Emma taught for 15 years in schools around London and Surrey, in a variety of roles including lead practitioner and assistant headteacher. Emma now works for Eteach as Education Partnerships Coordinator, where she can share her knowledge of the education sector and support those beginning their teaching career.

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How To Write A Teaching Assistant Personal Statement

12 December 2022

Personal statements are often overlooked as a crucial element in the recruitment process, but they can be incredibly rewarding when conducted correctly.

Including a balanced blend of various sections, bringing together the perfect teaching assistant personal statement can enhance your application and give your potential employer an ideal glimpse into your professional and personal background. 

What is a Personal Statement for a Teaching Assistant?

A personal statement is a professional document that details your achievements, experience and interests. Personal statements are usually written as part of a job application to showcase the positive qualities of an applicant to a potential employer. 

In a personal statement, information such as the applicant’s work experience as well as previous education should be included. Goals and aspirations are also beneficial to include as it proves to an employer that you are focussed on working towards something.

Additionally, the personal statement should include any other relevant information that may apply to the desired position. By doing so, the employer can see how the applicant is the correct fit for the role and will gain an understanding of their personality and interests. 

What Should a Teaching Assistant’s Personal Statement Include?

There are many different combinations of aspects to include in a personal statement. Below are the five key elements we believe you should include to get the best out of your personal statement. 

A Brief Opening

A brief opening is an ideal way to introduce your personal statement to the employer. It should be descriptive and give the reader the opportunity to understand more about yourself, including your experiences and why you are right for the job. 

You should also include in this section the reasons for applying to work in this particular company and why they should offer the position to you. This brief opening is the perfect chance to express your personality, and it’s crucial that you do this before continuing on the remainder of your personal statement. 

Next, you should include an education section to align the position’s duties with your previous education. 

The education section of your personal statement isn’t just the chance to inform the employer of the school you attended. The section is designed to describe accomplishments and academic awards you may have achieved throughout your time in education.

Any significant achievements are key to include as it shows the employer how you strive to achieve the best and are willing to go the extra mile for success. 

The experience section of your personal statement should detail your professional experiences and how these would benefit you in your ideal role. 

For example, for a personal statement written for the position of teaching assistant, you should include any previous work experience that will demonstrate your competence in this sector.

By including these experiences, you can prove to your potential employer that you have the professional background to succeed in the chosen role. 

In your skills section, you should aim to include any skills that will help you in your role as a teaching assistant.

You could begin with your own educational skills and develop this to explain how this will help when interacting with students. 

Why You Want the Position

Finally, you should aim to detail exactly why you want the position offered at the conclusion stage of your personal statement. 

Explain to the employer how this position would assist you in developing your career should you be successful in the hiring process and when this opportunity would take you in the future. Including this near the end of your personal statement will force the reader to remember it as the last thing in their mind. 

Last but not least, finish your personal statement by thanking the recipient for their time. Doing so demonstrates that you are thankful for the opportunity and shows awareness of the importance of their time in considering you as an applicant. 

Teaching Assistant Roles from Always Flourishing.

At Always Flourishing, we are experienced in landing individuals in their perfect teaching roles. 

Whether you are looking to become a fully qualified teacher, a teaching assistant or a supply teacher, we have every opportunity for you. If you would like more information on the job roles we can offer, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

AUTHOR: Vicky Snee EMAIL: [email protected]

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Assistant Headteacher Personal Statement Example

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Personal Statement for Assistant Headteacher for Teaching. Learning and Curriculum FOR ADULTS. 4. 6 10 customer reviews. Author: Created by landoflearning. Preview. Created: Apr 6. 2016 | Updated: Mar 15. 2019. This is my own personal statement for the position of Assistant Headteacher for Teaching. Learning and Curriculum — a job which I got. Being able to download someone else’s personal . . .

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.

Assistant Headmaster 9/1/2005 to Current School for the Natural Environment — London Observe. supervise. and evaluate teachers and staff to further school’s vision of excellence Assist with curriculum development. instructional strategies and lesson planning. and oversee classroom activities. creating an environment conducive to learning

Examples of a Teaching Assistant’s Personal Statement. Teaching assistants support classroom teachers to provide information and additional resources for struggling students. Assistants might follow lesson plans for tutoring or remediation provided by the classroom teacher. or they might be expected to develop . . .

Supporting Statement for Assistant Headteacher job application (no rating) 0 customer reviews. Author: Created by atb. 2009. Preview. Created: Nov 12. 2019. Attached is my successful supporting statement for my Assistant Headteacher role. I hope that it may give you an insight into the content and structure needed for a strong application. Read more. £4. 00. Loading. . . Save for later. …

I would be grateful if you would accept this letter as an application for the post of Assistant Headteacher at Welham. I believe that I have the required skills and experience to make a success of this opportunity and I intend. throughout this letter. to suggest ways in which my contributions would be of value to such a position within your school.

Nicole Brown 27 Colmore Row Birmingham. England B3 2EW Cell: 07956 654 32 E-Mail: example-email@example. com Summary Determined and proactive Executive Assistant adept at coordinating international travel. organising large scale meetings. and managing third-party vendors. Highly self-motivated with a strong work ethic. Provide support with a sense of urgency to anticipate the needs of …

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 . . .

Example Admin Assistant Personal Statement: Organised and adaptable administrative assistant with four years’ experience working in various office environments. My attention to detail and excellent time management skills means that every task is completed efficiently and to the highest possible standard.

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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

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How to write a great personal statement for a teaching job.

Vinny Potter

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.

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Lift Schools

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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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.

Not sure if this is spam? Possibly useful although I’m not endorsing

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This is great info for those that really need it, thanks for adding!

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Assistant headteacher: what does the role involve?

Becoming an assistant headteacher might be a position you are interested in.

In large secondary schools there are often more than one assistant headteacher position. Each role will have a specific area of focus, for example, teaching and learning, assessment, reporting and data or a specific Key Stage responsibility.

At Edapt we support many assistant headteachers and senior leaders in England and Wales. You can access high-quality employment advice and support for your role by subscribing today.

To progress to the role of assistant headteacher you might already be a head of department or pastoral leader. You might have also decided to complete a National Professional Qualification in Senior Leadership (NPQSL) to support your application to assistant headteacher.

In this article, we link to job descriptions and person specifications for the role of assistant headteacher which outline the various roles and responsibilities.

Assistant headteacher: job descriptions

The New Wave Federation in Hackney has published a job description for an assistant headteacher position. The role reports to the executive headteacher and the teaching commitment is up to 40%. Key tasks and activities include:

• Undertaking full responsibility for all matters relating to the school in the absence of the Executive Headteacher
• Work flexibly in the presence of the Executive Headteacher to assist the smooth day to day management of the school working closely with staff of all designations
• Teach in classes across the school, demonstrating excellence in professional classroom practice
• Assist the Executive Headteacher in monitoring and reviewing the quality of teaching and learning including assessment, recording, and reporting pupils’ attainment to all statutory bodies
• Assist the Executive Headteacher/Headteacher in the whole school self evaluation processes
• Effectively lead the areas of responsibility developing policy and practice and ensuring effective self evaluation

Leadership and management skills outlined in the person specification include:

• Ability to support the strategic leadership of the school, contributing to strategic decisions taken by the Executive Headteacher 
• Ability to effectively delegate responsibilities to others in the school team, to ensure the successful operations of the areas of responsibility 
• Able to lead by example, be highly driven, motivated and motivate other staff

Candidates are advised that when completing the references section on the application form to ensure that: 

• Your first referee is your current, or most recent, employer
• You provide a referee who can attest for your ability to work with children; and, if you do not have an employment referee, please provide details of a tutor, lecturer or someone who can provide an appropriate character reference. Please explain any gaps in your employment/education history and reasons for these gaps, continuing onto an additional page if necessary

We have published another support article about how to request a reference from your school.

Assistant headteacher in teaching and learning

Bishop Stopford School in Northamptonshire has a job description for an assistant headteacher in teaching and learning . 

It explains, “The assistant headteacher will be responsible to the deputy headteacher and will work alongside SLT in defining, articulating and implementing the shared vision and values of the school through effective communication and engagement with all stakeholders.”

As assistant headteacher for teaching and learning you will:

• Support with the development of the school’s improvement plan and help devise strategies for development
• Ensure the accurate monitoring of teaching and learning standards within the school
• Maintain up-to-date records of teacher standards, CPD undertaken by staff and the impact of training and support programmes on teacher and student performance  
• Oversee and support with the training and development needs and requirements of all staff  promote career development and opportunities for career progression
• Ensure that teachers and other staff have high expectations of what students can achieve
• Ensure that teacher subject knowledge is secure and is updated in line with new curriculum requirements  
• Ensure that assessment information is used to plan appropriate teaching and learning strategies that enable all students to make good progress and achieve well

Assistant headteacher in assessment, recording and reporting progress

The Telford Priory School in Shropshire has candidate information for an assistant headteacher in assessment, recording and reporting progress . The role reports to the deputy head of student progress. 

The core responsibilities of the role include:

• Interpretation and analysis of internal and external data, providing summary reports to the head teacher, SLT, staff and governors
• Working with subject leaders to monitor, review and plan the most effective provision to support pupil progress in light of progress data
• To lead and manage the data team to facilitate effective data support of all staff
• To lead and manage all aspects of external and internal examinations
• Ensure effective assessment structures are in place across all departments that are clearly mapped into the school’s recording and reporting systems
• Work with subject leaders to ensure effective structures are in place to provide reliable and robust assessment data

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The information contained within this article is not a complete or final statement of the law. While Edapt has sought to ensure that the information is accurate and up-to-date, it is not responsible and will not be held liable for any inaccuracies and their consequences, including any loss arising from relying on this information. This article may contain information sourced from public sector bodies and licensed under the Open Government Licence. If you are an Edapt subscriber with an employment-related issue, please contact us and we will be able to refer you to one of our caseworkers.

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Headteacher Application - Personal Statement and cover letter. (Successful 2020))

Subject: Whole school

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Other

Last updated

18 December 2020

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A comprehensive covering letter and personal statement which I wrote during my recent job search. Although it obviously needed to be adapted to suit the needs of each school that I was applying for, I found that having a ‘base’ letter was extremely useful. I was shortlisted for each job I sent this application to (and gained a headship)

There was nothing on line at the time that I could use to guide/scaffold me, so I hope that someone finds this useful!

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