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Writing a personal statement for a PGCE

How To Write a PGCE Personal Statement

Your personal statement is crucial to the success of your application and must be well written, concise, well-structured. It must also clearly demonstrate your reasons for choosing teaching and your commitment and suitability for this career in only 47 lines!

Before applying, do your research. Find out what being a teacher is really like. Get experience in a school, talk to teachers and read careers information.

General Tips:

• Compose your statement in Word and cut and paste it into your online application. This will allow you to ensure it fits, that you have used spell check and have proofread it to ensure its word perfect. Personal statements with a poor level of written English will be rejected.
• Use Verdana 12 as this is the size and font used by UCAS.
• Ensure it has a good structure with an introduction, a middle and a conclusion.
• Get someone to check your final draft who is knowledgeable in this area and whose judgement you trust.
• Research the Training Provider you are applying for. Which skills/experience/qualifications do they expect?

Your Personal Statement should:

• be persuasive
• be fluent, realistic, relevant and specific
• mention young people- it is about enabling them to learn rather than why you want to teach
• overuse of short sentences all beginning with ‘I’
• general statements and narrative
• I feel/think/believe – instead, use positive action words e.g. planned/managed/implemented/organised
• making a statement without having evidence to back it up

Sections in your Personal Statement:

• Introduction- why teaching and why you?
• The relevance of your work experience
• What subject you want to teach and why?
• Additional factors
• Concluding paragraph

1.Introduction

Why teaching?

• What is your motivation? What has influenced your decision to teach? Avoid ‘I have always wanted to teach’ or ‘I believe teaching is worthwhile’ or ‘I like children’.
• Concentrate on what influenced your decision to teach, how the idea has developed and what can you offer in terms of personal skills and attributes.
• Have certain people influenced you? Why? How?
• Show your desire to work with young people and refer to evidence.

Make a list of skills and qualities that you have that can be linked to all the key skills that make an effective teacher and how you can demonstrate this with examples:

• Organisation
• Communication
• Energy & enthusiasm
• Responsibility
• Love of subject
• Team player

2.Relevant Experience

School-based experience:

• Where? Try to avoid visiting the school you attended as a pupil
• How long for? One day is probably not enough time to see what it means to be a teacher, you need enough time to gain a good understanding of teaching and schools.
• What did you do? Did you observe lessons, work as a TA, attend meetings/training/ research curriculum/teaching and learning/had a focus on EAL or SEND pupils?
• What Key Stages did you experience? Make sure it is relevant to the specific PGCE course you are applying for.
• What techniques did you observe? Effective and not effective and why?
• Lesson-planning
• Classroom organisation
• Classroom management
• Inclusion/ diversity issues e.g. English as an additional language (EAL); special educational needs (SEND); disadvantaged pupils and gifted and talented pupils.

Always say what you have done and how it demonstrates the skills required as a teacher. For example, ‘reading with a group of pupils showed me that…’ or ‘working with a low ability group allowed me to…’

Other work with young people (paid/unpaid): 

• Youth groups
• After school groups
• Summer camps

What if you don’t have any relevant experience?

Highlight the other experiences you have engaged in and use these to demonstrate your understanding of teaching and schools.

3. What subject you want to teach and why?

• For Secondary, you need to show that you are passionate about your subject area and passing on that enthusiasm to young people.
• Link to relevant work experience, what have you observed and match your skills to this.
• Refer to any research you have done regarding your subject and also the curriculum/ examinations you would be required to teach at that Key Stage
• Link your qualifications and wider reading to your subject knowledge, if your qualifications are not relevant you need to show how you are going to develop your subject knowledge in order to teach the subject.
• State why you have applied to this particular type of PGCE course e.g. school-based/ flexibility/ reputation.

4. Additional Factors

• Hobbies linked to the profession/ skill set e.g. value-added skills such as sport, music, language etc.
• Additional courses you have completed/ completing e.g. ICT, subject knowledge enhancement course etc.
• Further experiences planned for the future prior to commencing a PGCE course.

5. Concluding Paragraph

• State your commitment to the course, acknowledge that teaching requires dedication, stamina, time management, being pro-active
• Reinforce your reasons for being committed to teaching
• Demonstrate awareness of the physical and mental demands of the course and the profession
• Career plan – what is your goal for your teaching career?

A teacher’s must-have qualities:

• Interpersonal skills
• Ability to think of their feet
• Good time-management

Background Reading

www.ucas.com/ucas/teacher-training 

Times Educational Supplement ( www.tes.com )

www.theguardian.com/education

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Teacher Training Personal Statement Examples

What is a teacher training personal statement?

The teacher training personal statement is your opportunity to let training providers know about your qualities, skills and expertise, and why you want to teach.

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, be prepared to receive constructive feedback and write a few drafts before you send it off.

How do I write a good teacher training personal statement?

To help you write a successful teacher training personal statement, we recommend you include:

• use examples to back everything up, based on your teaching experience so far
• tailor your personal statement according to the age group you wish to teach
• write using concise English, using first person terms such as 'my' and 'I'
• be original and honest - don't embellish the truth or lie outright
• avoid clichés and general statements, such as 'since a young age' or 'I've always wanted to be a teacher'
• demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm for teaching.

You have up to 4,000 characters to write a memorable opening, middle and conclusion.

Don't waste your valuable space on writing about things that are already on your UCAS form elsewhere, such as your qualifications.

What should I include in my teacher training personal statement?

When planning out your personal statement, ask yourself what it is your training providers are looking for. Make sure your statement answers the following questions:

• Why do I want to teach? - show that you know about the challenges and rewards of teaching, and remember that everything has its ups and downs. Maybe talk about any lessons you have observed/taught, what went well and how you would have improved on them. Discuss teaching styles used and the use of technology in the classroom.
• Why do I want to teach this age group/at this level? - what appeals to you, and what experience do you have teaching these students/children?
• What are my strengths? - include the relevance of your degree and subject knowledge.
• What experience do I have? - include any experience you have of volunteering with children, such as teaching a sports team, youth work or working at a summer camp? Give examples of how this helpd develop your teaching skills.
• What personal skills/abilities do I have? - these might include research, creativity, time management, IT skills, problem solving, managing people, organisational skills, listening skills, leading or working in a team. To strengthen your application, make sure you back everything up with examples.
• Are there are any location restrictions? - if you don't currently live in the UK, why do you want to study here? Are you willing to move away from your current home town/city for your degree?

You only have up to 47 lines (4,000 characters including spaces) in which to persuade your chosen initial teacher training (ITT) providers to offer you an interview. The statement must be concise, enthusiastic and sell your potential to be a successful teacher.

For more help and advice on what to write in your teacher training personal statement, please see:

• Personal Statement Editing Services
• Personal Statement Tips From A Teacher
• Analysis Of A Personal Statement
• The 15th January UCAS Deadline: 4 Ways To Avoid Missing It
• Personal Statement FAQs
• Personal Statement Timeline
• 10 Top Personal Statement Writing Tips
• What To Do If You Miss The 15th January UCAS Deadline.

What is a teacher training degree?

Teacher training degrees combine the study of curriculum subjects with learning teaching techniques and putting these into practice during hands-on school placements. The course leads to QTS (qualified teacher status) to enable you to teach in a school or college.

How long is a teacher training course?

To teach in England and Wales you need to gain QTS. You will obtain this on an ITT programme, which could be school or university-based and takes approximately one year to complete.

How do I become a teacher with a degree?

To teach as a qualified teacher in England, you'll need qualified teacher status (QTS). If you already have a degree, you can complete a postgraduate teacher training course to achieve this. Additionally, you'll need to have a GCSE at grade C/4 in maths and English, as well as science if you want to teach primary.

Can I train to be a teacher without a degree?

Unfortunately no - you cannot become a teacher without a degree.

But if you are an undergraduate or have a degree in a different subject than what you want to teach, there are options to help you get into a teaching career.

Will I get paid for teacher training?

There are three types of funding available for teacher training - depending on your circumstances, you could receive all three:

• Tax-free bursary or scholarship.
• Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan.
• Extra financial support if you're a parent, have an adult dependant or a disability.

Further information

For more tips and advice on teacher training personal statements, please see:

• GetIntoTeaching
• The Complete University Guide

Related resources

Teacher training interview questions.

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Applying For Teacher Training Courses

6 Personal Statement Writing Tips

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How to write your teacher training personal statement

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The ingredients of a convincing teacher training personal statement are:

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

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

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

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

The magic ingredient: Examples from your own experience

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get your referee geared up

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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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What is scitt.

Those looking to become a teacher or build-up previous teaching qualifications with a postgraduate degree, look no further.

The SCITT programme is a great way for students who are looking to gain a QTS qualification . It is a great qualification for students who are looking to become a teacher and is a perfect way to gain a postgraduate qualification

What does SCITT stand for?

SCITT stands for School Centred Initial Teacher Training.

SCITT Programmes are teacher training courses that lead students into a QTS. A SCITT programme can award students with a PGCE degree , although this does not always happen.

So, what is a SCITT in schools? The programme for a SCITT is run by local schools, who are focusing on giving graduates the chance to get some practical teacher training and to also give graduates the chance to learn on the job as well.

How to apply for SCITT and SCITT entry requirements

You will have to apply for the SCITT via the UCAS Teacher Training Portal .

As it is the case with most applications through UCAS, you will need to provide a Personal Statement and two referees. Once your application has been accepted (if it is accepted), you will be invited for an interview, which isn’t too dissimilar to a university interview . Once you've done this, you may be required to complete an aptitude test .

As for entry requirements, in order to take part in the SCITT Programme, you will be required to have a C at GCSE level in Mathematics and a C in English (Literature or Language) and students who have ambitions towards teaching primary aged children, will need to attain a grade C in Science subjects as well.

How much does SCITT cost?

So, how much is SCITT?

The cost of SCITT can change depending on where you are studying and what you are studying, but more often than not, it is around £9,000. It is relatively similar to the PGCE and the PGDE qualification in terms of funding, however, the PGCE does have it’s own PGCE funding options as well.

There are a number of bursaries, grants and scholarships for students who are looking to participate in the SCITT. SCITT funding could be very useful.

Those who have a PhD or a Masters at a 2:2 level or higher, are able to claim a bursary of around £26,000 as long as their 2:2 is in one of these subjects:

• Modern Foreign Languages
• Mathematics

Those who have a 2:2 or higher in Mathematics are entitled to a bursary of £30,000.

There are bursaries available in other subjects as well, but these don’t receive a bursary as high as £26,000. The following subjects are entitled to a bursary between £4,000 and £15,000:

• Design and Technology
• Religious Studies
• Primary Mathematics

There are also some scholarships available for students as well. Scholarships can go a tad higher than both bursaries, as they can fetch around £28,000 for students (£32,000 if you're studying Mathematics).

The following subjects are eligible for scholarships:

• Modern Foreign Languages (French, German and Spanish)

Your eligibility for these bursaries, grants or scholarships will all depend on you, as their may be different rules, laws, standards and regulations, especially for international students, but there are also scholarships available for international students as well.

Can I get paid on SCITT?

Unfortunately, no. These are not paid placements. You may end up with a pretty sweet gig at the end of it at the school who is teaching you, but it’s unlikely that you'll get paid before then.

Anyone who does want to be paid for doing a SCITT, may want to apply for The School Direct programme instead, which works in the same way, but with an added financial incentive in it.

What is the difference between SCITT and School Direct?

There isn't too much between the two, in reality.

Both offer routes into teacher training and both have the ability to award students with a PGCE qualification. The main differences are that SCITT itself awards a PGCE in a SCITT, whereas, those studying the School Direct will have their PGCE awarded by their HEI (Higher Education Institute) partner.

SCITT teaching is a great way for students to learn more about the world of teacher training and also about what the challenges are for you when you start teaching as well.

undergraduate Universities

Undergraduate uni's.

Ravensbourne

Uni of Surrey

434 courses

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273 courses

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West London IoT

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470 courses

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265 courses

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444 courses

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Escape Studios

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547 courses

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338 courses

UWE, Bristol

252 courses

Kingston Uni

373 courses

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801 courses

Leeds Arts University

Anglia Ruskin Uni

464 courses

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458 courses

Uni of C.Lancashire

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Edge Hill Uni

243 courses

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274 courses

Nottingham Trent

537 courses

Edinburgh Napier

184 courses

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• Tes Institute

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

Teacher training personal statements: the dos and don'ts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Find out more about about SKE

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

In summary:

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

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

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• Teacher training

Kingsbridge Teacher Training, Rivington Ave, Platt Bridge, Wigan, WN2 5NG

01942 487999 Option 6

[email protected]

Kingsbridge SCITT

Every lesson shapes a life through Kingsbridge Teacher Training

• Our vision and values - Why Kingsbridge?
• What you will achieve?
• Support for your learning journey
• Route 1 Initial Teacher Training
• Postgraduate Teacher Apprenticeship - Secondary Recruitment
• Apprenticeship Training Plan (formerly known as commitment statement)
• End-Point Assessment Service
• Teacher Educator Programme (TEP)
• Register your schools interest in our Teaching Apprenticeship Programme
• Create a Partnership with Kingsbridge
• Mentor Information
• Entry Criteria
• Trainee Teacher Role Description and Person Specification
• An effective personal Statement
• The Interview Process | Keeping Children Safe in Education
• Wellbeing & Workload Support
• SCITT Equal Opportunity Statement
• DfE Apply - Apply for teacher training
• A day in the life of a Teacher
• General Data Protection Regulations
• HTB Terms of Reference
• Safeguarding

An effective personal statement

We ask everyone who applies for a place at Kingsbridge to tell us why they want to join us. The personal statement is your chance to sell yourself to us. We want to know why you want to be a teacher and what drives you. We want to feel your passion for your chosen career path and we want to hear about what you have done so far to make it happen.

We give you 4,000 characters to tell your story and it’s up to you to make the most of it. The kind of things we’re looking for include your skills and experience, not just in teaching but in all aspects of life. We want to hear about your determination to make a difference to the lives of children and young people and the personal attributes that you possess that will help you to do this.

Make sure you proof read your statement before submitting - it’s a good idea to get someone else to read through it as well. Remember - articulation, grammar, spelling, punctuation and presentation are what we are all about!

UCAS offers some great tips on how to write your personal statement and you can find them  here .

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In This Section

• Your Personal Statement
• How to Apply

There’s a single application for all of your choices, and this includes a personal statement.

Your personal statement is your opportunity to let your chosen training providers know about your qualities, skills and expertise, and why you want to be a teacher.

You can only complete one personal statement for all the choices you make in both Round1 and Round 2. You can’t change it or create different ones for your choices.

Explain why you have chosen your particular subject and/or age range (for Primary), and the skills and attributes you have that make them appropriate for you.

What to include

Think carefully about the things we will want to know about you. You’ll probably want to include things like:

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

In addition to the details you give in the school and work experience section, you can also expand on your experience of teaching, such as visits to schools, classroom observations or working as a teaching assistant.

How to write it

Draft a copy of your personal statement and then copy it into your application form.  You might want someone to proof read it before hand.

•  Check the grammar, punctuation and spelling

Don’t copy!

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

  More Information and Advice

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• About Essex & Thames Education
• Where Are Our Schools Based?
• Why Train with Us?
• Meet The Team
• Get Into Teaching
• Assessment-Only
• Teacher Training Frequently Asked Questions
• Qualities and Qualifications
• Teacher Training Recruitment Process
• Teacher Training Course Costs
• Sources of Finance
• What’s On

'Putting Pupils First, Training Excellent Teachers'

Call us today on 01268 988580 or click here to get in touch

Home / How To Apply / Apply Now

Welcome to our step-by-step application guide! If you’re considering a rewarding career in teaching, applying for a teacher training course in the UK is your first major step. This page is here to guide you through every stage of the application process, from understanding the entry requirements and choosing the right course, to filling out your application form correctly. We’re here to make this process as straightforward as possible, so let’s get started on your journey towards becoming an inspiring educator.

If you’re considering a rewarding career in teaching, applying for a teacher training course is your first major step. We’re here to make this process as straightforward as possible, so let’s get started on your journey towards becoming an inspiring educator…

• Checked that you meet the entry requirements
• Selected the best course for you
• Drafted your personal statement
• Identified your two referees
• Gathered a portfolio of all your examination certificates to date

How do I make a course application?

Access the government ‘Apply’ website using the button below for our 2024-25 initial teacher training courses. Select Essex and Thames SCITT as the training provider. All courses have a specific code that you will need. You can find this on the ‘Apply’ website and our handy list of courses .

Alternatively, you can directly apply to us using the below button for the  2025/26 and 2026/27 courses 

Below, you will also find a button to our assessment-only route page to check that you qualify and to access the application form.

Discover some great tips here when writing your application and personal statement .

APPLY for 24-25

APPLY directly to us

Assessment Only

"Opportunities to reflect on what they have learned with mentors and tutors ensure trainees apply this new knowledge into their teaching."

If you would like some more information about Essex & Thames SCITT, or would like us to contact you, please complete all your details in the form below:

• Name * First
• I consent to Essex & Thames SCITT collecting and storing my data from this form
• I consent to receiving marketing material from Essex & Thames SCITT
• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

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• PGCE 3 – 7
• PGCE 5 – 11
• Assessment Only
• HLTA Status Course
• Our Schools
• Personal Statement Tips

DEVELOPING GREAT TEACHERS

Our individualised training and classroom practice focuses on developing adaptive teachers who make a difference to pupils’ learning, enabling them to be great Early Career Teachers.

CONSIDERING TEACHER

If you are thinking about joining the teaching profession in London and want to know more about our programme contact us now!

WHERE WE TRAIN

Our teacher training is school based in innovative and transforming primary settings throughout London. Additional training takes place at our ITT Centre in the heart of London.

WHY CHOOSE US?

Teaching London SCITT and the LDBS partnership have been training Outstanding teachers for over 20 years. Our graduate training leads to Qualified Teacher Status with a PGCE. We also run the Assessment Only Route for unqualified/Overseas Trained Teachers. We are a small and experienced provider, offering bespoke training within a highly supportive environment. Consistently high quality training with excellent outcomes for trainees with employment over the last 3 years. Personalised, proactive and highly responsive provision for trainees and schools, reflecting local and national agendas.

Small and experienced provider, offering bespoke training within a highly supportive environment.

Consistently high quality training with excellent outcomes for Trainees with 98% employment over the last 3 years.

Personalised, proactive and highly responsive provision for Trainees and schools, reflecting local and national agendas.

Established and rigorous training programme for Mentors which supports Trainees’ learning in school with over 47 centre-based training days per annum.

Supporting schools to build a sustainable workforce with our graduates in local communities.

Friendly, efficient and caring team: accessible staff who put well-being at the centre of training. Our values are at the heart of everything we do: wisdom, trust, humility, creativity, justice and service.

• A highly trained and friendly admin team will consistently support you from your first enquiry, to graduation and beyond

YOUR WELLBEING

From the outset, we support our applicants in making sure they are in a good position to start their training.

Our Success

98% of our teacher training graduates gain employment, the majority in one of the schools they trained in, making a smooth and successful transition from trainee to ECT.

Want to know more about Teaching London: LDBS SCITT?

We’re always happy to discuss any aspect of our teacher training in London.

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By submitting this form I give my consent to Teaching London to contact me regarding my enquiry. Your information will only be used for this purpose.

© 2024 | Teaching London: LDBS SCITT | 2 West End Lane, Kilburn, London, NW6 4NT | 0207 932 1126 | [email protected]

School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT)

Our programme provides high-quality training that shapes brilliant teachers.

Are you a Teaching School Hub or Multi-Academy Trust? Partner with us to deliver our new School-Centred Initial Teacher Training programme  in your region.

Your work will help individuals develop into inspiring teachers or mentors, while supporting schools to deliver the excellent teaching their children need. This one-year programme for trainees and mentors includes:

• research-led self-directed study
• live training
• one-to-one support

This is an unsalaried, fee-funded route and our first cohort will begin in September 2024.

Partnering with Teach First means you can offer the full 'Golden Thread' of teacher and leadership development across your schools, from Initial Teacher Training (ITT) through to Executive Leadership.

SCITT trainees benefit from:

• a structured one-year programme of training and support
• online and face to face training modules
• access to expert training materials
• an experienced mentor
• the opportunity to train in a school local to them.

Schools benefit from:

• an unsalaried trainee teacher on a high-quality programme with expert support
• a trainee placed in school for the whole year (except for an additional six week placement) who builds up their teaching allocation throughout the year, providing capacity to your school
• high-quality training for a middle leader to become a great mentor.

Everyone benefits from our:

Experience - 20 years of delivering high-quality teacher education.

Expertise - Evidence and research-led training created by experts in teaching and teacher development.

Specialist training - Subject-specific training to ensure teachers can build on what they know and unlock their full potential.

What makes Teach First a great SCITT partner?

We’re the largest ITT provider in the country and have been committed to driving change in the system for the last 20 years. 

We’ve taken the unparalleled experience and expertise we’ve gained from our Training Programme to develop our new School-Centred Initial Teacher Training Programme . Our Training Programme was recently inspected by Ofsted and has again been rated “outstanding” in all areas in both primary and secondary phases.

Our high-quality, evidence-led SCITT training is designed with schools, for schools. We work with a wide range of educational experts and school leaders – including delivery partners like you – to bring concrete school experience to our training content. If you choose to partner with us , there will be ongoing and meaningful opportunities to collaborate and continually enhance our programmes and processes.

The success of our recent Ofsted Lead Provider visit for Early Career Framework (ECF) and National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) emphasises the strength of our relationships with delivery partners, the quality of our curriculum and our impact on schools.

Partner with us

We’re proud to already be working with several Teaching School Hubs and Multi-Academy Trusts across the country to deliver the ECF and the full suite of NPQs.

We’re now looking for partners to recruit for and deliver our School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) programme to trainees and schools across all regions in England. We bring our expertise in developing the highest-quality training, while you bring the knowledge of what the schools and communities in your area really need.

Interested in working with us?

Email [email protected] to start building our partnership together.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Teaching School Hub? We're here to help.

We can get your multi-academy trust to thrive..

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