best personal statement for primary teaching

Crafting a Compelling Teaching Personal Statement

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

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

What Inspired You:

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

Showcase Key Achievements:

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

Showcase Teaching Skills:

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

Keep It Concise and Well-Structured:

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

Proofread and Edit:

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

Show Enthusiasm:

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

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

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

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Writing a Personal Statement

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Back this up with an example from your training.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You can download the word version of this

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How to write the perfect teaching personal statement

Application and interview, tes editorial.

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

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

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

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

The personal statement: why does it matter? 

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

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

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

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

What does a great teaching personal statement look like?

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

What should it contain?

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

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

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

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

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

How can a candidate stand out in a personal statement?

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

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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.

Supported by:

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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How to write a teacher personal statement

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

What experience do you have?

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

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

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

Are you engaged in teaching theory and research?

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

Are you up to date on safeguarding statutory guidance?

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

What are your skills and qualities?

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

How can you contribute to wider school life?

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

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Personal statement for PGCE primary

This is your chance to explain why you want to teach primary age children and convey your enthusiasm for teaching

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

Example personal statement for PGCE primary

In my early education, reading and writing were a challenge. At age nine I received a diagnosis of dyslexia bringing with it extra support from the school. This gave me a real determination to overcome my disability. It drove me to study hard, achieve high GCSE and A-level grades and go on to achieve a 2:1 in criminology at the University of England. Although this is not a national curriculum subject, working through and coping with my dyslexia at university helped me nurture my own love of learning. I aim to emulate the support provided to me to ensure that no child is left behind in their learning due to barriers they may experience. I believe that being dyslexic will give me a unique insight into the support requirements of dyslexic children but I am aware that children face many other personal, social and emotional challenges alongside learning disabilities. Recognising these barriers and helping each child to have the confidence to succeed is one goal I hope to achieve as a teacher.

I began spending one day a week, then two days a week in a primary school, which has strengthened my love of learning. I spent time in both Key Stage 1 and 2 classrooms and have so far completed 40 days in a school. I observed lessons such as English, maths, Spanish, science and art, listened to pupils read, and went on to work with small groups. I started to grasp lesson planning and discuss with teachers' current educational issues, such as the changing curriculum. I was able to observe how different teachers handle classroom and behaviour management, particularly picking up on the importance of maintaining an assertive yet sympathetic style. This all shapes my classroom practice to become more effective, for example seeing someone moving up a reading band as a result of the extra time I gave to them. Recently I saw a child making good decisions with their behaviour as a result of the plans we made together. I am gaining experience currently with a year three class of 30 children, working with them one-to-one, in groups and leading the whole class. Learning to think on my feet numerous times a day is challenging but rewarding, especially when I receive positive feedback on my lessons.

For the past two years I have been a volunteer leader with my local Cub Scout group, consisting of 30 boys and girls aged between eight and ten years. This encompasses weekly meetings, trips and overnight camps. During camps, along with the other leaders, I am responsible for the children's physical and emotional wellbeing. I need many of the skills I have seen in the classroom to be an excellent leader. A highlight was being able to use my craft and sewing skills to instigate and lead a mural making project with the completed mural now proudly displayed in the scout hut. Resilience, good judgement, enthusiasm, energy, patience, creativity, responsibility, leadership, reliability and stamina are all essential. Being a volunteer leader has helped me grow my confidence, leadership and communication skills, which I look forward to bringing into the classroom.

Through my studies, work experience and volunteering, I have received and given feedback. I know how essential it is to provide constructive feedback that will help the recipient learn and develop rather than become demoralised. I have witnessed teachers providing meaningful and specific feedback to pupils and how this raises their self-esteem. I have learned from this and practised it in my own interactions with children, with positive results.

I wish to specialise in working with Key Stages 1 and 2 as I feel it is demanding but hugely rewarding to work with children at this vital formative period in their educational development. I am aware that the children within each class could be at vastly different levels in relation to their abilities.. Being able to confidently ascertain their levels and differentiate the work accordingly is something that I know I will need to master.

I achieved high grades in law, biology and statistics at A-level. I believe these subjects have provided me with a broad knowledge base to enable me to teach the full primary national curriculum. Even though I didn’t study any design-related subjects at college, I do consider myself a creative person so would relish the chance to teach subjects such as art, music and drama alongside the core subjects of English, maths and science.

My criminology degree provided me with many relevant skills including data analysis, essay writing, critical analysis and research. I also developed the ability to work to a deadline under pressure, both independently and in groups, something I feel is directly relevant to teaching. Learning about the social inequalities in society alongside modules on safeguarding have provided me with a deeper insight into the affect these things can have, not only on a child but also the family and wider community. 

During my degree I undertook a one-month work placement with a homeless charity. I was tasked with trying to find valuable work experience to boost the self-esteem and self-worth of the individuals. This was a humbling and eye-opening experience. I met some truly amazing people both within the charity and among the service users. The many knock backs I received from companies helped to build my resilience and determination culminating in successfully finding an organisation that was willing to offer experience and training in the catering industry.

I believe that schools should be a safe and welcoming environment where children feel comfortable to express themselves, which in turn will aid their ability and willingness to learn. I hope that I will one day be able to provide this to all the children I teach.

Tailor your statement to primary teaching and include:

• Why you'd like to teach this age group.
• Elements from your degree that have helped to prepare you to become a primary school teacher.
• Skills you have developed and where you gained them, such as communication, patience, resilience and planning.
• Any examples you have working with the age group you wish to teach. This could be classroom based as well as through play schemes, youth groups and summer camps.
• Any specialist training such as safeguarding, first aid or mentoring.
• How your own educational background has influenced your desire to teach.
• Your understanding of the primary national curriculum.
• Your thoughts on children's wellbeing within the education system.

Find out more

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

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Writing a pgce personal statement.

If you’re applying to train as a teacher you’ll be required to write a personal statement as part of your application.

Take your time writing your personal statement. It’s your first chance to make a good impression so it's well worth investing time to develop a clear structure and style of writing.

It’s a good idea to proofread your statement thoroughly and get others to read through and check for typos, grammatical errors, style, and tone.

What's the personal statement for? 

The personal statement is crucial to your PGCE application; it is used primarily to decide whether to invite you for an interview. A poorly written personal statement could end your teaching career before it has started!

This is your chance to demonstrate what you have to offer as a teacher. You should also explain why you want to teach a particular subject or age range, and how your skills and experience will help you become a great teacher. It’s your chance to show your motivation, commitment and teaching potential and an opportunity to show your enthusiasm for teaching a particular subject or age group.

Remember, you only get one opportunity to write a personal statement for both cycles of applications, so it’s important to keep in mind that you should avoid creating tailored personal statements for each university.

How to write and structure your personal statement

The personal statement is split into two sections totalling a maximum of 1,000 words. It’s important to make sure you do not repeat yourself and to take time to ensure that each section is organised coherently. Divide your writing into paragraphs, each dealing with a particular aspect of the question.

Section 1: Why do you want to teach?

(Up to 600 words).

This is the place to talk about why you think you would make a great teacher. You can include:  

• what has led you to choose teacher training
• your understanding of the demands and rewards of the PGCE course and of the teaching profession
• the personal qualities that will make you a valuable asset to a school
• details of any paid or unpaid experience you have of working with young people and what you learnt
• details of any other experiences which you can bring to the teaching profession. Think about any ‘transferable skills’ or qualities which you have developed which may be relevant to teaching.
• If you are a career-changer, what have you been doing and what are your reasons for the switch to teaching?
• your thoughts on children’s wellbeing and the education system

Your personal statement should tell us why you want to teach, your skills and about any experience you might have of working with young people or in the education sector. If you are taking any exams or additional study before starting the course, particularly if this relates to your eligibility to join the course, we want to hear about it.

It should also show that you understand the education system, what challenges teachers face and that you’re engaged with issues around education.

If you’ve not taught before, think about any other things you’ve done that might demonstrate the skills you’ll need to be a teacher (your transferable skills).

Although it’s a good place to expand on your skills and experience, this shouldn’t be the main focus of your personal statement as the rest of the application will showcase this.

Section 2: Why are you suited to teach your subjects or age group?

Up to 400 words.

Remember to not repeat anything you have already said in section 1!

If you’re writing a personal statement for secondary teacher training, use this section to describe your knowledge and experience of the subjects you’ve chosen. Any work experience in the field will be of interest.

What universities are looking for

Universities want to see your passion for teaching and understand why you think teaching this subject or age group is the right career for you.

Your personal statement should be original and honest. Try and avoid clichés or writing what you think we want to hear. All we really want to hear are the real reasons you’re applying to study a PGCE and become a teacher.

If you’re writing a personal statement for primary teacher training, say why you’d like to teach this age group. If you are particularly interested in certain primary subjects or have relevant experience in them, you can talk about that here too.  

You could talk about:

• any relevant work or unpaid experience
• your degree and degree modules
• your other relevant qualifications, such as A levels
• any relevant skills, interests or achievements
• your understanding of the national curriculum

Questions your personal statement should answer

• Why do you want to be a teacher? 
• Why do you want to teach a particular subject, Key Stage or age group? 
• What are your strengths? 
• What experience do you have and how has this influenced your desire to teach? 
• What skills do you have that would be useful for teaching

The finer details

Your personal statement should be:

• no more than 1000 words
• written in the first-person 
• grammatically correct - we suggest writing in a document before adding to your application
• your own work, don’t copy from anywhere online 
• structured correctly with a clear introduction, evidenced paragraphs and a conclusion 
• proof-read before being submitted

And finally, be prepared to answer questions about what you’ve written in your personal statement at the interview stage!

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PGCE Secondary English with Media - PGCE

Train to teach English and media to 11 to 16-year-olds and, by arrangement, 16 to 18-year-olds.

PGCE Secondary Mathematics - PGCE

Train to teach maths to 11 to 16-year-olds and, by arrangement, 16 to 18-year-olds. This course leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

PGCE Secondary Modern Languages - PGCE

Train to teach modern languages to 11 to 16-year-olds and, by arrangement, 16 to 18-year-olds with our PGCE course that leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

PGCE Secondary Science with Biology - PGCE

Train to teach science and biology to 11 to 16-year-olds and, by arrangement, 16 to 18-year-olds on this PGCE course that leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

PGCE Secondary Science with Chemistry - PGCE

Train to teach science and chemistry to 11 to 16-year-olds and, by arrangement, 16 to 18-year-olds. This PGCE course leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

PGCE Secondary Science with Physics - PGCE

Train to teach science and physics to 11 to 16-year-olds and, by arrangement, 16 to 18-year-olds on our PGCE course that leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Primary (7-11) (Key Stage 2) - PGCE

Train to teach seven to 11-year-olds on our specialist Key Stage 2 course, with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

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Teacher training personal statement example (primary pgce) 2.

I am one of ten, so you may see why I would like to work with children. I wasn't always sure as to what profession I would like to join but for the past couple of years it has became apparent that I want to work with children. This was mainly influenced by a new addition to my family, my nephew.

For the past year I have helped develop his skills and encouraged him to learn new things. I truly value the sense of achievement gained in teaching new skills to children and I wish to continue to do so, and this is therefore one of the main reasons for wanting to join a teaching course for key stages 1 and 2.

Discovering my love for helping and supporting others I chose to broaden my knowledge of the teaching experience by completing two work experience placements within a primary school environment. For two weeks I shadowed various teaching staff, observing their teaching techniques and the ways in which they support the children.

I found each day a new challenge as new faces, new personalities were emerging which brought various obstacles my way as different methods of teaching were needed. The most enjoyable aspect of this work environment is that no day is ever the same. -New lessons, new people. It was exciting to know I had the opportunity to assist in someone's learning, gaining satisfaction from seeing the new skill acquired.

This particular experience, working within a primary school environment, allowed me to acquire a number of skills and also help enhance my weaker ones. I have always acknowledged the fact that I can be a very good listener and a good communicator which is an important quality needed. I found that my communication ability improved as I got to know students which encouraged my confidence to escalate.

I am able to work well independently and can also work very well as part as a team, which became obvious to me during my stay at my placement. I have also demonstrated this throughout the majority of my school experience, for example, when playing team sports, such as Netball, Rounders, Badminton, Athletics, etc.

During my school experience I have embarked on a number of activities which exhibit my more positive qualities that I have thoroughly developed within the past few years. Such activities include helping out at events such as Open Days, Parents' Evenings, Welcome Club, etc. In doing so, I have shown I am a polite, mature, organized and committed young adult.

I am currently a School Prefect and buddy, working closely with the years 7, 8 and 9 students. My role is to represent the school in a positive and professional manner. I believe I do this well as I portray an enthusiastic, responsible and reliable image. In order for me to have been considered to be a Prefect or a buddy I needed to have the essential qualities for that particular role.

Such qualities needed are congruence, resilience and assertiveness. These specific qualities, I believe, have been made evident to my teaching staff as a result of the community work in school I have taken part in. I have accomplished my British Red Cross basic First Aid certificate which I completed at school. I have also achieved my Food Hygiene, Business Dynamics and Junior Sports Leadership Certificates.

I am very much looking forward to expanding my practical and theoretical knowledge by attending university. In pursuing a degree in teaching, I seek to advance my knowledge of educational studies and improve my personal skills. I ask you to give me the opportunity to further my education as I know I have the commitment, the patience and the persistence to succeed.

Profile info

This personal statement was written by esther for application in 2007.

esther's Comments

constructive criticism please =] and thankyou very much for your comments and thankyou in advance =] =] I am applying for the following universities: Gloustershire, Manchester Metropollian, Wocester, Winchester and Wolverhampton

Related Personal Statements

Wed, 03/10/2007 - 11:58

i think this statement is amazing :D i'd definatley use this as mine whoever did this deserves to get a place at their university of their choice

very good!! im very proud of

Wed, 03/10/2007 - 12:34

very good!! im very proud of you even though i dont know you!! lmao

yh this is a good personal

Wed, 03/10/2007 - 12:44

yh this is a good personal statement. well done =]

Wed, 03/10/2007 - 19:41

Thought it was great I hope

Fri, 05/10/2007 - 13:32

Thought it was great I hope thawt you achieve your goal you deserve to

slightly too repetitive with

Sat, 06/10/2007 - 09:28

slightly too repetitive with grammar mistakes. i felt you needed to push on and tell us your interests outside of education. Its what they want also, depite the positive critism, overall a decently constructed statement, good luck.

very very good - only thing

Mon, 08/10/2007 - 19:52

very very good - only thing missing is personal info well done!!!

I like the sentence structure

Tue, 09/10/2007 - 18:55

I like the sentence structure, it is very well done, and good use of vocabularies, however, spelling errors, and grammar needs work.

this statement has really

Tue, 23/10/2007 - 17:43

this statement has really helped me in writing mine - thank you

i think that this statement

Tue, 30/10/2007 - 14:47

i think that this statement is amzing! i think you have done a very good job at writting it and im jealous! im trying to write mine just now but i seem to have writters block :( any tips? xx

This statement is very boring

Tue, 20/11/2007 - 14:09

This statement is very boring and also very long fix it up

Sun, 06/01/2008 - 13:37

I am applying for a place on a Graduate Teacher Programme... your statment has helped me with ideas on how to 'sell myself'!

Firstly, I would like to

Fri, 18/01/2008 - 12:20

Firstly, I would like to congratulate this person for the amazing Personal Statement that has written. I think that it sounds very honest and realiable. Although it is a bit too long. CONGRATULATIONS

Mon, 21/01/2008 - 04:39

i think it's very good and interesting :)))

Tue, 04/03/2008 - 14:58

dis personal statment help me to find out why i would like to do teaching as well.fanx xx

not brilliant. dont get me

Thu, 27/03/2008 - 18:28

not brilliant. dont get me wrong its good. but its dodgy gramatically. and looooong

Really good

Sun, 20/04/2008 - 16:39

I'd be interested to know if you ogt the placement after sending this in?

Wed, 30/04/2008 - 20:19

what an outstanding statement

This statement has really

Thu, 01/05/2008 - 10:39

This statement has really helped me with some ideas for mine. Thank you.

Fantastic!!!

Sun, 29/06/2008 - 20:06

This is really good with the right length of information. Well done wish you all the best! :)

this personal statement

Wed, 02/07/2008 - 16:54

this personal statement helped me soooo much - i just did not know where to start and i thought that this one was way better than the example that my tutor gave me. it gave me so many ideas. thank-you so much!

This helped me alot although

Tue, 08/07/2008 - 11:36

This helped me alot although it is quite long and you need to check through your grammar.

Sun, 21/09/2008 - 14:05

posted by Rummana

Tue, 23/09/2008 - 12:45

i believe that very gud yes yes very gud! me like long words and full stops used very well, gud job! and i want to say thank you fo lettin me read dis it very nice of you to give me guidence thank you bye bye

i think this is a good

Wed, 01/10/2008 - 20:07

i think this is a good statement. it has helped me with my personal statement, as i didnt have a clue where to even start!!

this a really gud statment,

Tue, 14/10/2008 - 13:32

this a really gud statment, all the best wishes, gud luk you deserve it. well done

You made some good points,

Wed, 05/11/2008 - 14:08

You made some good points, but obvioulsy thought they were so good you needed to repeat them, two or times over. Otherwise impressive :]

interesting and good but

Thu, 06/11/2008 - 18:06

interesting and good but should have mentioned your out of education skills. in otherwards what interests you apart from teaching.

Wed, 19/11/2008 - 17:35

This personal statement is very analytical and you have covered crucial points to enable you a place on a teaching course..well done and good luck!

Helped thank you

Fri, 21/11/2008 - 19:18

Helped me to write my personal statement as my shool did very little to show me what i was actually meant to do!! Thank you!! =]

This is the best statement i

Thu, 26/03/2009 - 16:37

This is the best statement i have read and have used this to help me. thanks.

this is good but like some

Wed, 13/05/2009 - 14:37

this is good but like some others said a little repetitive but go you for trying!!

Thu, 15/10/2009 - 07:22

This personal statement is really good and maybe i'll use some of the things in it that i applies to me

why is it so hard to write a

Fri, 22/01/2010 - 12:04

why is it so hard to write a personal statement??

very long, repetitive, and

Thu, 18/02/2010 - 17:39

very long, repetitive, and grammer and spelling needs checking. otherwise okay

I wouldn't give you a place

Fri, 17/09/2010 - 09:44

I wouldn't give you a place if it was upto me, sorry but how far up yourself can you be? Do you only go to school? There is nothing about outside of school.

Thu, 23/09/2010 - 11:24

i think this is very good thanks dudealicous

thanks babe

this is an excellent personal

Thu, 14/10/2010 - 21:39

this is an excellent personal statement you realy know what you are talking about, I am applying for the same thing so i hope alongside you i get a place in the uni's i am opting for. x

People are saying this is too

Thu, 21/10/2010 - 17:53

People are saying this is too long, but its not! you are actually under! its 4000 characters and this is one 3 and half. Its a given me a good insight to how it has been done! Thanks!

very good and helpful

Wed, 17/11/2010 - 12:44

very good and helpful just 1 question 1 0f 10 wtf? r ur parents rabbits

Thu, 29/09/2011 - 11:55

this is such a good personal statement and really helped me with mine- thankyou! :)

Did Wolverhampton give you a

Thu, 13/10/2011 - 14:38

Did Wolverhampton give you a place?

wow! what an amazing

Tue, 10/01/2012 - 18:58

wow! what an amazing statement! definitely given me inspiration to re-write mine x

Very good! I'm currently

Sat, 22/09/2012 - 15:45

Very good! I'm currently writing mine (well, trying to write it) so yours helped me A LOT! Thanks!x

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PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE BA for Primary Education (QTS) Personal Statement

Submitted by Lauren

Choose a course rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted.

Study at Roehampton, one of UK's leading providers of teacher training. You'll get experience at partner schools and build a rewarding career as a primary school teacher.

BA for Primary Education (QTS) Personal Statement

The role of a teacher demands a hardworking, assiduous and empathetic character. Teachers must be able to handle long work days, vast workloads and a diverse range of social issues that may arise during their career. However, having the ability to enable a child to further make sense of the world around them gives me such a profound sense of pride that I would be more than willing to withstand the challenges that come with being a teacher.

I had the pleasure of completing two weeks of work experience at my old primary school, St Christopher's, whereby I shadowed a past teacher of mine. He gave me the opportunity to present one of the English lessons independently, where I was required to manage classroom behaviour and lead focus group work to ensure the material was understood. Through this experience I learnt how to correctly support students of all abilities, as well as the necessity of patience and a constructive approach to the criticism of work. This I find will be integral to assisting me on my chosen course as I will already have prior knowledge and experience of the role. I loved that no two days were ever the same, as this constantly kept me on my toes. On a personal level, despite the many obstacles that undoubtedly materialise, overseeing the educational, social and emotional development of a child is an incomparable feeling. The importance of assisting a child to become a morally upstanding member of society is paramount to me.

During my time at sixth form, I dedicated my spare hours to the maths and English departments and had the opportunity to assist lower school lessons. This was an invaluable experience as it opened my eyes to the reality of challenging classroom behaviour. I observed how the teachers responded to such behaviour and maintained classroom control. I also offered a free tutoring service during free periods in order to get some hands on experience in delivering material to a student and helping them to understand it. I discovered over time that teaching extends further than merely delivering a session, it focuses on the broader subject of developing young minds.

Outside of the classroom, I played an active role in my school community. I had the pleasure of being executive head girl for two years, an achievement of which I am immensely proud. I helped to cast and direct school plays, organise charity events and promote the values of the school. In addition, I volunteered at acorns charity shop for a year as I had a few spare evenings a week and I am always eager to give back to my local community.

Combined with my direct experience of the role itself, I also had the pleasure of working part time as an Activities assistant at Sunrise Senior Living. This role was not only immensely personally gratifying, but allowed me to utilise my interpersonal, communicative and leadership skills. I was entrusted to take on management roles, whereby I would lead classes such as art, poetry and exercise. Much like teaching, however, the role did not come without its challenges. There was a considerable amount of paperwork and meetings that went unseen. I also worked with people with challenging behaviour as a result of dementia. It should therefore follow that a great deal of safeguarding was in place to maintain the dignity and protection of these vulnerable individuals.

I believe that a teacher must be flexible above all. We do not learn in exactly the same way and in order to enable each child to reach their full potential a teacher must be able to look at the same scenario in a variety of ways. Throughout my various experiences of teaching, I have learned that a keen desire to be reflective is essential. If I fail to learn from past mistakes as well as successes I cannot create or amend my material to comply with the child's needs. Teaching to me is the foundation that which produces an open-minded, intellectual and moral society. We should never stop questioning and challenging the world around us.

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