Teaching is a rewarding career but in order to become a teacher, you’ll need the correct education and training. Applying for a teaching training course requires you to stand out which is why you need to make sure that your teacher personal statement is noticed.

What is a Teacher personal statement?

When you apply for your teacher training course, you will need to provide a personal statement. This will provide further information about you such as your qualifications, experience while explaining why you believe you will become an excellent teacher.

What Should You Include in a Teacher Personal Statement?

1. Education - Here you should discuss your education such as GCSEs and A Levels. You might have also undertaken other forms of education or qualifications that can support your application.

2. Volunteer Work - Voluntary work is a great way of showing how you have a passion for teaching. It can also be used to showcase how you have the right skills to pursue a career in teaching. This might include volunteer work that involved teaching people a hobby you have and it could even include coaching a local sports team.

3. Work Experience - Work experience is crucial and has to be included. You might have experience of working in other areas of teaching such as working as an LSA or LSO. If you have worked in roles that require you to pass on information or knowledge then these are roles and skills that can help to prove that you are suitable for the teaching course. The aim should be to explore the skills and responsibilities and how they align with the course and teaching.

4. Skills - Explore the skills you have. Are you good at talking to groups of people and explaining certain things? Are you a good speaker who is confident and do you have patience? All of these skills could indicate that you are suitable for teaching.

5. Personal Reasons - Discuss the personal reasons why you want to become a teacher. Did a previous teacher inspire you? Is a parent a teacher and have they inspired you to go into teaching? Adding personal reasons will make your teacher personal statement more identifiable.

How to write a Teacher personal statement 

1. Research the Course - The right research will enable you to create a teacher personal statement that shows that you are knowledgeable. You’ll be able to explore reasons why the course is right for you.

2. Adhere to the Instructions - There is a chance that the application form will determine what is expected from your personal statement. So, read the instructions and follow them correctly, as this will ensure that you can follow instructions.

3. Think About the Reasons - Think about the reasons why you want to teach. Make a list and then add them to your personal statement as this will make your personal statement more powerful.

4. Tell a Story - You can make your personal statement more memorable and easier to digest if you make it personal. Tell a story that relates to teaching and you, and then revert back to the story throughout the rest of your personal statement.

How long should a teacher personal statement be?

It is likely that the application will state the length of the personal statement. The average length of a personal statement can range from 500 to 1,000 words, so aim to keep it within these word counts.

Your personal statement should be easy to read, clear and concise so the reader can find the information they are looking for. Don’t go beyond the word count and think that more content will work in your favour. It is highly likely that it will work against you and will show that you cannot follow instructions.

Best opening sentences for a teacher personal statement

It’s really important that your personal statement stands out which means it cannot be like any others that have been submitted. The aim is to give the reader a reason to read more.

So, you should aim to make your statement unique by avoiding certain opening sentences that the reader will see in many of the statements that they read. This includes:

“Ever since I was a young child…..”

“ I am applying for this course because….”

“Teaching has always been an interest of mine….”

“I have always had a passion for teaching…..”

Your opening sentence has to make an impression which is why your teacher personal statement should be unique.  

The opening sentence can prove difficult to create at first. Therefore, it can be useful to begin writing the second paragraph or even completing the entire statement before going back and creating your opening sentence. This way, you’ll have the ability to link the opening sentence to your content, giving it a unique feel.

Best practice template

When writing your teacher personal statement, there is a format that you should aim to follow, as this will enable it to flow correctly. So, the format below is the best one to follow when creating your personal statement.

Paragraph 1 - In this section, explore the reasons why you want to pursue a career in teaching. This will ensure your statement connects with the reader.

Paragraph 2 - Now you should discuss any work experience you have as well as your education and qualifications. This will enable you to show the reader how you have the experience and education to support your application.

Paragraph 3 - Highlight any skills you have and how they can be used in teaching but make sure you provide examples and evidence.

Paragraph 4 - Discuss why you are a suitable candidate for the course and what makes you suitable.

Conclusion - Conclude by explaining why you want to enrol on the course, while linking up with your opening sentence and any story that you include within it.

Personal statement for a teaching example

This is a teacher personal statement example that you can use to help create your personal statement. This should help to show you how you should structure your personal statement.