Preparing your personal statement

You will need to write a personal statement as part of your teacher training application.

Your teaching potential

Your personal statement should explain to training providers why you want to be a teacher. You should use it to showcase your motivation, commitment and teaching potential, backing up your answer with specific examples.

Give training providers an insight into your personality by writing honestly and thoughtfully. Avoid cliché and write in clear, correct, concise English.

When you register with us, you’ll get help writing your statement from a teacher training adviser.

You do not have to cover everything in this list, but suggested topics include:

• why you want to be a teacher
• your passion for your subject and the age group you’ve chosen to teach
• the welfare and education of children and/or young people
• the demands and rewards of the profession
• personal qualities that will make you a good teacher
• your contribution to the life of the school outside the classroom – for example, running extra-curricular activities and clubs
• if you have school experience or have worked as a volunteer with children or young people, give details of what this has taught you

Your subject knowledge

Providers will also be interested in the knowledge and interest you bring to the subject(s) you’d like to teach.

Evidence can include:

• the subject of your undergraduate degree
• modules you studied as part of your degree
• postgraduate degrees (for example, a Masters or PhD)
• your A level subjects
• expertise you’ve gained at work

Your personal statement must be all your own work – plagiarism will be penalised.

As well as the personal statement, the teacher training application form contains sections about your paid work history. You’ll also be asked about school experience placements, and any voluntary work you may have done in school, with young people or in the community.