In this in-depth guide, we will delve into the essential elements of crafting a standout teaching CV in the UK. From expert tips on formatting and structuring to strategies for highlighting your skills and experience, this comprehensive resource is designed to help educators create a compelling CV that stands out in the competitive job market. Whether you’re a seasoned teacher or a qualified professional, this article offers valuable insights and practical advice to elevate your CV and showcase your qualifications.
Introduction to UK CV Format for Teachers
A well-crafted teacher CV is an essential tool for educators in the UK to showcase their qualifications, skills, and experience to potential employers. In a competitive job market, a standout CV can make a significant difference in securing teaching positions, whether in primary, secondary, special education, or leadership roles. This comprehensive guide aims to provide educators with expert tips and strategies for creating a compelling teaching CV that highlights their professional profile.
Understanding the Basics of Teacher CV
A teacher CV, also known as a curriculum vitae, is a detailed document that outlines an individual’s educational and professional background, including teaching experience, qualifications, skills, and accomplishments. It is important to note that in the UK, a CV is used for academic and education-related positions, while a resume is more used in other industries. When crafting a CV, it’s crucial to adhere to the UK format and guidelines, ensuring that the document is tailored for the education sector.
In the UK, a CV is generally longer than a resume, often spanning two or more pages to accommodate comprehensive details about an educator’s career. The formatting guidelines for a CV in the UK emphasise clarity, professionalism, and readability, with a focus on presenting information in a structured and organised manner.
Structuring Your CV for Greatest Impact
When structuring a CV, it’s important to include the following key sections:
Contact information and personal details
Professional summary or personal statement
Education and qualifications
Teaching experience
Additional skills and certifications
Hobbies and interests (optional)
Each section should be labelled and organised to ensure easy navigation for the reader. The content within each section should be presented in a concise and impactful manner, highlighting the educator’s strengths and achievements.
Expert Tips for Formatting Your CV
Formatting plays a crucial role in the presentation of a CV. Here are some expert tips for effective formatting:
Choosing the right font and font size to ensure readability
Using bullet points for easy scanning of key information
Incorporating bold and italic text to emphasise important details
Ensuring consistent formatting throughout the CV for a professional look
Showcasing Your Skills and Experience
In the competitive landscape of education, it’s essential to showcase key teaching skills, competencies, and experience in a CV. This involves:
Highlighting specific teaching skills and competencies relevant to the role
Demonstrating impact and achievements in previous teaching roles
Incorporating relevant teaching methodologies and approaches used
Emphasising professional development and continuous learning through certifications and training
Tailoring Your CV for Different Roles
Customising a CV for specific roles is crucial in aligning with the requirements of different teaching positions. This includes:
Adapting the CV for primary school, secondary school, or special education roles
Showcasing leadership and administrative experience for relevant positions
Highlighting specific subject area expertise or experience with particular age groups
Primary School CV Tips
Primary Education Focus: Highlight experience with children aged 4-11 and understanding of UK primary curriculum.
Differentiation & Inclusion: Show ability to tailor teaching for diverse needs, including SEN and EAL.
Engagement & Creativity: Showcase interactive lessons and innovative teaching methods.
Behaviour Management: Discuss strategies for fostering positive behaviour and inclusive classroom culture.
Parental Communication: Highlight skills in building positive relationships and involving parents in education.
Cross-Curricular Integration: Illustrate how you integrate subjects to create cohesive learning experiences.
Technology Integration: Mention proficiency in using educational technology to enhance teaching.
Passion for Primary Education: Convey enthusiasm for working with young children and commitment to their development.
Professional Development: Show dedication to ongoing learning and involvement in educational communities.
Clear Format & Proofreading: Ensure CV is well-organised, error-free, and tailored to the job application.
Secondary School CV Tips
Subject Specialisation: Highlight expertise in a specific subject area for secondary education (e.g., Maths, English, Science).
Key Stage Focus: Emphasise experience and understanding of Key Stages 3, 4, or 5, depending on the target age group.
Differentiation & Inclusion: Showcase ability to differentiate instruction for diverse learners, including SEN and EAL students.
Engagement & Differentiation: Demonstrate use of engaging teaching methods and differentiation techniques tailored to secondary students.
Behaviour Management: Discuss strategies for maintaining positive behaviour and a conducive learning environment in secondary classrooms.
Assessment & Feedback: Highlight skills in designing assessments and providing constructive feedback to support student progress.
Curriculum Alignment: Illustrate alignment with national curriculum standards and ability to develop lesson plans accordingly.
Technology Integration: Mention proficiency in integrating technology tools and resources to enhance teaching and learning in secondary education.
Collaboration & Professionalism: Showcase ability to collaborate with colleagues, engage with parents, and contribute to the wider school community.
Continuous Professional Development: Show commitment to ongoing professional development and staying updated with educational trends and best practices.
Incorporating Keywords and Phrases for ATS
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are used by employers to manage and filter job applications. To ensure that a teaching CV is ATS-friendly, it’s important to:
Identify and incorporate relevant keywords and phrases specific to teaching roles
Balance keyword optimisation with natural language and readability for human reviewers
The Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Teaching CV
When crafting, it’s important to adhere to best practices and avoid common pitfalls. Some dos and don’ts include:
Dos:
Including quantifiable achievements and outcomes
Using action verbs to describe responsibilities and accomplishments
Proofreading the CV for errors and inconsistencies
Don’ts:
Including irrelevant personal information such as marital status or age
Using clichés or generic language that does not add value
Including negative language or disparaging remarks about previous experiences
Making Your CV Stand Out
To make a teaching CV stand out, educators can consider:
Using a professional and appealing template
Incorporating visual elements such as icons or infographics (if appropriate)
Showcasing unique teaching initiatives or projects that show innovation and impact
Extra Considerations for a CV in the UK
Besides to the core sections of a teaching CV, educators should also consider:
Including information about Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, which are often required for teaching positions
Providing references and testimonials from previous employers or colleagues
Adhering to best practices for writing a cover letter when submitting a teaching CV
Finalising and Reviewing
Before finalising a CV, educators should:
Proofread the document for spelling and grammar errors
Seek feedback from colleagues or mentors to ensure the CV represents their professional profile
Save and submit the CV in the appropriate format specified by the employer or application guidelines
Crafting a standout teaching CV in the UK requires careful attention to detail, strategic presentation of skills and experience, and adherence to industry-specific guidelines. By applying the expert tips and strategies outlined in this guide, educators can elevate their teaching CVs and increase their chances of securing rewarding teaching positions. Whether a seasoned teacher or a qualified professional, the insights and practical advice offered in this article are designed to empower educators in creating impactful teaching CVs that resonate with prospective employers.
The UK Government has revealed that it missed its secondary teacher ITT recruitment target by 50% in 2023. Only Physical Education, History and Classics reached or exceeded their specific subject target numbers. Though some other subjects came close to reaching their goals, such as Biology hitting 93% of its target number, there are a great deal more subjects falling well below their desired numbers, with Geography attaining 56%, and Art and Design 44%, for example.
There are five subjects, however, that have proven particularly difficult to recruit for secondary ITT, recording strikingly low numbers in comparison to other secondary subjects.
Which subjects are these? What will be the most challenging secondary subjects to recruit for in 2024? Where is the UK currently struggling to recruit teachers?
4. Modern Foreign Languages (MFL)
Modern Foreign Languages include those most commonly taught in secondary schools, such as French, Spanish and German.
It can also, however, incorporate different languages such as Mandarin and Italian.
Despite there being a range of different languages that form MFL as a subject area, of their 2960 target, the UK government recorded just 974 Modern Foreign Language ITT Teachers.
This means that the percentage of this target achieved was 33%.
The 2022 recruitment figure for MFL was also 33%, making there both a 0% loss, and a 0% improvement in MFL ITT numbers.
=3. Design & Technology (DT)
The Design and Technology subject area can also encompass a number of different paths.
This includes but is not limited to:
Food Technology, Resistant Materials, Electronics, Textiles and Product Design
Again, despite there being a wide variety of specialisms under the DT umbrella, the UK government recorded a Design and Technology ITT recruitment figure of 580 out of a target of 2110.
The percentage of this target achieved was just 27%.
In 2022, a percentage of 24% was recorded. Though 2023 brought a 3% increase, the overall figure remains very low for DT.
=3. Music
Though teaching Music can be varied, involving singing, teaching various instruments and creating original pieces of music, to give just a few examples, it was a subject that also struggled to recruit in 2023.
Of their 790 target, the UK Government noted that 216 ITT Music Teachers were recruited.
Only 27% of Music’s target was achieved, matching DT’s figure.
Unlike DT, however, Music suffered a 35% loss from 2022’s 62%, making it not only one of the least recruited for subjects, but one of the largest target percentage drops.
2. Physics
It is no secret that Physics is a shortage subject in the UK, with the Government having introduced the International Relocation Payment (IRP) as an incentive for international Physics (And MFL) teachers to relocate to and teach in the UK.
Despite being a core aspect of UK Science curriculum, Physics recorded just 487 ITT Teachers in 2023, out of a target number of 2820.
The percentage achieved of the 2820 target was just 17%.
In 2022, 16% of the Physics ITT target was met. Though there was a 1% increase in 2023, Physics remains one of the most challenging subjects to recruit for, and one of the most in demand in UK schools.
Business Studies
It was, in fact, Business Studies that recorded the lowest ITT recruitment target percentage in 2023.
Business Studies, though not a core subject or one that every school offers, can often be chosen as an option subject for GCSE examinations, and then studied further at A-Level.
Of its 1195 target, Business studies recorded only 190 ITT entrants.
This left it with the lowest percentage of all secondary subjects, 16%.
In 2022, Business Studies met 34% of its ITT recruitment target. This is a loss of 18% in 2023.
Between 2020 and 2023, Business Studies’ recruitment percentage has dramatically dropped from 97% to 16%, making it one of the most problematic subjects for the UK government to recruit for.
The very low figures for these five subjects, alongside other subjects with falling recruitment rates, have no doubt contributed hugely to the Government missing their overall secondary target by 50%. Though they have introduced the IRP as an incentive for MFL and Physics teachers, it is unknown what effect this will have on the 2024 figures, and whether the same subjects will remain the most challenging to recruit for.
Confused about the UK education system? Unsure about what year groups and key stages actually are? Do not worry, we are here to help!
In many countries across the world, pupils of different ages are grouped in what are termed ‘grades’. In the UK, these are called ‘year groups’, starting from ‘Reception’ (children aged 4-5) and ending with ‘Year 6’ (children aged 10-11) in Primary Schools, and starting at ‘Year 7’ (pupils aged 11-12) and ending with ‘Year 11’ (pupils aged 15-16) in Secondary Schools. Some secondary schools may also teach years 12 and 13 (ages 16-17 and 17-18 respectively).
Below is a list of each school type and the year groups and corresponding ages that they cover:
Primary School:
Reception – Ages 4-5
Year 1 – Ages 5-6
Year 2 – Ages 6-7
Year 3 – Ages 7-8
Year 4 – Ages 8-9
Year 5 – Ages 9-10
Year 6 – Ages 10-11
Secondary School:
Year 7 – Ages 11-12
Year 8 – Ages 12-13
Year 9 – Ages 13-14
Year 10 – Ages 14-15
Year 11 – Ages 15-16
Sixth Form/College:
Year 12 – Ages 16-17
Year 13 – Ages 17-18
These year groups are each placed in to separate ‘Key Stages’, with a key stage encompassing multiple year groups. At the end of each Key Stage, the performance of each pupil will usually be assessed by their schools and teachers, with these assessments taking different forms depending on age.
The following list provides information on each Key Stage and the years it covers, alongside the assessments and learning typically undertaken by pupils at the end of each Key Stage.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS):
Reception
At this stage, children will be taught mostly through games and play, whilst their starting points in language, communication, literacy and mathematics will be observed and assessed by teachers.
Key Stage 1 (KS1)
Year 1
Year 2
In Key Stage 1, there will be a phonics screening check in Year 1, and national tests in English reading and Mathematics in Year 2.
Key Stage 2 (KS2)
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
In Key Stage 2, there will be a multiplication tables check in year 4, and national tests known as SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) in year 6. SATs are taken at the end of Primary School. They are designed to test a pupil’s abilities in English (including reading, grammar, punctuation and spelling) and Mathematics before they move on to Secondary School.
Key Stage 3 (KS3)
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Key Stage 3 is the first Secondary School Key Stage. In Key Stage 3 there are no national or external assessments, but there will be on-going teacher assessments for each pupil in each of these three year groups.
Key Stage 4 (KS4)
Year 10
Year 11
In Year 11, at the end of Key Stage 4 and Secondary education, students sit GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) examinations. These qualifications are intended to be a foundation for further education and employment opportunities. They can be taken in various subjects, with students selecting several ‘option’ subjects according to their strengths and interests. However, English (Language and Literature), Mathematics and Science are compulsory. Some students may take some GCSEs in Year 10.
More About GCSEs
GCSE examinations are graded on a scale of 9-1, with 9 being the highest grade possible, and 1 the lowest. Anything at a grade 4 and above is considered a ‘pass’.
Many schools measure the number of students achieving at least 5 GCSE pass grades (4 and above). Many students will achieve more than this, and some less. Some students will be entered for GCSE examinations in many more subjects than 5.
As aforementioned, Mathematics, English Language and Literature, and Science are all compulsory GCSE subjects. Science can be taken ether as a combined ‘Double’ Science, where two Science GCSEs will be awarded, or ‘Triple Science’, after which a student will receive three separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. This can depend on a students ability or personal choice.
Students can choose to study a variety of subjects as their ‘option’ choices, from arts subjects such as fine art and photography, humanities subjects such as history and geography, languages such as French and Spanish, and practical subjects such as PE or Food Technology. The subjects available to choose depends on what each pupil’s school offers.
Some GCSE examinations are divided into ‘foundation’ or ‘higher’ tiers. Students will be placed in to either of these categories depending on their abilities.
Some GCSE subjects have a coursework element, in which a percentage of the grade will be made up by one or more pieces of work produced outside of the exam. However, in most cases, more emphasis is placed on examinations.
There are different exam boards, including AQA, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC. Which exam boards are used will, again, depend on the school and subject. Each one has different specifications.
Many sixth forms and colleges require students to attain a pass grade in Mathematics and English. Often, these GCSE re-takes can happen at the sixth form or college alongside the student’s A-Level or other further education courses.
Key Stage 5 (KS5)
Year 12
Year 13
Not all secondary schools will have provisions for post-16 students. Some, however, will have a sixth form or college which covers the ages of 16-18. Typically, A-Level (Advanced-Level) examinations will be taken, but there are other qualifications or exam types that can be taken in this Key Stage. A-Levels are graded from A*-E, with A* being the highest, and E the lowest. A-Levels are typically used by universities as an indicator of whether they can admit a student to their courses. Typically, a wider range of subjects are offered at A-Level than GCSE, which, again, depends on the school.
It is important for international teachers looking to teach in the UK to familiarize themselves with the UK Key Stages and the assessments undertaken at the end of each one. Though the differences between ages and year groups between countries may seem confusing, researching and gaining clarity on this will not only help you in potential job interviews with UK schools, but provide an excellent footing for your first UK teaching position.
Are you a teacher from overseas looking to relocate and teach in the UK? Are you unsure about which Visa you will need to make the move?
While there is no specific UK visa for teachers, there are several different visas that teachers coming to the UK from abroad may be eligible to apply for. It is important to look over the criteria for these different visas to determine which is most suitable for you and your circumstances.
Please note: if you hold a British passport then NO Visa fees will apply.
The Youth Mobility Scheme is a visa that you can apply for if you want to live and work in the UK for up to 2 years. The earliest you can apply for this visa is 6 months before you travel to the UK.
It involves a simple online application to start the process. If you are accepted, it allows you to work unrestricted for 2 years in the UK. If you are a New Zealand citizen, a further 1 year is available on this visa.
Once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided the correct documents, you will usually receive a decision within 3 weeks. However, a Youth Mobility Scheme Visa can take around two months to process, but in an emergency situation can be fast tracked in as little as 1 week.
You will be eligible to apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme if you meet the following requirements:
You are a Canadian, Australian or New Zealand citizen aged 18-35
You have at least £2,530 in your bank account to show that you will be able to support yourself in the UK (This money will have to be available for at least 28 days in a row, and day 28 must be within 31 days of applying for the Youth Mobility Scheme visa)
You have not entered the UK using this visa previously
You do not have children under the age of 18 who live with you
You do not have children you are financially responsible for
The Youth Mobility scheme incurs the following costs:
The UK Ancestry Visa allows you to stay in the UK for 5 years and work without restrictions. The earliest that you can apply for this visa is three months before you travel to the UK, and you should receive a decision on your visa application within 3 weeks.
If you have lived on in the UK for 5 years on this visa, you may be able to either apply to extend your visa by another 5 years, or apply to settle permanently (‘indefinite leave to remain’).
You are eligible to apply for a UK Ancestry Visa under the following circumstances:
You are a Commonwealth citizen
You are a British Overseas Citizen
You are a British overseas territories citizen
You are a British national (overseas)
You are a citizen of Zimbabwe
And:
You can prove that one of your grandparents was born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
You must also:
Be 17 or over
Have enough money without help from public funds to support and house yourself and any dependants
Be able to work and be planning to work in the UK
The UK Ancestry Visa incurs the following costs:
£637 for the visa
Healthcare Surcharge (£624 per year)
As this is a five year visa, this totals up to £3757
If you are ineligible for the previous visas, the Skilled Worker Visa allows you to relocate to the UK to perform an eligible job with sponsorship from an approved employer.
This visa can last for up to 5 years, at which point it will need to be extended. You will have to apply to extend or update this visa if it expires, or if you change your occupation or employer. You may also be able to apply to settle permanently (‘indefinite leave to remain’).
You must have received and confirmed a job offer before you apply for the Skilled Worker Visa, and you must apply for the visa within 3 months of receiving your certificate of sponsorship. You will usually hear if your application has been successful within 3 weeks.
You are eligible to apply for a Skilled Worker Visa under the following circumstances:
You must work for a UK employer that has been approved by the Home Office
You must have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your UK school with information about the role you have been offered
You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English, and you will have to prove your English knowledge when you apply for the visa
Your salary must meet the requirement for a Skilled Worker Visa (This will depend on your experience, qualifications, and the region that your employer is in)
Citizens of all ages from the USA, Jamaica and South Africa will require a Skilled Worker Visa, alongside teachers aged 31 and older from Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
On this visa, you can bring a partner and children as your ‘dependants’, provided that they are eligible.
The Skilled Worker Visa incurs the following costs:
£719 application fee
If you teach Maths, Physics, Science (where an element of Physics will be taught), Computer Science or Modern Foreign Languages, you are eligible for a lower application fee of £551 (for a 3 year visa)
Healthcare Surcharge (£624 per year)
This can total up to £2591 depending on if you are teaching a shortage subject and the length of your Visa. A shorter visa will incur less cost in terms of the Healthcare Surcharge
Please Note: We strongly recommend a 1 year Visa initially to limit the immediate expense of moving.
If you require any more information on available visas, the Get into Teaching website provides useful information. You can visit the site HERE
Are you a Physics teacher looking to move to England to teach? Have you heard of the IRP but unsure of what it is exactly? Did you miss the October 2023 application deadline?
The International Relocation Payment (IRP) is a one-off payment of £10,000 that the UK Government are offering to financially support Languages and Physics teachers from outside of the UK to teach in English schools.
And applications re-open in January 2024!
The payment is intended to cover the following:
Visa costs
The immigration health surcharge
Other relocation expenses
The IRP is being piloted during the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years for Languages or Physics teachers coming to train or work within these time periods. The payment will be made towards the end of the teacher’s first term, and does not need to be repaid. Eligible trainee teachers may receive a bursary or scholarship as well as the IRP.
Overseas Languages and Physics teachers have been chosen to apply for this payment as there is a shortage of teachers from these subject areas in the UK.
Eligibility Criteria
In order to qualify for the IRP, Language and Physics teachers will need to meet the following conditions:
Must be coming to England to work or train in either the 2023-2024, or 2024-2025 academic year on a contract which lasts at least a year
Must have moved to the UK no more than 3 months before the start of their job or course
You may combine one subject with another, but Languages or Physics must make up at least 50% of your classroom time
You can be a General or Combined Science Teacher, but you must teach the Physics element of these subjects
You must come to England on one of the following visas:
Skilled Worker visa, Youth Mobility Scheme, India Young Professionals Scheme visa, Family visa, UK Ancestry visa, British National (Overseas) visa, High Potential Individual visa. Most teachers will require the Skilled Worker visa.
Non-Eligibility
The following criteria would make you ineligible for the IRP:
Being a UK citizen, including a citizen of Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland
Being an Irish citizen
Being a non-UK citizen who moved to England to live permanently more than 3 months before the start of your job or course
Being in England on a dependent partner visa linked to your partner’s Skilled Worker or Student visa
Only teaching English language
Having an employment contract lasting less than a year
Being employed by a recruitment agency – Please note that an agency can find you a place in a school, but the contract must be with the school itself. Your salary must also be paid directly by the school, not the agency
How the IRP Works
The IRP scheme is different depending on whether you are a fee-paying trainee, or a salaried teacher or trainee:
Trainees on fee-paying courses: Do not need to apply for the IRP, as their training providers will pay the IRP directly to them, alongside bursaries the trainee is able to receive
These fee-paying trainees should receive their IRP around the end of their first term
Salaried Teachers and salaried trainees: Should apply for the IRP from the Get into Teaching website
Next Steps
If you are interested in applying for the IRP but have seen that the 31st October deadline has now passed, do not worry!
Applications for the IRP will re-open between 2nd January 2024 and 29th February 2024.
Physics and Language teachers are encouraged to express their interest in the IRP by emailing irp.expressinterest@education.gov.uk. You will receive a reminder email when applications open in January 2024.
If you have any further questions about the IRP, you can email teach.inengland@education.gov.uk
We are recruiting for a MFL Teacher to work in a secondary school situated in a small town just to the West of Cambridge. The role commences in January 2024 and is full time on a permanent basis.
To apply for this role, you must be a qualified teacher and have experience in teaching French and/or Spanish to secondary school students. You will be expected to teach pupils at both GSCE and A-Level.
This school is able to sponsor overseas teachers for the right candidate.
The school has ambitious values and aim for success. They have a very strong sense of community and positive values throughout.
Our company are working as an agent on behalf of the school. If you are a qualified MFL teacher and would like to apply for this role, please send your CV into us via the ‘Contact us’ section on our website.
We will help you understand everything you need to know about the recruitment process and teaching in England. Simply send through your details and a copy of your resume. Attaching your resume is important because it will help us understand more about your background as a teacher.
Please feel free to also send a short video introduction (1-2 minutes – no longer) to explain your interest in teaching in England and more about your background as a teacher. Please send a link of your video that has been uploaded via a platform eg. YouTube or Google Drive.
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