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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!
Find out more about how to get into teaching .
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Study a PGCE at London Met
PGCE Primary (3-7) - PGCE
Study this PGCE Primary course and become a qualified teacher of three to seven-year-olds.
PGCE Primary (5-11) - PGCE
Train to teach five to 11-year-olds on this PGCE course that leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
PGCE Secondary Computer Science with ICT - PGCE
Train to teach Computer Science with ICT to 11 to 16-year-olds and, by arrangement, 16 to 18-year-olds.
PGCE Secondary English with Drama - PGCE
This course will train you to teach English and Drama to 11 to 16-year-olds and, by arrangement, 16 to 18-year-olds.
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. Offered in conjunction with the English and Media Centre (EMC).
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).
More articles like this...
Checking your eligibility to study a pgce, how to prepare for your teacher training application, how to write a good personal statement for pgce application, what to expect at your pgce interview.
What to Include in Your PGCE Personal Statement
How your pgce personal statement should be structured, example personal statement, final thoughts, pgce personal statement.
Updated November 24, 2021
A PGCE personal statement is written as part of the application process for teacher training and gives candidates an opportunity to showcase their skills and attributes.
PGCE candidates will only write one personal statement, which is used to apply for all of their preferred choices. Students upload their personal statement to the UCAS Teacher Training system, and it is submitted for all choices in both phases of the application process (‘Apply 1’ and ‘Apply 2’). No changes can be made once it is submitted.
The personal statement is often used as the deciding factor for choosing whom to invite to interview . This piece of writing should explain the experience you have and how this translates into your abilities in the classroom.
It should also present what you might be like as a teacher – how will your personality and interests help engage students and get them enthused about the subject?
A lot is riding on your personal statement and writing it can be a daunting task. This guide will outline what your PGCE personal statement should contain and how to structure it for the best chance of success.
The admissions team will want to know about the skills, experience and personal qualities you have that would make you perfect for a teaching career. They need to see you have the dedication and passion to complete your PGCE and have a successful future.
Simply saying, “I would be good at this role and am well suited to it” isn’t enough. The PGCE provider needs to read real examples that demonstrate your skills and abilities and meet their requirements.
Here are some details you may want to include in your personal statement:
1. About You
A teacher’s personality and personal experience will be highly influential, therefore your own experiences are relevant to your application.
Before you start writing, it’s a good idea to spend a few minutes jotting down some key facts that are relevant to teaching. These might include:
- Your interests
- Qualifications/achievements
- What motivates you
- Your upbringing
- Relevant skills
Remember to include examples in your list. Coaching a sports team in your spare time suggests you are experienced in motivating young people and getting the best out of them. Maybe you play an instrument and use music in class. Including qualities like these will make your application stand out.
2. Why You Want to Teach
A key element of your application is explaining why you have chosen teaching as your future career. Show an awareness of how teachers can inspire individuals and also the benefits you might see in yourself.
Try to broaden your answer further than simply saying you are passionate about teaching or children. Every applicant will say they are passionate.
Give details of experiences that moved you towards this career or, perhaps, even the moment you realised this was what you were born to do. By using genuine examples, your passion and excitement will shine through.
3. Why You Are the Best Candidate
Try not to pull out a cliché like “I am passionate, dedicated and reliable” – make your application stand out by using a paragraph that the provider won’t see in any other application that day.
Think about what makes you different from any other candidate. Other applicants may say they can take charge of a class and have experience dealing with challenging children, but will they sing an entire lesson just to get the pupils to engage with them, like you did in your work experience? Or will they bring in a structure made out of Lego to demonstrate osmosis, like you did on your degree placement? Think of what makes you, you.
4. Why a PGCE?
Include details of why you have chosen to go down the route of a PGCE rather than doing a full teaching degree. Perhaps you dipped your toe into teaching while travelling after your degree and realised how much you love it, or maybe you are passionate about biology and wanted to decide at a later date whether to go into teaching or industry.
Show that you have done your research and understand the structure of the PGCE and what will be required.
5. Teaching-Related Experience
Include details of any experience you have gained working in schools or with children in another environment. This might include:
- Work experience
- Visits to schools
- Teaching assistant roles
- Voluntary teaching/supervision roles (like helping out at a scout hut, etc.)
- Experience via the Get School Experience service
- Classroom observations
With every experience you discuss, note the skills you gained and how they will benefit you as a teacher and how they have improved your understanding of the education system.
6. Other Professional Experience
Teaching demands a range of different skills – it’s not simply a case of delivering information.
Talk about past positions you have held:
- Did you manage people?
- Did you work within a team?
- Did you negotiate?
- Have you trained or coached others?
- When have you communicated information to different audiences?
The skills you have gained throughout your education, work and personal life can be highly relevant to your application. Be sure to include details of why these skills will make you excel as a teacher.
7. What You Learnt During Your Degree
Whether your degree was in the subject you intend to teach or not, it’s important to talk about the skills you developed throughout your learning and how they will benefit you as a teacher.
If you’re struggling to find transferable skills , here are some ideas:
- Think about how you communicated (presentations, critiquing the work of your peers, etc.)
- Give examples of how you organised yourself
- Describe times you helped others with their learning
Remember to talk about the benefits your initial degree will bring when studying for your PGCE and how your interest in it has inspired your desire to teach.
8. Your Knowledge of What Training to Be/Being a Teacher Entails
It’s important to stress your commitment to your training. To do this, you should demonstrate that you have done your research and are fully aware of what is to come.
Although teaching is a highly rewarding career, no one applying for teacher training will do so without being aware of the challenging nature of the profession.
There is no need to ignore these challenges in your application; actually, it will work in your favour if you show that you have thought about these challenges and are sufficiently prepared.
Talk about the positives and negatives that you expect to experience in your training and within your career, and how your core strengths will help you deal with them.
9. Your Future Plans
Discuss your plans beyond the PGCE:
- Do you have the ambition to be a headteacher?
- Do you plan to take on pastoral responsibilities?
Show a keenness to immerse yourself in the school system and be open to opportunities that come your way.
10. Extenuating Circumstances
Your personal statement is the place to openly discuss any extenuating circumstances, such as low grades or large gaps in employment/education. Make sure you show how you have overcome these challenges and what you learnt from them.
Write your personal statement in Word (or equivalent) and make sure you are happy with it before copying and pasting it into your application on the UCAS system.
You need to keep your personal statement to no more than 4,000 characters across a maximum of 47 lines of text . The UCAS Teacher Training system may differ slightly to your word processor, so be prepared to amend slightly once you have copied it into the UCAS page.
To keep to the character limit and cover all the suggested material above, you will need to be succinct. Make sure you only talk about topics that are relevant and delete any waffle.
Your opening statement should be strong and memorable – a good idea is to state why you have decided to get into teaching. Back up all details with examples and be sure to say what you learned from the experience or how you can bring the skills you developed into the classroom.
Split your statement into three sections:
- Introduction – Introduce yourself and talk about why you want to do a PGCE
- Middle – Use the notes above to cover the key details
- Conclusion – Tell the reader why you are the best person for the place they are offering
Avoid using bold, underlining or italics, and write in English (or Welsh if applying for Welsh PGCEs). The UCAS system will strip all special formatting out of the personal statement (except paragraph breaks) so ensure you keep it simple.
When you are happy with the content, make sure you ask someone to check your work . Spelling and grammar in personal statements should be accurate. Make sure you have not copied anyone else’s work at all – UCAS screens all applications for plagiarism.
Below is an example personal statement which covers all of the key points you should include in this piece of writing:
A teacher at my secondary school single-handedly transformed my passion and ability for maths; I was predicted an ‘F’ at GCSE and in a matter of months, she helped me achieve a ‘B’ and start to enjoy the subject. I can’t think of a more satisfying job than one in which you can inspire young people in the way my teacher inspired me. After achieving a ‘B’ in maths at A-Level, I went on to study the subject at University College London and graduated in 2018 with a 2.1. It was in the final year of my degree that I had my first taste of teaching the subject, as several of the modules involved presenting topics to large groups of first-year students. I was thrilled when students asked to see me afterwards to share their observations of what I had been discussing – it was clear my enthusiasm had rubbed off on them and they were excited by maths, which is exactly why I want to teach. I currently work as a teaching assistant at St Andrew’s School, where I have been for six months. This position has given me a great insight into the skills needed to be a fantastic teacher; the school has several SEN pupils and I have been exposed to the more challenging side of the profession. Being trusted to run activities with the entire class has helped me build confidence and learn how important it is to adapt lesson plans to engage students who have different abilities. I have gained valuable skills in implementing strategies such as gentle competitiveness between pupils, and tactical seating plans to get the best out of each student. Before working at St Andrew’s, I completed a work experience placement at Bell Lane Academy where I shadowed teachers working across the five different year groups. This experience helped hone my skills in addressing different age groups in different ways. My ability to get the best out of students is further strengthened by the experience I am currently gaining in the position of assistant coach at my local netball team. Having worked with the girls for the last 18 months, I have developed different ways of motivating individuals, helping push them outside of their comfort zones and encouraging them to take on new challenges. In my spare time, I enjoy playing netball and rugby and would be keen to take on extra responsibilities at a school in the form of after school clubs or teams. I also have a keen interest in management styles and personality types. The knowledge I gain from books on these topics helps me understand pupils and their differing learning styles – what works for them and what doesn’t. It also helps me look inwardly, analysing my own leadership style and methods of teaching. I have chosen to do a PGCE because I am passionate about maths, and I wanted to spend three years of a degree course exploring the subject further, rather than embarking on teacher training straight from school. My degree course has helped me with my confidence and my ability to speak in front of large groups of people. Teaching first-year students during my degree course helped me think about how to deliver the subject in an exciting and creative way. The experience I have had so far has clearly shown that teaching is an extremely challenging profession, but one which I believe is undeniably my calling in life. I adore maths and I want to bring the subject alive, helping children learn in an exciting, rewarding environment. A few weeks ago, I took it upon myself to ask the headteacher for permission to get the whole year group involved in a human percentages exercise – the children loved it. I believe I should be offered a place on your PGCE programme because I can commit to dedicating myself to a role in which I will strive to inspire and excite every pupil I teach.
The personal statement is your one opportunity to capture the attention of the PGCE provider and set yourself apart from other candidates. Teaching is about bringing your personality into the classroom and inspiring students, so avoid a formulaic application and speak from the heart, giving a full picture of who you are.
Your answers should convey enthusiasm for inspiring young people, a passion for teaching, creativity, excellent organisational skills and energy.
Demonstrate an awareness of this challenging profession but conclude with excitement and enthusiasm for your chosen career path.
You might also be interested in these other Wikijob articles:
Or explore the Postgraduate / Further Study sections.
Writing a Postgraduate Teacher Education personal statement
Updated on 7 July 2023
Guidance on how to write a PGDE/CE personal statement and an example to help demonstrate your skills, experience and motivation for teaching.
A personal statement is a short piece of writing (47 lines/4000 characters) which you are asked to submit in support of your application to study a PGDE/CE made through UCAS. It is your opportunity to demonstrate your skills, experience and motivation for teaching.
Before you start
Remember that this is a very important part of your application. Take your time to carefully plan out and practise your statement. It is a good idea to draft your statement in a word document and get some feedback on it before committing to the final version..
- Don't waste space with irrelevant or repetitive information. Be succinct and avoid complicated language and overly long sentences.
- Be specific about what you have to offer. Detail what you have gained from your experiences in schools/working with children. Give appropriate evidence of the skills you possess for teaching.
- Indicate the relevance of other types of experience or skills you possess, e.g. supervising people or sports
- Avoid using negative language. Present any gaps in skills or experience positively.
- Finish with a summary of what you have to offer leave the selectors with a clear understanding of your suitability for the course.
- Let your enthusiasm for teaching and working with children shine through in everything you say.
- Check grammar and spelling thoroughly! Do not rely on the spelling and grammar check on your word processing package alone. Ask someone to proof read it for you.
- If you are cutting and pasting from a word document, remember to check the formatting.
Questions to consider when structuring your Personal Statement
- Why do you want to be a teacher? - What has inspired you; who/what influenced you?
- Why do you want to work with young people? - What appeals to you about working with this age group; what skills do you possess that will help you?
- Why do you want to teach your subject? For primary: demonstrate a breadth of knowledge across a range of curriculum areas. For secondary, show how your subject knowledge is relevant to the curriculum.
- What have you gained from working with young people? - Have you had any experience in schools or working with children in other settings? Reflect upon what you did, what you observed, what you learned.
- What else can you offer? Skills in sports, music, languages, arts and crafts, ICT etc.
This is an example personal statement. There is considerable room for improvement and the notes make suggestions to help you with writing yours.
I am applying for the PGDE course because I have always wanted to be a teacher. I really like working with children and think that I have the right kinds of skills to become a good teacher .
- The above statement is far too short: you are allowed 47 lines/4000 characters so use them.
- Remember to specify whether you are applying f or primary or secondary courses.
- It is not enough to say that you have developed the "right kinds of skills". Be specific about them.
- It is important to have a strong opening statement . It is the first thing the selectors will read so you want to make an impact.
- Think about why you have always wanted to teach and clearly demonstrate.
New Paragraph
At school, I was involved with the Primary 1 class when I was in final year. I helped the less able children with reading on a one to one basis. I also help out at my local Brownie pack every week, keeping the girls busy with various activities. I have applied to do the Student Tutoring Scheme.
- When describing experience with children, make sure you are specific about what you learned from the work and the skills you developed.
- You need to demonstrate (by providing evidence) that you have developed/ have the potential to develop skills such as communication, leadership, teamwork, problem solving, organisation, planning and time management.
At school I studied a wide range of subjects but the one I enjoyed most was History so that is what I have studied at university. I also took Psychology and Politics in first year and Politics in second year too.
- When describing your studies, remember to show how this is relevant to the subject(s) you will be teaching.
I have been a babysitter for two children for several years and enjoy helping the older child with his homework now that he is at school.
- When describing your experience remember to demonstrate the transferable skills you have gained in this role that would be relevant to teaching. For example with babysitting you could link to the skill of 'behaviour management'.
I am very interested in education generally and keep up to date with current issues by reading the BBC website.
It is not enough to say that you 'keep up-to-date' here. Give a summary of what you have to offer and stating why you should be offered a place on the course.
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Personal statement for PGCE secondary
If you want to teach children aged 11 and over you'll need to apply through the Department for Education's (DfE) Apply for teacher training service
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 secondary
I became interested in teaching after realising how much I had benefited from excellent and passionate teachers. They exuded a real sense of enthusiasm for learning, which inspires me to pass on that passion.
My love for computing developed during my A-levels after discovering an aptitude for programming and networking. This drove me to study more, going on to gain a 2:1 in BSc Computer Systems and Network Engineering from the University of England. Studying at university developed my passion for computer sciences and taught me a range of transferable skills that I believe are fundamentally important to teach young people. This is demonstrated in my dissertation, which was awarded a first, investigating The Internet of Things (IoT) and how it can help shape educational establishments of the future.
While at university I decided to volunteer as a teaching assistant in a mainstream school. By my final year I was able to take responsibility for running activities in the classroom, balancing the needs of each child and managing behaviour issues. In addition, I regularly helped run the lunchtime computer club. In working with more vulnerable students such as SEN learners I saw the role played by support staff in maintaining control of the classroom, particularly with those who can be disruptive when under stimulated. I learned the importance of differentiating lesson plans to educate and engage students with special needs and the power of strategies such as a well thought out seating plan and friendly competitiveness in learners. I saw students develop within the classroom as a result of my determined support and these good working relationships are beginning to result in higher grades. I have liaised well across several departments to communicate information about students in an organised and diplomatic way.
One highlight was when I supported a young person with ADHD who attended computer club. They had been struggling to remain focussed and on task in class but were able to focus well when completing tasks on a computer. As a result, they suffered from poor behaviour, disengagement and low self-esteem. I negotiated with some class teachers to allow this pupil to use a tablet during their lessons. The pupil could then access any PowerPoint presentations being delivered to enable them to go back and reread specific slides. They could also access links to visual resources to enhance their understanding of the subject being taught. Homework was posted online for them to complete and submit electronically. This was such a success that the school invested in more tablets to be used by a range of students across the school. This further inspired me to want to become a teacher to enable me to support others who may be facing barriers to learning that could be tackled through the introduction of technology.
To support my professional development further I undertook short work placements in two other schools. Volunteering in Key Stages 1 and 2 confirmed my desire to teach Key Stages 3 and 4. I became aware of the many demands placed upon teachers and their time and I believe that the project management, communication and problem-solving skills gained during my degree will be invaluable assets within the classroom and beyond. I was exposed to a range of pedagogical models and teaching methods, which is something I look forward to learning more about on a PGCE.
One of my hobbies is to make short films about how to use different forms of technology and software packages. I post these on YouTube as instructional videos. These have proved to be very popular and I am considering how I can use this type of activity to benefit the students I teach. One option is to support students to create their own videos to help deepen their understanding of a subject, which they can then choose to upload to the school's virtual learning environment to aid their peers if they wish.
During school placements I witnessed the challenges and rewards present in a school environment. Teachers need to be resilient particularly when working with students who find school difficult, do not want to engage and do not want to accept support. However, I look forward to working in the education system and believe I could help and inspire students to develop their future aspirations.
While researching for my dissertation I spoke with secondary school teachers about the challenges their students faced and one that came up often was digital poverty. In many inner-city schools, pupils do not always have access to up to date and reliable computer technology to allow them to keep up with the advances in technology that they’ll face when seeking employment. One of my aims would be to investigate how the use of integrated technologies, as well as fostering links with local companies and the community, could result in a cost-effective solution allowing all students equal access to computer technology.
Technology has become its own form of literacy due to its prevalence in everyday life. Numerous careers use at least one aspect of Microsoft Office or Google Drive daily; balancing budgets on spreadsheets, creating slides to be presented, or attaching documents to emails to communicate important information. Allowing students to learn and refine these skills prepares them for life beyond the classroom.
With technology being present in many classrooms, and not just to teach computing skills, the introduction of the IoT could enhance learning activities even more. It could provide improved connectivity, introduce artificial intelligence and virtual reality to the learning environment as well as cloud computing platforms. I am excited about the future of education and how I can be an active part of it.
When writing your personal statement, you need to include:
- What inspired you to choose teaching.
- Why you wish to teach at secondary level.
- Your knowledge of the pressures and rewards of teaching.
- The personal qualities and skills that will make you a good teacher.
- How you might contribute to the wider school environment such as running extra-curricular activities and clubs.
- Any experience of working with children and what you learnt through doing this.
- Evidence of your knowledge related to the subject you hope to teach.
- Any relevant work or unpaid experience.
- Your degree, degree modules and dissertation topic where relevant.
- Any relevant skills, hobbies and achievements.
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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How to write a PGCE personal statement
29 th September 2021
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Advice on how to write a PGCE personal statement that shows you’d make a great addition to a teacher training course.
What is a teacher training personal statement?
What to write, pgce personal statement tips.
When applying for a PGCE or postgraduate teacher training, you’ll probably have to write a personal statement. This is your chance to say why you’d make a great teacher by highlighting your relevant experiences and passion for teaching.
If you’re applying directly to a university or school, you should tailor your statement precisely to the course you’re applying for.
If you’re applying through UCAS Teacher Training, you can send your application to more than one university. Therefore, your statement should be more generic so that it applies to each one you’re applying to.
In both cases, make sure that your personal statement reflects the nature of the course or courses you’re applying for. Think about, for example, is it school- or university-based training? What age of students will you be teaching? Will you be specialising in a particular subject?
Before you start writing, look at any information you can find about the course and what you must do to apply. Has the university provided any guidance or topics of what you need to cover?
If not, can you speak to one of the course tutors to discuss what they might want to see in your statement? Or can you talk to a current PGCE student and ask what they wrote in theirs?
When you have a good idea of what admissions tutors will be looking for, create a mind map or list:
- Your relevant academic and practical experiences
- Areas of the course that you’re most interested in
- Anything else the university wants you to include
When structuring your statement, you can use your mind map or list to plan what information to put where.
Your structure can look something like:
- Introduction – about yourself and why you want to do the PGCE
- Middle paragraphs – relevant information of your academic achievements and experiences of working within education
- Concluding paragraph – tying up the main points of why you’re the best candidate for the course
If you’re applying directly to the university, check what the word limit for your personal statement is.
If you’re submitting to UCAS Teacher Training, your personal statement can be up to 47 lines of text or 4,000 characters.
Expanding on your mind map or list from before, think in more depth about why you want to teach.
- What qualities do you have that would make you good at teaching?
- What do you think are the challenges and benefits of being a teacher?
- Why have you chosen this particular age group and/or subject?
- What have you learned from your previous experiences in education?
- Will you be completing any extra exams or relevant experiences before the course starts?
If you studied education at undergraduate level, your course was probably focused on the theoretical side of the subject. Your PGCE course, however, will be about applying those theories to real-life situations in schools. Your personal statement should reflect your understanding of this.
If you haven’t taught before, what other activities or events in your life suggest that you would make a good teacher? Have you worked with children in different environments?
Admissions tutors don’t just want to see why you think your experiences make you a good teacher. Instead, they want to know that you’re aware of the importance of teaching and the demands that come with it.
- Why is it important to reflect on your abilities as a teaching practitioner?
- How will you work on your own development to become a great teacher?
- What interests you about the education system and its challenges?
- Do you have any thoughts are on child welfare and social justice?
When writing, make sure to use evidence and examples to back up your points. Through your tone of voice, try to show that you are positive and passionate about the work.
To see more information on how to style your personal statement, see our postgraduate statements guide.
- Ask someone you know to check it through. Even better if you can get feedback from a teacher
- See if you can speak to other students applying for a PGCE to share thoughts and ideas of what to write
- Similarly, reach out to PGCE staff at your university – or a teacher you know – they have experience that might be valuable to you!
- Any time you can spend in a school will be a valuable addition to your application. If you haven’t already, see if you can arrange to volunteer with one locally
- If you’re invited to an interview, you’ll be asked about what you’ve written on your statement, so be prepared to talk about it in more detail
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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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Your teacher training personal statement
Your personal statement is your chance to make yourself memorable with teacher training providers and show them why you’ll make a great teacher.
You do not have to write it all at once – you can start it and come back to it. Successful candidates often take a few weeks to write their personal statements.
How long should my teacher training personal statement be?
Your personal statement can be up to 1000 words. 90% of successful candidates write 500 words or more.
You could include:
- skills you have that are relevant to teaching
- any experience of working with young people
- your understanding of why teaching is important
- your reasons for wanting to train to be a teacher
- any activities you’ve done that could be relevant to teaching (such as first aid courses, sports coaching or volunteering)
Teacher training providers want to see your passion and that you understand the bigger picture of teaching.
How to write your personal statement
When writing your personal statement you should make sure you check your spelling and grammar in your application. You want to make the best possible impression.
You can use ChatGPT or other artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help you write your personal statement. You should not rely on it to write your entire statement because:
AI tools use bland language and will not be able to give details about you as a person. Using them may result in your application being unsuccessful
your account to apply for teacher training may be blocked if you consistently submit personal statements that look like they have been written with AI tools
Do I use the same personal statement for each application?
You can use the same personal statement for every course you apply to.
However, there may be some instances where you’d like to tailor it to different courses.
For example, if you want to apply to train to teach maths and also to train to teach physics. In this case, you might want to change your personal statement to talk more specifically about the subject you’re applying to train to teach.
Should my personal statement be different if I’m training to teach primary or secondary?
You should use your personal statement to explain why you feel passionate about teaching a specific age range or subject.
If you’re applying for a primary course with a subject specialism, or you’re particularly interested in certain primary subjects, you can talk about that, too.
If you’re not sure if you want to teach primary or secondary, you can find out more about teaching different age groups .
Do I need school experience?
You do not need school experience to apply for teacher training, but it can help strengthen your personal statement.
Teacher training providers like to see that you have a good understanding of teaching, how the school system works and what your transferable skills are. You need more than just good subject knowledge and school experience can be a great way to get this.
Getting some school experience can also be a good way to make sure teaching is right for you before you apply for a course.
Find out how you could get school experience .
Get help with your personal statement
You can get help with your personal statement from our teacher training advisers . They have years of teaching experience and can give you free, one-to-one support by phone, text, or email.
Advisers can also help you understand more about what teaching is really like, which can help improve your application.
Having a teacher training adviser was really beneficial when editing my personal statement and preparing for interviews. My top tips for the application process would be to get an adviser, and to think about what transferrable skills you have when writing your personal statement and answering interview questions. Felix, former teacher trainee
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Primary Teacher PGCE Personal Statement
If you are applying to PGCE Primary, you will need to prepare a good personal statement. Learn how to prepare your application for PGCE from our Primary PGCE Personal Statement example .
Primary Teacher Personal Statement Example
One day, I hope to become a primary teacher. Primary and secondary education have both been highly positive experiences for me. It is my desire to inspire and encourage children of all abilities to achieve their full potential that drives me to apply for primary education.
I gained valuable experience working in a primary school setting from the perspective of a teacher. The uniqueness of each child and the way each day is different is what I enjoyed most about my job. I am also applying for a History degree since this would allow me to study a P.G.C.E. after I complete my undergraduate studies. I have always enjoyed Art, particularly the early modern era up until the 20th century, a period I find fascinating. Researching the history of my family and the local area is my favourite aspect of Art history. I have arranged a work experience placement at a local primary school on Monday morning during my free periods. I have gained a great deal of insight into the challenges and situations primary school teachers face. As a teacher, I have been able to provide extra support to students who are underachieving in literacy and numeracy. I have improved my interpersonal skills immensely as I have had to communicate with children of different abilities, cultures and religions from Primary 1 to Primary 7. In addition to being challenging, it is also extremely enjoyable. I am most enjoying helping with small group work and projects with Primary 3 to 7 classes, assisting the pupils in History and English lessons, and using ICT as an educational and motivational tool. When I see pupils who struggled in these areas improve, it is very rewarding for me.
I have also participated in the school’s Community Care program, where I visited a residential care home once a week and spoke with the residents. Their personal perspectives on childhood experiences and the past were enjoyable to hear. By performing songs on guitar, accordion, and voice for residents, and reading novels and poems to them, I have become more approachable, confident, and trustworthy. I have served as Chairperson of the Eco-School’s Committee for four years in school.
Further, I have enjoyed attending debates and lectures from renowned historians such as Senia Paseta, Richard Grayson, and Philip Orr as a member of the Omagh Academy History Society. In my free time, I’m a member of the Bridge Club of Leeds.
My Queen’s Badge is something I’m aiming toward having recently earned my President’s Award. I assist in the Boy area, which serves boys between the ages of 4 and 7, in order to obtain more experience working with kids. It is my obligation to organize and present drills, games, and Bible tales. I also like to play a variety of musical instruments, such as the lambing drum, accordion, guitar, and flute. I am actively involved in the Omagh Community Youth Choir and am pursuing my Grade 5 on the guitar. I have performed with the choir as a support act for the Red Hot Chilli Pipers at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
I learned how crucial it is for primary school teachers to be able to play an instrument at school concerts and events through my work placement. I have joined the Fintona Taekwondo Club with enthusiasm. It has helped me become more tenacious, determined, polite, and disciplined. Taekwondo has helped me stay physically active, and I intend to continue practising it when I’m in college since I find it to be a wonderful stress reliever. I think I’m a good fit for this profession because I want to be a teacher in the long run. My decision to apply for primary courses has been solidified by my great experiences with work placement and volunteer work with the Boys’ Brigade’s Anchor Boys section.
Recommended reading:
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- UCAS Personal Statement: A Writing Guide And Tips For Success
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- Tips for Writing a Personal Statement for the University
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How till start ampere personal statement: The attention grabber
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The best statements tend to be genuine and specific from the very start. You'll be on the rights track if you shows your enthusiasm for the subject or course, own understanding of it, also what you want to achieve.
Acceptances tutors – the people who read and score thy personal statement – say don’t get stressed about trying to think of a ‘killer opening’. Discover to advice below and take owner frist to think about how best to introduce yourself. I was told I couldn't have the opening paragraph I had originally written, so to begin I'll to describe the scientific processes in my own words as this is what ...
Life Bryan: HE Coordinator and Careers Advisor, Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College
Preparing to write your personal announcement.
Starts by making some notes . The personal statement allows admissions tutors to form a picture is who she are. So, for that opener, think regarding writing down things, such as:
- why you’re one ok candidate
- your motivations
- what brings you to this course
If you’re applying for multiple courses , think about wie insert competencies, academic interests, and the way thee think are relevant to all the courses you've choose.
Top points on how to write your statement opener
We spoke to admissions tutors for unis and community – read on on their tips.
1. Don't begin with the glut opening
Try cannot to overthink the start sentence. You need at engage the reader with your relevant my and ideas, not not go overboard .
Tutors said: ‘The opening is your chances to introduced yoursel, up explain your spur fork studying the course and to demonstrate your understandability of it. The best personal statements get to and score quickly. Go linear in. That excites you about the flow press why do you want to learn about it more?’ Writing one personal statement for tutor instruction
Be succinct and draw this reader in, but not with a gimmick. This isn't the X Conversion. Admissions tutor
2. Write about why you to toward study that track
Think about why you want up examine the course press wherewith she may demonstrate this in your written statement :
’Your interest on the running is that most thing. Start over a short recorded so captures the reason why you’re interested in studying and area you’re applying for and this communicates your enthusiasm for it. Don't waffle alternatively say you want to examine existence just since it's interesting. Explain what you find interesting about it.’ Chemistry Personal Statement Examples | Studential.com
It's much better to engage us with something interesting, relevant, specific and current into your opening line… Start using what's inspiring you right, not what inspirited you when you are halbjahr. Admissions betreuer
3. Avoid pictures
Trial to avoid cliches and the most obvious opened sentences how you stand outwards off who very primary line . UCAS publishes a list of common opening lines each annum. Here are just some overused phrases to avoid using in your personal statement:
- From a young age…
- With in long as I can remember…
- I am applying for this course because…
- I have always been interested in…
- Throughout my life I have always enjoyed…
And try not to use quotes . Quotations are top of aforementioned print of admissions tutors' animal hates.
4. Maybe don't begin at the start?
’Concentrate turn the main content of your statement and how one introduction final. I think the opening line remains the hardest one to write, hence I often say leave to until the terminate and just try and receive something down on paper.’ How to write a PGCE Personal Statement
It may be easier until procure on with writing the wichtigste content of get statement and coming back to the insertion following –that way you will also know what you’re introducing.
I often advise applicants to start with clause second, where you get inside why you want to study the course. That's whats we're really interested in. Admissions tutor
One personal statement tool image
Don’t be tempted to copy or share your statement.
UCAS scans all personal statements takes a similarity detection systematischer to comparison them with previous claims.
Unlimited similarity tall than 30% will be flagged both we'll inform the universities and colleges to which you own applied.
Find out more
Joseph bolton: price 2 history& politics student, university of liverpool.
- Do talk about you and your enthusiasm for the subject from the very start.
- Do be specific. Explain what you want to study and why in the primary two sentences.
- Do appear get to that opening sentences if you can’t think what to write immediate.
- Don’t waste time trying to reasoning of one catchy opening.
- Don't wobbling – simply explain what you find interesting about who subject and show that them know what you are applying for.
- Don't rely on someone else's words. It's your statement after all – her want to know thing you reason.
One permanent thought
Think nearly making a link intermediate thy open sentence and closed body – a technique sometimes called this 'necklace approach’.
She could reinforce what you said at the start or add an extra dimension. For example, if yours started with einem interesting line about what’s currently motivating you toward study their selections degree course, you was link back to it at the end, perhaps with something about why you’d dear to study this read at einzige. Admissions tutors read hundreds of fields per course so the opening paragraphs from your personal statement needs to get straight to the point and induce a ...
Demand more advice?
- Struggling with the conclusion to your personal statement? Read our guide on method to completion your statement the right way .
- Read more dos and don’ts when writing your personal statement .
- Discover what to includes in your personal statement .
- Start is opening sentences for our personal make builder today.
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Personal Statement Sentence Starters: Expert Advice
Good personal statement openings are crucial when it comes to engaging admissions tutors.
But in the process of writing your personal statement, you might realise that you’re repeating the words you use in your opening sentences and paragraphs.
This lack of variety can lead to a sense of monotony in tone and content, alienating the reader.
But don’t worry!
There are several sentence starters you can use that won’t leave your personal statement sounding stilted or unnatural and that will help your personal statement stand out.
Here’s an expert guide to using effective sentence starters to improve your personal statement…
Personal statement sentence starters fall into three specific categories. Introductions, comparisons and conclusions are effective ways to start paragraphs. Use connections, additions and relationships when developing content. Starters relating to the presentation of ideas work well throughout.
From sixth-form personal statement sentence starters to postgraduate applications, you’ll discover specific examples of each of these personal statement sentence starter categories in the sections below…
Introduction, Comparison and Conclusion Starters
Having a practical understanding of personal statement sentence starters in this category is extremely valuable if you want to achieve greater variety and originality in your writing.
Introducing a new point or topic can become repetitive quickly; how many times have you written “I also” or “as a result”?
Avoiding these common phrases can add depth to your statement, but also encourage the reader to view you as an informed and versatile candidate.
As Mary Curnock Cook, a former UCAS Chief Executive states:
“The personal statement is supposed to be personal. Learning to write about yourself in a compelling way is a vital skill when applying for jobs; using hackneyed phrases is not the best way to stand out.” Mary Curnock Cook
Have you ever felt the need to write the kind of overused opening sentences that start with “At a young age..?”
If so, here are some introductory personal statement openings that will add to the compelling quality of your writing, without making it sound as though you’ve plucked words from a dictionary:
If you can make good use of comparative sentence starters , your writing will be increasingly concise, your points will be made with greater precision and you will be more likely to meet the word or character limit.
Here are some effective examples:
What follows are some excellent ways in which to start a concluding sentence or paragraph.
Remember that your aim is not to repeat previous content, but to use the opportunity to lead into the next paragraph or topic:
Connection, Addition and Relationship Starters
Once you’ve begun writing about a specific point or topic, you’ll find you need to connect one idea with another in order to make a concise or compelling point.
This connection can be challenging, as very quickly you might start to use a limited range of vocabulary such as “also” or “along with” or “as well as”.
These are the kinds of words that applicants use frequently, and they can indicate a lack of breadth, vocabulary or research in the mind of an admissions tutor.
Unoriginal vocabulary can also lead to your personal statement being rejected, or even to your entire application being refused, in the case of plagiarism.
According to Carly Minsky at timeshighereducation.com these are some of the most overused phrases featured in UCAS personal statements , so do make sure you don’t repeat them.
Below are some excellent suggestions for connecting or adding phrases, concepts or ideas in your personal statement:
It can be vitally important to effectively illustrate the relationship between an experience or piece of knowledge that you hold and the demands of the course or role that you are applying for.
The focus of the reader needs to be on the content itself , not the words you use to compare or contrast it, and these personal statement sentence starters will help you achieve this, every time:
Now you’re feeling more confident about your vocabulary, you should get to grips with the right structure to use for your personal statement.
My Personal Statement Template eBook gives you 10 original templates to follow when you’re writing a personal statement, meaning you’re guaranteed to find the right structure for your application.
It’s packed full of useful advice and shows you exactly what content to include. You’ll also discover how many words or characters to use for each paragraph for maximum effect!
Perfect for UCAS undergraduate applications, Oxbridge and Medicine , master’s degrees and employment , my eBook also includes exclusive guidance for writing a perfect statement of purpose .
Click on the image below to discover how my eBook can help you write the perfect personal statement…
Sentence Starters for Presenting New Ideas
An important aspect of your personal statement is the presentation of new ideas and concepts that illustrate your understanding of the course topic.
You should also show that you can synthesise aspects of your prior experience and knowledge.
This can be a complex process to write about, so having dynamic and effective vocabulary to work with can be extremely valuable.
The table below gives you a selection of examples of the kinds of sentence starters you could use to introduce a new concept in a personal statement opening sentence:
It’s worth noting that, generally speaking, new ideas and concepts should be contained within a specific paragraph. If you’re looking for advice on how to structure the paragraphs in your personal statement, check out my article here.
You may have noticed that I haven’t included a section in this post devoted to the kinds of sentence starters you shouldn’t use in your personal statement.
That’s because each personal statement is unique, and good sentence openers need to focus on different aspects of your experiences and ambitions. Try not to think about avoiding specific words or phrases and focus more on including content that best represents your ambitions!
If you really want some pointers on what not to include, Amy Davies has a great article on words you should never use in your personal statement over at whatuni.com .
If you want to focus on writing an amazing opening paragraph, then check out my post that tells you exactly how great first paragraphs are created!
If you’re just starting out, then this is the post for you…
Good luck with your personal statement, and don’t forget to contact me if you’d like some 1-1 support.
You’ve got this! D
Research and content verified by Personal Statement Planet .
David Hallen
I've worked in the Further Education and University Admissions sector for nearly 20 years as a teacher, department head, Head of Sixth Form, UCAS Admissions Advisor, UK Centre Lead and freelance personal statement advisor, editor and writer. And now I'm here for you...
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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
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PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE Physical Education Personal Statement
Submitted by Ellie
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Physical Education Personal Statement
An active lifestyle has fuelled my passion for Physical Education (PE). Physical activity has played a large part in my life from dancing to competitive swimming I have always enjoyed taking part in sport and the feeling of well-being it brings.
Since starting high school it's been my ambition to become a PE Teacher. I enjoy working with people, encouraging them to participate in physical activity helping to promote a sense of confidence, well-being and achievement. To help achieve my ambition I have sought to learn as much as I can about sports coaching both academically and practically; taking a Higher in PE and taking part in activities to help to build leadership, life and technical skills. I volunteered at my local YMCA from age 13 to 16. As a Youth Worker I ran the gym for young people (aged 12 to 18) providing inductions, demonstrations and developing personal fitness plans. I've run drop-in sessions providing counselling and support helping young people with some of the issues they faced in their day-to-day lives. For my work I was awarded the Saltire Award from John Swinney MSP for 500 hours volunteering. I coach Netball for 1st to 5th Year after school as well a running the Basketball club during lunchtime, whilst this is done in my own time it is very rewarding. I am also an Active Schools Young Sport Ambassador for my school, specialising in Basketball. The Young Ambassadors programme has led to me attaining qualifications in First Aid, Disability Inclusion Training, Young Sports Leaders and Child Protection. I have been trained to handle the day to day situations I may find myself in when I am working in schools as a coach. I have experience in promoting sports and awareness as part of community charity work. I organised a netball match between pupils and teachers for the benefit of St. Andrews Hospice (one of our school charities I am an ambassador for). This was a great event promoting awareness of netball, our school team; whilst raising funds for a very worthwhile cause.
This year I have had the opportunity to take 1st and 2nd Year PE classes each week. This has allowed me to put into action the skills and experiences I have in the environment I want to work in - a high school sports department, planning and delivering lessons. I have also worked with local primary schools as an Active Schools Co-ordinator to organise sports coaching sessions for the pupils. These experiences were quite different and have provided great insight and learning experiences. They have reinforced the passion I have to work with young people. I am a school Prefect taking a lead in school activities, acting as a role model for the other pupils in the school. This role brings a lot of responsibility and allows me to provide and demonstrate leadership in a variety of situations.
Outside of school my hobbies are physical fitness and music - playing both the guitar and bagpipes. I have had the privilege of being part of the North Lanarkshire Schools Pipe Band and playing at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow and taking part in the World Pipe Band Championship (achieving a first place for our grade). I also work part-time for Greggs. Working in a fast paced retail environment over the past year has helped me to develop good organisational skills, work with others to achieve goals and develop my customer service skills (I have won several mystery shopper awards for my work).
In conclusion I am confident and hard-working individual. I have worked hard to amass the academic, technical and life skills to achieve my ambition to attend University and get the opportunity to pursue my ambition to teach PE. I believe I have both the attitude and aptitude to thrive in a vibrant university environment.
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IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Write in English (or Welsh if you're applying to Welsh providers) and avoid italics, bold or underlining. Get the grammar and punctuation right and redraft your statement until you're happy with it. It's a good idea to write your personal statement in a word processor first, then copy and paste it into your application.
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.
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 ...
Simply saying, "I would be good at this role and am well suited to it" isn't enough. The PGCE provider needs to read real examples that demonstrate your skills and abilities and meet their requirements. PGCE Personal Statement. Here are some details you may want to include in your personal statement: 1. About You.
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 ...
The above statement is far too short: you are allowed 47 lines/4000 characters so use them. Remember to specify whether you are applying f or primary or secondary courses. It is not enough to say that you have developed the "right kinds of skills". Be specific about them. It is important to have a strong opening statement .
Personal statement for PGCE secondary. If you want to teach children aged 11 and over you'll need to apply through the Department for Education's (DfE) Apply for teacher training service. 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.
Your structure can look something like: Introduction - about yourself and why you want to do the PGCE. Middle paragraphs - relevant information of your academic achievements and experiences of working within education. Concluding paragraph - tying up the main points of why you're the best candidate for the course.
This PGCE personal statement examples resource is perfect to help anyone when it comes to writing their statements. This document has a wealth of information that will guide you through a process that can be difficult at times. It includes: Knowledge and interest in the subject area. Suitability for the course.
5 Tips to help you write your PGCE personal statement. Professionalism and attention to detail are all skills that you can show off just by making your personal statement clean and tidy. Structure it with a clear introduction, main body and conclusion. Make sure that you leave plenty of time to proofread what you've written.
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. be honest. Avoid: overuse of short sentences all beginning with 'I'. general statements and narrative.
Your personal statement can be up to 1000 words. 90% of successful candidates write 500 words or more. You could include: skills you have that are relevant to teaching. any experience of working with young people. your understanding of why teaching is important. your reasons for wanting to train to be a teacher.
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. 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 =] =]
Teacher Training Personal Statement Example (Primary PGCE) 1. I have chosen to apply for a primary teaching degree because I enjoy working with children. I have a strong interest in teaching and the learning process of children. This is been confirmed by my work experience report.
Teacher Training Personal Statement Example (Primary PGCE) 4. I am currently studying for a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood studies at Birmingham University. It is my ambition to go on to study for a Primary PGCE. I became interested in teaching whilst raising my own children. I have experienced first hand a child's apprehension and delight on ...
Primary Teacher Personal Statement Example. One day, I hope to become a primary teacher. Primary and secondary education have both been highly positive experiences for me. It is my desire to inspire and encourage children of all abilities to achieve their full potential that drives me to apply for primary education.
#PersonalStatement #Teaching #TeacherTraining #PGCE #PGCEPrimaryHello!I'm a first class Masters graduate and a Teaching Assistant applying for a PGCE in Prim...
The personal statement is your opportunity the talk about it, and why you need to enrol on a particular course. But how doing you start a strongly? Read our tip below on what up include, what not to do, and how to approach it.
Personal statement sentence starters fall into three specific categories. Introductions, comparisons and conclusions are effective ways to start paragraphs. Use connections, additions and relationships when developing content. Starters relating to the presentation of ideas work well throughout. From sixth-form personal statement sentence ...
Top tips on how to write your statement opener. We spoke to admissions tutors at unis and colleges - read on for their tips. 1. Don't begin with the overkill opening. Try not to overthink the opening sentence. You need to engage the reader with your relevant thoughts and ideas, but not go overboard. Tutors said: 'The opening is your chance ...
Teacher Training Personal Statement Example 2. I am applying for these courses because I believe it will help me succeed in my dream to become a teacher. I have always craved teaching and learning, one of my first memories is of me, around the ages of 4 teaching my toys how to count and taking a register, ever since then I have known I wanted ...
Don't overthink the opening. Just start by showing your enthusiasm for the subject, showcasing your knowledge and understanding, and sharing your ambitions of what you want to achieve. Avoid cliches . Remember, this opening part is simply about introducing yourself, so let the admissions tutor reading your personal statement get to know you.
Physical Education Personal Statement. An active lifestyle has fuelled my passion for Physical Education (PE). Physical activity has played a large part in my life from dancing to competitive swimming I have always enjoyed taking part in sport and the feeling of well-being it brings. Since starting high school it's been my ambition to become a ...