TEACHER TRAINING APPLICATION: THE PERSONAL STATEMENT As you will be aware, teacher training is extremely competitive and getting

past the application process can be a challenge in itself. The personal statement is quite possibly the most important part of your application for Teacher Training. This is what will set you apart from all of the other applicants who may have very similar qualifications to you. It is therefore important that you spend a lot of time thinking about it, drafting it and perfecting it before you send off your application. Once you have what you think is the perfect statement then please make sure that your read it again and ALWAYS be aware of your spelling and grammar. What is the statement for? Your personal statement is designed to show that teaching is a career that you WANT to do and not one that you have settled for because you do not know what else to do. It should therefore show: That you have done your research and know what it is to be a teacher That you know about the skills and attributes that you need to be a teacher and how you can demonstrate them That you have done relevant school based experience That you can reflect on this school based experience in relation to your own suitability for teaching

How long should it be? Your statement must be no more than 47 lines (4000 characters). Please be aware that the application form will cut any words that go over this limit. As you can see, your statement has to be a concise, sharp and punchy piece of writing that will convince the admissions tutors to offer you an interview. How to structure the statement: There are no set rules for this as long as it covers the above points and is within the word/ line limit. You therefore need to: Make every sentence count Avoid giving a chronology of your life and experiences Make your statement a structured and concise piece of writing

You can avoid the chronology, give this structure and make the statement concise if you consider key questions that you would like to answer in each paragraph. Below is an example structure with some key questions to consider in each paragraph: Paragraph 1 : Introductory paragraph: This is the paragraph that should entice the reader to want to read on and so could include: Who are you? Why you are interested in teaching/ what has influenced the decision? What can you offer teaching as a profession?

KEY TIP Some people like to include in this paragraph some thoughts on why teaching is important, what makes a good teacher and what is the place of teachers in society? This can demonstrate that you have given it some considered thought and have done your research. Paragraph 2: Educational Experience How has your degree influenced your decision to teach? Have any of your other educational experiences influenced your decision to teach? What have you observed/ learnt from your own experiences that would better inform your practice as a teacher?

Paragraph 3: Relevant school based work experience: PRIOR to completing and submitting your application you MUST have completed some school based relevant work experience. Make sure that you are aware of how many days experience your course provider requires. How much have you done? What did you do? What type of schools? What did these experiences teach you about your ability and suitability to become a teacher? What did this experience teach you about how teaching is delivered? Current practice and government pressures/ agendas?

KEY TIP This paragraph should demonstrate what the experience taught you and how you did it, not simply what you enjoyed.

Paragraph 4: Other work experience: What other work experience have you done during your studies? What skills did it develop that you could apply to your role as a teacher? How has this experience influenced your decision to be a teacher?

KEY TIP You should include here any other experiences working with young people. However, even if your work experience is seemingly unrelated, it can sometimes enhance the skills that you can apply to a teaching role. This is about your ability to demonstrate that you know what teaching is about, you know what it takes and you can identify those skills and attributes in yourself. Paragraph 5: The Subject and Age Group: Why do you want to teach the subject that you are applying for? Why do you want to teach the age group that you are applying for?

KEY TIP Ensure that you have done your research into current issues in these subject areas/ age groups and try and include these in any justification of why you want to do this. Paragraph 6: Other influences and what else can you offer: Are there any other experiences (educational based, extra curricular or personal) that have influenced your decisions? How have they influenced you? How do they demonstrate what you could offer as a teacher? Does this mean you could offer anything in addition to your chosen subject/ age group? Have you conducted any other research that has influenced your decision?

KEY TIP Include in this paragraph any other experiences, research or knowledge that you have had or done that have influenced your decision to be a teacher. This could be experiences in sports clubs etc and the skills that they have developed, additional courses you have done, your educational experiences and how this has affected you. Paragraph 7: Conclusion: A paragraph which should summarise all of the above and re-emphasise your commitment to teaching but also demonstrating: Your awareness of what teaching is and how demanding it is. How the above experiences have made you ready for this challenge and demand. What your career plan within the teaching profession is (your ambition)

Advice, Hints and Tips It is a good idea to draft your statement in a word document and then cut and paste into the application as the application form will time out after a prolonged period of inactivity. Always make sure that you can back up any comments that you make with experiences that prove this. Always have a purpose for drawing on your experiences and make them relevant to your application. Do not reflect upon the fact that you have always been good with children without relevant work experience to prove it baby sitting for your baby brother or niece is not enough! Try to avoid starting sentences with I e.g. I feel, I believe, I think be positive and assertive in your convictions. Research and reflection is the key (along with RELEVANT School based experience) The admissions tutors want to know that this is something that you want to do and have a real passion for so make sure you know your career and know what it is to be a teacher. Demonstrating awareness of current developments/ prominent issues in teaching is important. Teaching is not a soft option and admissions tutors can see the applications that come from graduates who have the attitude if all else fails I will be a teacher

Further research and preparation: www.nc.uk.net National Curriculum Online www.qca.org.uk - Qualifications and Curriculum Authority www.dfes.gov.uk Department for Education and Skills www.tda.gov.uk - Training and Development Agency for Schools (contains lots of useful information including an application form assistant). www.gttr.ac.uk - Graduate Teacher Training Registry www.tes.co.uk - The Times Educational Supplement published Friday www.guardian.co.uk - The Guardian (Tuesday) Educational supplements