30 Teacher CV Examples That Worked in 2026

How to Write a Teacher CV

Writing an effective CV may feel daunting, but it’s far more manageable if you take it section by section. You may even want to use one of our fresh Word CV templates designed just for teachers. Let’s dive into each CV section you’ll want to consider:

Does an objective/summary on your teacher CV matter?

Headteachers and their hiring teams may see hundreds of CVs across a wide range of teaching roles, so it’s crucial to showcase your talents and personality quickly. Objectives and summaries can serve as excellent introductory tools, but many end up being generic, dull, or vague.

First, consider whether you’ll use an objective or summary statement (or neither). An objective highlights your interest and qualifications for the role, while a CV career summary distils your specialised skills and experience in a few lines. Use an objective if you’re seeking your first teaching position or switching from teaching one subject to another. On the other hand, experienced teachers may opt for a summary (or no statement at all).

Regardless of your circumstances, if you use either of these introductory statements, you should always tailor your message to the role. Let’s look at specific examples to contrast a D+ CV objective with one worthy of an A.

A generic, vague objective tells recruiters nothing about you beyond the bare minimum:

The objective above lacks personality and fails to mention anything specific. This next objective, however, is focused and informs the headteacher about the applicant’s skills:

Similar to the visual example below, the objective above is effective because it outlines the applicant’s experience and how it relates to their new goals within the classroom.

Summarising years of experience into a single paragraph can be challenging, so they often end up looking like this:

To begin with, repeating “skilled” and “experienced” won’t convey anything to employers. A good summary should highlight your experience and qualifications, making headteachers wish they had the opportunity to hire you years ago:

This summary is effective because it informs the recruiter of their specific qualifications, namely personalised lesson plans and classroom management, as well as their skills (in this case, two awards).

What and how to measure metrics and evidence of impact

It’s tempting to list every job you’ve ever had to prove you’re qualified, but this becomes either overwhelming or repetitive. It also means you can’t include much about each position, which won’t inspire headteachers to hire you.

Instead, choose two to four of your most relevant teaching roles. Quantify your responsibilities and incorporate skill keywords to improve your ATS score with each.

No teaching experience yet? Include placements, student teaching, volunteering, or other special projects like the example below that can showcase your soft skills such as leadership. Qualifications and awards are useful additions, too.

How to write your job description bullet points

Whether you’re describing a previous job, a work placement, or a university project, you’ll need to craft your bullet points with care. Every word counts, so use active verbs, definitive language, third-person pronouns, and consistent verb tenses. Pay careful attention to consistency with punctuation—using full stops at the end of some bullets while none for others is untidy.

Based on these CV writing tips, here are some examples of well-crafted bullet points suited for a teacher CV:

These bullet points work because they’re descriptive and results-focused. Aim for conciseness and specificity with your job description bullet points.

How to maximize your classroom impact with numbers

From an employer’s perspective, metrics validate your abilities by demonstrating that your actions led to a desirable outcome. If possible, include metrics in 50 per cent of your job description bullet points to highlight the results of your effective teaching.

When discussing previous teaching positions, it’s a good idea to talk about the following metrics:

The following examples use the metric types listed above to describe a teacher’s impact further:

What are the top skills for educators?

The skills section of your CV is a quick guide to what you bring to the table as a teacher. That means choosing the right skills for each job is crucial. You might be organised and great at time management, but if employers want to see that you’re compassionate and great at lesson planning instead, your CV may be set aside.

Since teachers fulfil many roles, employers will want to see a range of varied skills, including soft, hard, and technical abilities, such as these:

These skills demonstrate aptitude and support the responsibilities a teacher must fulfil in their role. Remember that while the above list outlines common and popular teaching skills for your CV, prioritise what the job description is explicitly seeking.

How to include education, certifications, and optional sections

You’ll need to include different elements on your CV depending on your education level, years in the workforce, and any specialisations or areas of focus you possess. All teaching positions require a bachelor’s degree, and an increasing number of teachers hold a master’s. Also, ensure you’re up-to-date on your relevant certifications, like the candidate from California below.

If you hold many qualifications, you don’t necessarily need to include them all if you’re applying for one specific role. For example, suppose you’re a TESOL-certified teacher with a postgraduate TESOL certificate seeking a TESOL role. In that case, you’ll need to include that qualification either in a summary/objective, in your work experience, or in your education.

The education of this candidate speaks volumes with a classic bold font and colour.

While including education and qualifications is required, a projects section is optional. If you’re a drama teacher, for example, new to directing but experienced with leading drama camps, including a projects section to describe the drama camps you’ve led or assisted with can add a relevant impact. List and discuss projects on your CV, just like a paid position.

Additionally, consider adding interests and hobbies to your CV. Most teacher CVs should save room for other information, but it’s a good idea to add these sections when the job you’re applying for emphasises the importance of school spirit and culture.

Select your interests that align with the school’s values. However, be selective about what you include. Discovering every Easter Egg in the entire timeline of Zelda games might be your favourite hobby, but that doesn’t mean you should list it on a CV (unless you’re applying to Nintendo, in which case this might be appropriate, and you’re reading the wrong CV guide).

It’s up to you whether you include any optional sections on your CV, but always make sure to be as specific as possible. Your interests should also be specific. “Reading” doesn’t say much about you, but “leading classic book clubs” is far more likely to get you a job as an English teacher.

How to customize your teacher resume for the job

Generic CVs are easy to spot and will likely get discarded. To avoid the bin, tailor your CV to every position you apply for. This shows headteachers that you’ve researched the school and the role, and you genuinely care about the position.

To customise your CV, scan the job advert to understand which responsibilities, achievements, and keywords to include in your skills section and bullet points. You should also tailor your objective/summary (if used) to include the school’s name and mention anything unique about the school that particularly interests you. Compare your CV with the job description to ensure you’re addressing their requirements.

Revise and edit your teacher CV

As a teacher, you already know the pitfalls of submitting drafts before they’re revised, so don’t let minor mistakes slip through the net. Instead, take a break and hand your CV over for peer review. You can also use our free CV checker to get tips from our AI software.

After a day, return to your CV and consider the constructive criticism you received. Edit and check for errors, inconsistencies, or gaps. Read through your CV at least twice more, once for content and once for proofreading. Once you’re sure it’s error-free, you can submit it with confidence.