Teachers are the backbone of society. You spend more time with the children you educate than their parents do! And effective teachers like you are compassionate, intelligent, and organised, among hundreds of other qualities.
It can be difficult to highlight all your experience and skills on your teacher CV, and you’ll want to save some for your teacher cover letter.
These 30 teacher CV examples are helping teachers with varying levels and types of expertise secure jobs in 2025. They’re a great place for you to get started building or updating your CV.
Please note that this guide is aimed at educators in the primary and secondary education sector. If you’re applying to teach at the university level, you’ll likely need to write a CV.
Why this CV works
- Most teachers have some form of teaching practice experience during their education, which you can definitely include on your teacher CV!
- When listing your student teaching experience, focus on what you contributed rather than your responsibilities.
- Administrators reviewing your CV want to quickly understand the types of classes and year groups you’ve taught.
- Since you want to make the CV reviewer’s job as pleasant as possible, clearly state the subject and grades you taught in a CV bullet point.
- When you go to create a covering letter, this is your opportunity to delve deeper into how you helped your students achieve greater success in the classroom.
Why this CV works
- If you’re a qualified supply teacher (or teacher) in your region, include that in a dedicated “Certifications” section on your supply teacher CV. This will help you stand out from other applicants, as this is not required in every area.
- Any prior experience as a supply teacher should highlight maintaining a disciplined classroom. One of the toughest aspects of being a supply teacher is managing a classroom, so demonstrating your strength will increase your chances of getting an interview.
- Another way to impress is by formatting your CV’s work history in reverse-chronological order; it lists your most current and relevant experience first, so the administrator can see your best achievements first.
See more supply teacher CVs >
Why this CV works
- Employers first check whether primary school teacher applicants are qualified to teach.
- Include licences or certifications in a dedicated “Certifications” section on your primary school teacher CV. Our user-friendly CV templates and Google Docs CV templates allow you to add a section specifically for certificates and licences.
- Where possible, quantify your impact in your previous roles as a primary school teacher, such as improvements in standardised test scores, reading comprehension, or even classroom participation. These can be rough estimates.
- For example, “Improved students’ pass rates on the nationwide annual exam by 13%” effectively demonstrates competence through an estimate.
See more primary school teacher CVs >
Why this CV works
- When you lack paid experience in the field, never underestimate the power of projects in your student teacher CV.
- Schools understand that everyone has to begin somewhere, so what they’re really looking for is that you demonstrate the promise and potential to step into their classrooms and successfully manage and teach a class.
- If you’ve volunteered as a teacher after school, provided tutoring or homework help, or even assisted with a teacher’s marking load, you have valuable experience to add to your CV.
View more student teacher CVs >
Why this CV works
- Are you passionate, dedicated, and known for nurturing creativity and artistic development in students? Brilliant! Your art teacher CV should stand out by demonstrating proficiency in using a wide range of artistic tools and technologies to engage learners and encourage artistic exploration.
- You also have to prove that you go beyond the curriculum to offer students more opportunities, such as by showcasing their work to the world.
See more art teacher CVs >
Why this CV works
- Your teaching assistant CV should discuss specific contributions.
- Rather than vaguely stating, “Worked with assistants and teachers,” provide specific details, such as “Worked with 2 assistants and a teacher to deliver lessons to over 60 Year 3 pupils with IEPs.”
- As an entry-level teacher’s assistant, consider using a resume objective.
- An objective is valuable if you have limited experience and need to fill some blank space, but it loses its value if it’s not customised.
- Customise your objective by mentioning the target school by name and incorporating some keywords from the teacher job description, as long as they genuinely describe you!
See more teaching assistant CVs >
Why this CV works
- How does juggling several tasks, from catering to children’s needs to meeting parents’ expectations, sound to you? Right up your street, isn’t it? Well, why not let recruiters know you’re committed for the long term by showcasing industry-relevant qualifications in your nursery teacher CV?
- Just below your list of skills, include a concise certifications section showcasing qualifications such as Certified Child Life Specialist, Early Childhood Education Specialist, or Child Development Associate (CDA). In addition to validating your apparently extensive industry knowledge, these set you apart from the crowd of people who have the experience but might be lacking those qualifications.
Why this CV works
- When you’ve finished writing your work experience and are ready to check your resume, look for the following:
- Does your CV take up the entire page?
- Does it have margins of half to one inch? (Either half an inch or one inch is fine.)
- Does your CV include separate sections for contact information, education, skills, and work experience?
- Details can make or break your special education teacher resume, so don’t neglect the little things before you submit it to the world.
- Begin each bullet point with action words, such as “led” or “developed.”
- Either end all bullet points with a full stop or none at all. Be consistent with punctuation.
- Write your work experience in the past tense.
- Avoid using personal pronouns like “me” or “I” on your CV. We’re quite sure the employer already knows you’re writing about yourself!
View more special needs teacher CVs >
Why this CV works
- Your AP English teacher resume can include a summary statement if you’re a veteran in the industry.
- Summaries are two to three-sentence paragraphs that can be thought of as a recap of your best self on your CV.
- Entirely optional, you can include one if you have over 10 years of experience in your field.
- Summaries are most effective for highlighting your extensive experience in the education sector and any specialisations you’ve developed, such as teaching A-level courses.
See more English teacher CVs >
Why this CV works
- As unbelievable as it sounds, your future as a teaching assistant depends on the hiring manager’s quick glance at your teaching assistant CV. Make every second count by capitalising on the reverse-chronological format for your work history.
- Start by highlighting your most recent, senior position (along with key quantified achievements and relevant tool applications) and work backwards through your junior roles. This approach is excellent for demonstrating your career progression in a CV and should show an increase in responsibilities and successes as you advance.
Why this CV works
- Teaching children aged 6-7 is never an easy task. They don’t understand things the way adults do. So, listing skills like Canvas LMS may not be the best option.
- Instead, fill your Year 1 teacher CV with software like ABCmouse, ClassDojo, and Kahoot! Show potential employers that you’re an expert at dealing with young children and know exactly what technology to use to develop their test scores and talents.
Why this CV works
- So, do you have what it takes to shape the next Daniil Trifonov? Let the hiring manager in on that well-kept secret by quantifying outcomes in your piano teacher CV.
- Including metrics such as “Utilised Google Classroom to share updates and progress reports, achieving a 9.3/10 average rating from families” is a powerful tactic to win favour with the recruiter. It not only highlights your strengths (including a goal-oriented mindset) but also gives you an advantage over the competition.
Why this CV works
- Proper resume formatting can help your collaborative teacher resume look aesthetically pleasing, helping set you apart in the sea of generic resumes.
- Choose one or two key areas, such as section titles or your header, to include a touch of conservative colour.
- Use two contrasting fonts on your CV template. Just don’t pick anything hard to read—remember, recruiters scan CVs within seconds, so it has to be understood at a glance.
- If you’re lacking in work experience, you can highlight projects that demonstrate your aptitude as a collaborative teacher.
- Even if your projects aren’t related to teaching, highlight skills you used or developed, such as working with children, collaborating with colleagues, or taking on a leadership role.
Why this CV works
- Do you pride yourself on being a mini Albert Einstein and relish every moment you spend with your lab coat on? Great, but is your science teacher CV polished enough to convince recruiters of your brilliance?
- You see, few things annoy hiring managers as much as a CV filled with grammatical mistakes, from typos and punctuation errors to awkward phrases. This highlights the importance of taking the time to meticulously proofread yours before pressing the send button. Even better, involve a second pair of eyes, whether it be a friend, family member or career advisor.
Why this CV works
- While your competitors rest on their laurels with just a few years of experience, strive to stand out by showcasing industry-recognised credentials and certifications in your teaching assistant CV.
- Consider including a certifications section where you proudly highlight qualifications such as the Child Development Associate (CDA), just as Matthew does. Naturally, a proven understanding of best practices in early childhood education is sure to impress the hiring manager reviewing your application.
Why this CV works
- Yes, over 250 other applicants want that Year 5 teacher position as well, so it’s really a toss-up whether you’ll secure it. How about adding metrics to your CV to showcase your results-oriented mindset and boost your chances of at least getting an interview?
- Including phrases such as “Catalogued class materials and assignments through Canvas, ensuring smooth operations for a class of 47 pupils” and “Organised and tracked daily activities and timetables using Padlet, improving routine consistency by 31%” in your Year 4 teacher CV is more like it.
Why this CV works
- Aside from including key achievements such as enhancing students’ vocabulary and pronunciation, ensure you add relevant educational qualifications and/or certifications.
- Having a degree such as a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Portuguese or a qualification like a “Single Subject Teaching Credential in Spanish” in your Spanish teacher CV are excellent ways to demonstrate your professionalism in teaching foreign languages. ¡Feliz búsqueda de empleo!
Why this CV works
- Are you the kind of person who lights up when you see a room full of children eager to soak up knowledge? Now is your moment to shine, even if the butterflies in your stomach suggest otherwise about your limited professional experience. A tailored career objective could be the game changer for your first-year teacher CV.
- Concise, direct, and engaging are exactly what your career objective should be—it should consist of two to three sentences summarising your teaching career goals and demonstrating your readiness to help the hiring institution achieve its objectives. Including references to past relevant experiences, such as a teaching placement, can leave a strong impression that helps secure you the job.
Why this CV works
- In the “Education” section of your secondary school teacher CV, you should list the degree you’ve obtained. There’s no need to include secondary school as that’s assumed.
- Focus your CV on achievements rather than responsibilities.
- For example, instead of saying, “Prepared students for standardised exams,” say, “Helped improve standardised testing performance by 3%.”
- For each of the skills you put on your CV, you should be able to show an example of when you demonstrated that skill in practice.
- If you list “collaboration” as a skill, then somewhere in the bullet points of your CV’s work experience, it should be clear that collaboration is part of your repertoire.
See more secondary school teacher CVs >
Why this CV works
- Education is a collaborative effort involving various stakeholders, which is why your new teacher CV should demonstrate your role in uniting different parties, such as parents, to engage in their children’s education.
- Additionally, demonstrate how it has been a lifelong journey for you and how you are prepared to contribute your set of pedagogical skills to the learning environment.
See more new teacher CVs >
Why this CV works
- Teaching young children is no small task, so centre your nursery teacher CV around the skills the specific school is looking for—and the skills that make you stand out.
- If you’re an expert at integrating play-based learning like building blocks or water play into your nursery environment, do more than just list it in your skills section. Use your work experience to demonstrate your skills in action.
View more nursery teacher CVs >
Why this CV works
- Helping children with special needs navigate significant life changes is where you truly excel—you’re truly exceptional. The recruiter wants you to demonstrate your abilities, so this is your opportunity to highlight your successes in similar positions.
- Let phrases like “Designed a new life skills curriculum supported by zSpace’s virtual simulations, increasing student competency in daily tasks by 38%” and “Utilised Kurzweil 3000 to provide reading support for 18 students, improving comprehension and retention of transition materials” take centre stage in the work history of your transitioning teacher CV.
Why this CV works
- Hiring managers have no time for the average person. Trust us, they won’t even consider you with the proverbial 10-foot barge pole if you give them the impression that you’re in that group. Our advice? Stand out by showcasing relevant qualifications in your Year 2 teacher CV.
- For instance, Tavian includes a certification section in their portfolio to inform potential employers that they are a qualified teacher in their region. This not only distinguishes them from the pile but also indicates they are reliable.
Why this CV works
- You already tick all the necessary boxes for a PE teacher’s practical experience, a remarkable blend of soft and hard skills, and possibly several industry-recognised qualifications. However, without evidence of role-specific education, your otherwise superb PE teacher CV could still fall short.
- Reserve a small section on the side column of your CV for role-relevant higher education background, much like how Amanda highlights her bachelor’s degree (Physical Education) from the University of Central Florida. It’s about demonstrating that you’ve invested significant effort into acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills.
Why this CV works
- Beyond teaching, what additional value did you provide to your students to support their quest for knowledge and their future success? Like Yuki, did you assist students in preparing for scholarship interviews, and did they achieve success?
- Such unique achievements make your maths teacher CV stand out and capture the attention of your ideal employer. Identify such accomplishments in your career and let them take centre stage in your application.
Why this CV works
- Your middle school teacher resume may include the following sections: Career Objective, Certifications, Projects, and Activities.
- Including a career objective can help explain why you’re a strong candidate if you have limited work experience or if you’re undergoing a career change.
- Qualifications are typically required for teachers, so it’s best to list any relevant certificates you’ve obtained.
- Projects can be an excellent way to showcase experiences that aren’t strictly work-related but are still highly relevant to your enthusiasm for teaching.
- An activities section is the place for interesting, quirky experiences or hobbies on your CV; just make sure you can explain why they’re relevant when you have an interview!
See more secondary school teacher CVs >
Why this CV works
- Your teaching moments occur outside the usual school hours, but you still accomplish your tasks. An after-school teacher CV that highlights your technical expertise can demonstrate that you’re on the ball when it comes to imparting knowledge to them and bring you one step closer to securing an interview.
- Don’t just compile a long list of your technical skills, though. If a useful tool like Google Classroom features in your skills section, demonstrate how you utilised it to enhance learning experiences.
Why this CV works
- Your experienced teacher CV must demonstrate that you’ve been tried and tested as an excellent tutor. Anything less convincing will reduce the chances of your application being successful.
- It’s the perfect time to focus on your technology skills and how you’ve utilised them to address everyday teaching challenges. Demonstrate how you’ve made use of Zoom and Google Classroom for virtual teaching, Quizizz for customised tests that improved the average student score, and so on.
Why this CV works
- Make your foreign language teacher resume stand out with the right keywords in your resume skills section.
- Why? Hard skills are more specific to your profession and easier to demonstrate throughout your resume. Plus, they show school admin that you’ve already got some technical know-how for the job.
- Aim to include six to eight specific skills, emphasising hard skills (like “bilingual” and “lesson planning”) over soft skills (like “organisation” and “caring”).
- Creating a CV for the job description is always a good idea, but how do you do that? Start by tailoring your work experience bullet points for the job you want.
- If you’re hoping to switch from teaching German to teaching history, you don’t need to include many details on your strategies for teaching verb conjugation, for example.
See more foreign language teacher CVs >
Why this CV works
- Remember to proofread your social science teacher CV. One of the main reasons school administrators reject candidates is poor grammar, as it shows a lack of attention to detail; teachers, of all professions, really need an outstanding CV!
- Ask a friend, colleague, or even a workmate to proofread your CV. If you’re short on time, invest in a spell-check system like Grammarly or run your CV through our CV checker to catch any typos or comma errors.
- Keep your CV focused by using sections and subheadings throughout. Essential components like your contact information, work experience, education, skills, and certifications/licences are the bread and butter of your CV.
- All our example CVs include the essential sections, and you can add your own sections to customise your template to your specific needs.
See more social science teacher CVs >
Related CV guides
Formatting Your Teacher CV
Formatting ensures your teacher CV is readable, logical, and complete. Imagine trying to understand a book without chapter headings or margins and no discernible organisation. It would be a nightmare to extract any information when nothing follows a clear structure and doesn’t lend itself to being read correctly. It’s an extreme example, but it proves the necessity of formatting.
Just as you create lesson plans to help your class learn best, format your CV so your qualifications are conveyed and understood. We’ll cover three important formatting elements in the following sections: CV formats, your contact header, and CV readability for ATS.
Three CV formats
The most popular CV formats for 2025 are reverse-chronological, functional, and combination/hybrid. Here are some of the pros and cons of each:
- Reverse-chronological: This format highlights your career progression in an easy-to-scan list, making it ideal for recruiters and applicant tracking systems. However, this format exposes time gaps and can be repetitive if you’ve held the same position at multiple schools.
- Functional: This format emphasises your skills, making it ideal if you have limited teaching experience or gaps in your employment history. However, it is often known to confuse potential employers and applicant tracking systems (ATS).
- Combination/hybrid: This utilises a detailed skills section alongside a concise experience section to effectively summarise why you’re the ideal candidate for the role. However, it’s easy to structure this poorly, and it can appear as though you’re concealing a lack of work experience.
We recommend the reverse-chronological format for your teacher CV because it demonstrates you have practical knowledge and a stable career. This format conveys the story of your teaching career in under six seconds, which is how long recruiters will take to read your CV.
Include the right details in your contact header
Your contact header should be easy to find and read. Some suggest not adding contact information in the header, but that’s why formatting your contact header correctly is so important. With good formatting, none of your information gets overlooked, and it can set you apart from other candidates. You should include:
- Name
- Job title you’re applying for
- Phone number
- Town/City, County (optional)
- Professional connections such as your LinkedIn profile (only if relevant)
According to industry standards, place the header either in the top left-hand corner or centred beneath your name. Not enough space? Remove the optional elements or reduce the font size. Choose a sans-serif font that’s no smaller than your CV’s body text.
As in the example below, you can place your header in a colour block to quickly capture attention and add character. It’s best to avoid garish colours (neon green would be a definite no), and always double-check that the colour works well with black body text or white font.
Sometimes, the ATS won’t read your CV properly despite having a beautiful header. That’s why we recommend submitting it as a .docx (friendly for ATS) and as a PDF (friendly for employers).
We have plenty of excellent CV samples you can have a look at for inspiration on your header, and if you’re in a hurry, choose one of our free CV templates to start and complete your teacher CV in no time.
Ensure the ATS and employers can read your CV
To ensure your CV reaches headteachers and department heads, you’ll need to pass muster with the ATS. The good news is that formatting for the ATS also results in a CV that is easy for employers to read.
CV tips to guide you on the right path:
- One page:
- Not only is a one-page CV quicker for recruiters and ATS to scan, but it forces you to be concise and include only what’s relevant.
- File type:
- Most ATS don’t recognise documents in Open Office, Adobe Pages, HTML, or PDF (on occasion). The wisest option is to submit your CV as a .docx and as a PDF to give employers options if one doesn’t work.
- Font sizes:
- The standard 10–12-point font is the best readability range for employers and ATS.
- Fonts:
- Even at a reasonable size, some fonts are hard to read, appear unprofessional, and are not ATS-friendly. Stick to standard sans-serif fonts like Helvetica or Arial.
- Margins:
- One-inch margins are standard, but you can be flexible. Avoid going smaller than half an inch or larger than one inch to keep your teacher CV professional and tidy.
- Header names:
- You may confuse the ATS and the school if you have unusual header titles. Use standardised headers, as you see in our CV samples, to make each section easy to find (and understand).
- Skills:
- ATS uses keywords to determine your eligibility, including skills (Google Classroom, adapting lessons, parent communication, etc.) that match what’s in the job advert.
- Logical order:
- If your CV sections aren’t in the recommended order, they may confuse ATS. Once again, it’s best to stick to the standard by using an AI CV generator.
How to Write a Teacher CV
Summary
This content shows teachers how to craft data-backed, ATS-optimised CVs that showcase classroom impact, leadership, and career growth.
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?
- Teaching history
- Top skills for teachers
- Listing education, qualifications, and optional sections
- Customise your teacher CV for the job
- Revise and edit your teacher CV
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:
New secondary school teacher seeking employment at a local secondary school closer to family. Skilled at communicating with teenagers and teaching. Received many compliments and letters at last place of employment.
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:
Compassionate maths tutor with over 4 years of experience. Excellent at coaching students in formulas and helping them develop analytical thinking skills and mathematical competency at all levels of ability. Seeking to use my communication and interpersonal skills to build meaningful student relationships and improve their mathematical abilities at Joaquin Secondary School.
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:
Skilled and experienced teacher who loves working with young children. Proficient in communication and care. Eager to apply my skills at Sunnyside Primary School.
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:
Primary school teacher with over 12 years of experience managing classrooms of 25-30 Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3 pupils. I am a patient, personable, and compassionate professional eager to bring my expertise to Sunnyside Primary School. Awarded Teacher of the Year in 2020 and 2021 for creating online individualised lesson plans for over 65 students during the height of the pandemic.
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).
Teaching history
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:
- Taught maths, English, general science, art, geography, and history to over 60 Year 4 pupils
- Collaborated with parents to discuss pupil performance and options for an improved learning experience, such as personalised instruction for students with learning difficulties.
- Organised an annual fundraising event to raise £6,500 for over 10 teachers to attend the RAISE conference and led yearly trips to RAISE meetings, resulting in more effective teaching strategies and a renewed passion for academia.
These bullet points work because they’re descriptive and results-focused. Aim for conciseness and specificity with your job description bullet points.
Maximise 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:
- Increase in test scores, pass rates, or grade point averages
- Number of students/classes taught
- Increase in student participation/improved behaviour
The following examples use the metric types listed above to describe a teacher’s impact further:
- Co-founded a STEM club with the help of four fellow teachers, increasing student pass rates in science and maths by 13%
- Set up weekly one-to-one student conversation sessions to deliberately foster student-teacher relationships, leading to a 15% overall increase in classroom participation and attendance.
- Hosted monthly Write-Til-You-Drop sessions for secondary school students struggling with English and provided expertise in outlining thesis development and argument structure, which led to a 31% increase in essay scores for participating students.
Top skills for teachers
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:
Common teacher skills
- Collaboration
- Problem-solving
- One-to-one communication
- Blackboard
- Organisation
- Classroom management
- Empathy
- Active listening
- Lesson planning
- Google Classroom
- Parental communication
- Markbook software
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.
Education, qualifications, 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.
Tailor your teacher CV for the role
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.
Start Setting up Your Classroom (Almost)
Go ahead and celebrate because if you’ve made it this far, you’re well on your way to that A+ CV! By spending more time throughout each phase of the writing process, you’re propelling yourself closer to your next teaching job. It’ll be time to hand in a simple resignation letter at your current job and start setting up your new classroom before you know it!
If you’re not quite satisfied with your current CV, upload it to our CV checker for our AI-powered tips. If it’s time to start from scratch, use our free CV maker to work with our AI from the ground up. We can’t wait to see you land your next teaching role!
Teacher CV FAQs
Teaching is strictly governed by professional conduct, competencies, and mandatory qualifications before you can step into a classroom. This strictness means that your teaching licences, whether national or otherwise, and profession-specific certifications deserve a prominent place in your CV. The next important aspects are your skills and impact both in and outside the classroom. Therefore, you should also include your teaching skills and how you’ve utilised them to make an impact on the cognitive growth and development of pupils.
Yes! However, for an experienced teacher with a rich, extensive work history, including all your work experience in your CV isn’t straightforward. You must add your experience with your top accomplishments, but that doesn’t mean listing more than three different roles you’ve held in your 10+ years of teaching. Choose the most recent, more senior experiences and their measurable achievements to demonstrate what you can do. You can discuss the other experiences when you write a covering letter to reinforce your application.
A postsecondary lecturer’s CV should look different from any other teaching CV, such as a primary school teacher’s CV. To highlight this distinction, emphasise the teaching environment you wish to work in, such as a postsecondary teaching setting. The rest of the details will vary depending on your level of experience, education, and the requirements outlined in the job advert.
