Applying for teaching roles can be a bit of a minefield, so here are 5 simple tips for when you’re next completing teaching applications.
1) Visit The School
If you get the opportunity to go and look around the school you’re applying for – do it. It’s a great way to see if it’s the school for you and although it is not technically part of interview process – first impressions matter!
Try to get your visit booked during the school day so you can really get a feel for the school. Some applicants may struggle to be released during school time to view other schools. This would of course, make the whole process more challenging. If this is you, it would be worth explaining the issue when you visit. Think of several good questions to ask on your tour related to the job role.
2) Research The School
Get as much information as you can about the school from various sources such as the school website, Ofsted and your visit.
Remember to drop poignant snippets of what you find into your statement. This will help you make the application personalised to the school. Also, you can add to your application, skills that you would bring to the role if appointed.
3) Know The Personal Specification
Set out your application to match the person specification of the vacancy as this is easier for a potential employer to see exactly where you meet the areas on the list.
Embolden key phrases from the ‘person spec’ so anyone looking through your application for something specific such as safeguarding, can easily be signposted to it.
If it is a faith school you are applying for, ensure you explicitly mention how you would uphold their religious ethos and mention any experience or expertise you have.
4) Experience
Include educational vision, classroom pedagogy and teaching experience enthusiastically.
If you are an NQT, tap into what you have learnt in your placement schools and explain how this will feed in to your first year of teaching. Your first class is a very exciting prospect, let this boundless enthusiasm shine through
If you’re more experienced, explain how you’ve developed your practice and have contributed to whole-school life. Always consider how you’ve added value to your school. State the impact of any initiative you have introduced to show that you are highly effective by either, giving statistics on how results or teaching and learning has improved or qualitative data on the impact you have had.
5) Get It Proofread
When you are immersed in your own work, you often skim past your own mistakes. Ask someone, ideally who is already doing that role or a higher one, to read your application to check for links to the spec, and mistakes.
Remember you need to stand out for the right reasons, so make sure you’ve got the right there, their, and they’re!
Good luck with your applications and remember to try and enjoy the interview process!
©️ Mr B. Teacher’s Lyceum. 2021.