The personal statement allows for up to 4,000 characters (47 lines of text) with an

introduction, main body and conclusion. It’s a good idea to write your statement
in a word document and paste it into the application form box to keep track of the
word limit.

Your opening sentence should be memorable, but without being overly dramatic
or unoriginal - a good way to start your statement is by explaining what inspired
you to get into teaching.

There's no single way to structure the main body of your personal statement, but
make sure every point you make is supported by evidence and you've explained
its significance. If you mention some work experience, be sure to explain what you
learned and how this experience will help you in your career. If you're discussing
your skills, provide examples of where you gained them and how you'll apply
them to the classroom.

Your conclusion should reinforce your enthusiasm and drive for a career in
teaching, acknowledging the commitment and hard work it will require but also
showing your excitement and anticipation for getting started.

Don't waste valuable space talking about a specific university or school, as you
can only submit one personal statement for all of your choices. Luckily, as all
training providers are looking for similar information from you, this shouldn't be a
problem.

See personal statements for postgraduate applications for more guidance.

Tips on what to include

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. 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.

•Why do I want to teach this age group/at this level? - what appeals
to you, use examples of your experience with this group.

•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 coaching a sports team, youth work or
working at a summer camp. Give examples of how this developed your
teaching skills.

•What personal skills/abilities do I have? - for example initiative,

resilience, practical experience, creativity, time management, managing
people, organisational skills, listening skills, leading or working in a team
and dependability. To strengthen your application, link the skills you mention
to relevant examples of how or where you've developed them.

•Do I have any geographical restrictions? - if you don't currently live in

the UK, why do you want to study here?

It's crucial that you don't copy and that the statement you provide is your own
work. UCAS screens all personal statements using its similarity detection service,
Copycatch, and will alert your chosen universities if your statement is flagged as
containing copied content. This could significantly harm your chances of securing
a place on a course.

The nature of your personal statement will vary, depending on the type of
teaching you'd like to pursue. Take a look at some of our example personal
statements to get an idea of how they differ.

PGCE primary personal statement

View

Personal statement for PGCE primary

As well as focusing on roles in which you've gained experience with