Teaching Assistant Cover Letter

You’re a natural when it comes to working with children of different age groups — and keeping them safe and engaged in a school environment. Now you need to showcase these qualities in your teaching assistant cover letter.

To give you some ideas on what employers look for in an excellent teaching assistant (even if it’s your first time applying as one), here’s a video that outlines exactly how to make and format a professional cover letter:

If you’re looking to present yourself as a winning job candidate, follow our three tips to help you write an effective teaching assistant cover letter and get noticed by UK schools.

1. Begin with an impactful opening paragraph

Schools are more likely to continue reading your application if they see you have previous work experience in an educational setting — or an equivalent amount of training to prove you’re well-equipped to work with children.

So remember to describe your qualifications prominently in your opening paragraph. Because your opening statement is the first thing that employers will see, include your:

• reasons for applying as a teaching assistant
• how you found the job advert
• years of relevant experience
• educational background and previous training (e.g., relevant degree and certificates)

Including your years of work experience, relevant qualifications, and any transferable skills from other TA or childcare roles in your opening paragraph effectively captures an employer’s attention and keeps them interested in reading the rest of your cover letter.

Below is an example of our teaching assistant applicant’s statement in their opening paragraph (using coloured underlines for your reference):

Since the age of 12, I’ve babysat for my younger siblings and neighbours’ children. I’ve always enjoyed caring for students, so I was excited to see the Teaching Assistant role at [School Name] currently being advertised on [Website]. With 4 years’ experience and a CACHE Level 3 Teaching Assistant certificate (RFQ), I’m confident that I’d be a perfect candidate.

2. Mention your relevant teaching assistant skills

Working daily with pupils, other teachers, and school administrative staff requires many essential skills, so make sure to include these key skills on your CV and throughout your teaching assistant cover letter.

First, include your hard skills (also known as technical skills). You’ve likely gained hard skills through previous schooling, practical training, and babysitting experience.

Because you’ll be responsible for a classroom full of pupils, listing your knowledge of appropriate classroom management techniques is essential. Schools also want to know they can rely on you if emergencies arise, so don’t forget to mention your Red Cross training in your teaching assistant cover letter.

These are other hard skills to include when you make a cover letter for a teaching assistant position:

Soft skills are just as important for teaching assistants. Soft skills show you’re adept at relating to children and other teachers in a classroom setting.

Employers seek well-organised, patient teaching assistants who genuinely enjoy working with children, so add your time management skills and interpersonal skills. Pupils will also look to you for guidance throughout the day, so don’t forget to mention your adaptability and problem-solving skills.

Here are other teaching assistant soft skills for your cover letter:

3. Emphasise your accomplishments with hard numbers

Because schools review several teaching assistant job applications whenever they advertise for one, make your teaching assistant cover letter stand out by including your top accomplishments.

An effective way to highlight your teaching achievements is by adding hard numbers. Hard numbers provide helpful context to employers about your previous responsibilities and show the scope of what you’ve achieved in each role.

So include these hard numbers in your cover letter for a teaching assistant role:

• number of students you taught
• number of classrooms you assisted in each role
• percentages
• time worked
• pupils’ grades achieved

Here’s how our teaching assistant applicant highlights their accomplishments by using a bulleted list and hard numbers: