Be sure you use the proper cover letter format to make your cover letter readable and professional.
Teacher Cover Letter Template (Text Format)
(Your Name)
(Address)
(Today’s Date)
(Contact Person’s Name)
(School/College Name)
(Address)
Dear (Mr/Ms/Mx) (Contact Person’s Surname),
I was excited to see the Maths Teacher vacancy at (School Name) recently advertised on (Website). Your school’s ethos of ‘(School’s Ethos or Mission Statement)’ resonates with me and aligns closely with my values. With (Number) years of experience teaching (Key Stages/Subjects), along with (Specific Qualification), I believe I would be a strong candidate for the role.
Currently, I am a maths teacher at (Current School), where I have demonstrated (mention a key strength or responsibility, e.g., ‘excellent classroom management and a passion for educating pupils of all learning abilities’). I have achieved great results by employing (specific teaching methods or approaches), ensuring that each pupil can reach their potential.
Some of my key accomplishments include:
- Increased (mention specific improvement or achievement, e.g., ‘GCSE A*–C attainment from X% to Y% during my tenure, contributing to the school’s improved Ofsted rating.’)
- Helped (mention a significant contribution or achievement, e.g., ‘100% of my pupils achieve the National Curriculum expected level while managing classes of X+ students.’)
In addition to my qualifications and experience, my passion for teaching has been a lifelong pursuit. I deeply value the time I spend with my pupils and take pride in preparing them for their future endeavours.
The opportunity to work at (School Name) is incredibly exciting. I look forward to discussing how I can contribute to your school’s success. Please feel free to contact me at (Your Phone Number) or (Your Email Address) to schedule an interview.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Yours sincerely,
(Your Name)
Before you begin writing, make sure you know how to write a cover letter in a way that makes you seem like the best candidate for the job.
Would more cover letter examples be helpful as you write yours? Here are two more teacher cover letter examples by experience level:
Entry-Level Teacher Cover Letter
Model your cover letter on this one if you’re an NQT:
Senior Teacher Cover Letter
Check out this senior teacher cover letter if you’re a department head or SLT member:
How to write a teacher cover letter
If you’re a passionate educator looking for new opportunities to help students reach their academic goals, you’ll need a compelling cover letter to go along with your teacher CV.
Follow these three tips to learn how to write a cover letter for a teaching job.
1. Tailor your cover letter to the specific school
Headteachers are looking for teachers who possess not just the basic skills and qualifications required to head a classroom, but for candidates who are also a good cultural fit for the school.
This is why it’s essential to write a unique cover letter for every application.
Writing a unique cover letter shows employers that you’re serious about the job, and that you’re aware of what it takes to succeed as a teacher at their school.
To find inspiration for your cover letter, you can use the:
- Job advertisement – Look for keywords that appear multiple times in the job description and list of duties. These are great keywords to include in your cover letter to prove that you’ve understood the requirements of the school.
- School website – Use the website to find out more about the types of events the school organises and what kind of projects students have been involved in. Then, mention these in your cover letter and explain how you’d use your skills and work experience to contribute to similar events and projects in the future.
- School’s mission statement – Look up the school’s mission statement and explain in your cover letter how your own goals and values align with it.
Here’s a good example of how to target your teaching application letter to a particular school:
This applicant mentions the school’s mission statement at the start of the cover letter to immediately grab the employer’s attention.
2. Highlight your greatest accomplishments in the classroom
As a teacher, it’s important that you monitor your students’ learning progress. This allows you to intervene in case their marks drop, and to evaluate whether your teaching methods are working or not.
To demonstrate that you understand the importance of results and hard numbers, quantify a couple of your greatest professional achievements in your teaching cover letter.
You can even use bullet points in the body of your cover letter to highlight a few key moments that you want to show employers.
Here’s an example of what that looks like in practice:
By including numbers and percentages, this applicant proves that their teaching methods help students succeed.
3. Emphasise your soft skills on your teacher application letter
While hard skills such as computer literacy, subject knowledge and curriculum planning are necessary skills for an educator, it’s soft skills that separate a good teacher from a great one.
Soft skills are qualities that influence your teaching style and how you interact with your students. Having a strong set of soft skills will allow you to better connect with pupils and understand their individual learning needs.
Here are some key examples of soft skills to highlight on a teacher application letter:
Teacher Soft Skills
Empathy | Active listening |
Communication | Creativity |
Leadership | Mutual respect |
Patience | Time management |
Cultural competence | Trustworthiness |
Constructive feedback | Friendliness |
Collaboration | Calmness |
Responsibility | Problem solving |
Open-mindedness | Curiosity |
Stress management | Humour |
Adaptability | Conflict resolution |
Observation | Positive reinforcement |
This teaching applicant does a good job of drawing attention to their soft skills in their cover letter:
This candidate’s cover letter works because they highlight their ability to adapt their teaching depending on the student, making sure each pupil gets something out of the lesson.