Inspirational Personal Statements for Primary

PGCE applications
Your personal statement must demonstrate that you have:
relevant skills
relevant background knowledge
relevant work experience
sufficient motivation/desire
required mental capacity
physical stamina
strong commitment
realistic aspirations
suitable personal qualities/values
Sections in your Personal Statement
1. Introductory paragraph why teaching and why you
2. elevance of your work experience including your reflections! opinions!
self"development! observations
#. $hy this age group/key stage
%. &dditional factors
'. (oncluding paragraph
1. Introductory paragraph
Why you and hy teaching!
)hink about your opening sentence avoid*
+I have always wanted to teach,
+I believe teaching is very worthwhile,
(oncentrate on what has influenced your decision to teach! how the idea
has developed! what you have to offer in terms of personal skills and
attributes
)ip- .tress what you can give to! rather than take from! teaching
Why you!
)ry taking a couple of minutes to write a list of the skills and personal qualities
which you have /and can demonstrate0! that illustrate you have the potential to
be a good teacher.
Why teaching!
$hat was the trigger point1
2ow did the idea develop1
$hat has shaped your thinking1
$hat did you do to find out more/develop appropriate skills1
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2ave certain people influenced you1
(ommunicate your enthusiasm
(onvey your desire to work with young people /backed with evidence0
". #elevant e$perience %last & years only'
School (ased e$perience:
what did you do1
$hat did you learn about yourself1
how did the experience develop/influence you1
what did you achieve1
what key stages did you experience1
what techniques did you observe effective and not so effective and
why1
It)s not *ust the hat (ut the ho+
3I en4oyed helping the children with their reading 56 7 only gives information
3)aking a reading lesson showed me how/that 56 " demonstrates
development and reflection
,ther or- ith young people %paid or unpaid':
youth groups
after school clubs
mentoring
summer camps
,ther types of or- e$perience:
(an still provide some evidence of skills that you have acquired and
developed
&. What age group %-ey stage' you ant to teach and hy
8raw on relevant work experience! what you have observed and
again match with your skills and preferences
efer to any research you have done into the various key stages
$hy you have targeted a particular type of 9:(; course e.g. for
flexibility! reputation! key stage
&dditional skills/factors which have influenced your choice
.. /dditional factors
<ational curriculum +&, level sub4ects
&dditional courses you have done e.g. I)! language
+=alue added, skills* sport! music! art! drama! language
$hy this course/type of course
>urther experiences planned
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0. Concluding paragraph
(ommitment to the course! acknowledge its requirement for dedication!
stamina! time management! initiative etc.
einforcement /but not repetition0 of your commitment to teaching
?our awareness of physical and mental challenges that lie ahead
(areer plan
.ense of humour-
1op 1ips
Your personal statement should:
@e persuasive! interesting! enthusiastic
@e fluent! relevant! realistic! specific
Include some humour
Aention young people it is as much about enabling them to learn as it
is about you wanting to teach
@e honest " if you,re ambitious! say so-
/void:
Bveruse of short sentences! all beginning with +I,
:eneral statements and narrative
I feel! I think! I believe try to use a range of positive action words e.g.
planned! managed! implemented! organised
Aaking a statement! e.g. +it was rewarding, without qualifying it with
evidence of how it affected you
Csing examples like baby"sitting or helping younger brother with reading
as relevant experience
What if you have no relevant e$perience!
>ew 9:(; courses will be prepared to interview you if you have not had at
least one week /and preferably more0 of school"based work experience prior to
writing your personal statement. If you haven,t got this experience why not
delay your application by one year and begin a planned programme of work
experience as soon as possible1
2on)t apply if3
?ou can,t think of anything else to do/everyone else on your course is
applying
?ou,re only attracted because of the training allowance
It will do in the meantime till you decide on other careers
?ou think it,s a +soft option,
)ip- ?ou can always come back to training in the future after you,ve experienced
an alternative career area
1eachers must have
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;nergy
8edication
9atience
;nthusiasm
(ontrol
Interpersonal skills
&bility to think on their feet
.tamina
(reativity
:ood time"management
.elf discipline
Brganisational skills
.upervisory skills
&dministrative skills
(ommunication skills
Deadership skills
&nalytical mind
:ood 4udgement
& sense of humour
/n inspirational personal statement ill lead to an intervie so ..
.tart doing some background reading e.g. )imes ;ducational .upplement! ;ducation
:uardian /available online0
esearch latest government initiatives! have an opinion! know your key stages
www.nc.uk.net /<ational (urriculum online0
www.qca.org.uk /Eualifications and (urriculum &uthority0
www.dfes.gov.uk/8epartment for ;ducation and .kills0
www.tda.gov.uk /)raining and 8evelopment &gency for .chools0
Closing date
1 8ecember for primary applications-
2 choices
&llow 2 weeks before deadline to ensure reference arrives in time
Sources of help
www.gttr.ac.uk /helpline FGHF 1122 2F'0
www.tda.gov.uk /helpline FGHF IFFF JJ10
&dmissions tutors
8uty (areers &dviser
eference information in (areers .ervice
Bther lunchtime workshops
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