Writing a personal statement and application form for a school leadership position can be a challenging task, particularly if you are a middle leader and classroom teacher aiming for career advancement. The statement below helped me secure an interview for an Assistant Headteacher role at a Catholic Primary School going from a middle leader to make the step up to senior leadership. The content may not be completely transferable to your career and position, but it is an example that can be adapted and modified to suit your strengths and experience. Included are the twelve interview questions I was asked, some of which I was not expecting, such as, “What is your favourite Gospel reading?” Good luck!

This personal statement helped me get shortlisted for the TLR - Primary English Lead position. Even though this statement is specific to a subject, it can be easily adapted to show that you are capable of managing, leading, and taking responsibility for a certain part of the curriculum planning or pupil development within the school. Additionally, it helps to identify and improve school development issues, and evaluate the impact for any area of the curriculum. I come from an area of significant disadvantage, and I have mentioned how I addressed barriers to learning such as SEND and socio-economic factors. This statement can be modified to suit your experience and context. Wishing you good luck!

The application form and personal statement are the first hurdles to securing a teaching position. As someone who found writing the personal statement challenging, I wanted to share a template that helped me secure several interviews and eventually a permanent teaching position. While the personal statement will need to be personalised to the school you are applying to, a clear and concise template can guide you in the right direction. In the example provided, I was applying to a Catholic Primary School in an area of significant disadvantage. You can adapt the statement to your situation and school. This personal statement also highlights my success with children with SEND in a mainstream setting. The advertised position required experience in this area, so I tailored this part of my statement to showcase my talents and experiences that best relate to the job specification.