CV Writing Template for School Leavers SEND

CV writing pack for school leavers with SEND, aged 14 to 22: fill-in CV template, 3 sample CVs, skills brainstorm, action verb bank, and referees page.

“I don’t have anything to put on a CV.” I hear it every year. But every student has something: a school job, helping at home, volunteering, sport, clubs, a work experience placement. This pack helps students find it, turn it into short, strong bullet points, and end up with a real one-page CV they can be proud of.

What’s inside (13 A4 pages):

• What Goes on a CV? A one-page guide to each section (contact details, personal profile, key skills, experience, education, interests and achievements, references) with examples, plus a short list of dos and don’ts
• Skills and experience brainstorm with an 18-item skills checklist
• Action verb word bank: 64 verbs in 8 groups, from helping people to computers and office work
• Turn Tasks Into Strong Bullet Points: a worked example and 8 plain sentences to rewrite
• Fill-in CV template with every heading in place
• 3 sample CVs for different students: a first CV with a school job and volunteering, a work experience plus part-time job CV, and a college course plus work placement CV
• My Referees page
• Final CV checklist
• Teacher page with quick-start steps and tips

How I use it:

Read the guide together, then students fill in the brainstorm. Families and staff can add ideas, which often turns up experience the student forgot about. Next, use the verb bank to turn plain sentences into bullet points. Students pick the sample CV that is closest to them, fill in the template, and then type it up. Finish with the referees page and the checklist.

Good to know:

• Plain language throughout, with examples students can copy the shape of
• Sample CVs use made-up names and places
• Includes a note that in the US and Canada this document is usually called a resume, so it works for international schools too
• Fits employment and Preparing for Adulthood targets, and the finished CV is solid evidence for transition reviews and college or job applications
• Works for Year 10 to Year 13, college, and supported internship students

Who it’s for: SEND teachers, careers leads and advisers, post-16 tutors, job coaches, and transition staff.

Made by a working transition coordinator with 20+ years in special education.