English Teacher CV Examples & UK Templates

Whether you’re an early career teacher or a seasoned educator, your CV needs to have the perfect prose to capture a recruiter's attention. 

Think about your favourite novel and how it hooked you in the opening paragraph. Your CV needs to have the same effect on the reader, while also demonstrating your mastery of English, strong teaching skills, and the ability to engage and inspire students.

CV writing has its own unique style and it can be easier said than done to write about yourself. Luckily, we can help! Use our step-by-step writing guide and adaptable examples to create a compelling CV and land your next teaching role.   

CV guide for an English teacher CV

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This CV guide and corresponding English teacher CV example will cover the following:

• How to write an English teacher CV
• Choosing the right CV format for an English teacher
• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Adding your teaching experience
• Listing education and relevant experience
• Picking the right CV design/layout
• What the teacher job market looks like, and what salary you can expect

How to write an English teacher CV

The first stage in crafting a top-tier English teacher CV is to be clear about the structure you will use. Much like a well-structured essay, your CV should include some key elements:

• The CV header
• The CV summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The CV skills section
• The education section

Creating a compelling and convincing CV can be tricky. As an English teacher, you have the added expectation that your unique skills and experience should make this an easy task. While your talent for the English language and literature is not in dispute, presenting your skills and experience the right way on your CV requires a specific approach.

Start by doing some background research to identify the priorities of the teaching role and educational institution. You can then demonstrate via your CV how your values align and why you’re the teacher who can fulfil the essential requirements outlined in the job description.    

Try this formula to present an unforgettable narrative in your English teacher CV:

• Highlight your teaching accomplishments. Rather than listing your responsibilities, consider what you have achieved as an English teacher. Perhaps you’ve improved student attainment, led initiatives that improved engagement and attainment levels or won a teaching award.
• Customise your CV to the specific teaching role. Tailor your CV to the job description and ensure you tick all the boxes on the hiring manager’s checklist.
• Ensure professional formatting. Bullet points are a great way to break up large sections of text so recruiters can easily read and digest your information. This works well in the work history section, where bullet points can help your achievements stand out.
• Optimise your CV with relevant keywords from the job description. This will help you get past applicant tracking systems that many organisations now use.

Choosing the right CV format for an English teacher

The best format for the majority of teachers is reverse chronological. Most recruiters and senior leadership teams will be familiar with this structure, which focuses on work experience and provides a clear timeline of your career up to this point.

If you are moving into teaching English as a second career, then the functional format may be a better option. This structure shines the spotlight on transferable skills and qualifications over work experience. Highlighting your journey to becoming a qualified teacher as well as the transferable skills you gained in your earlier career can be extremely powerful.

The final option is the hybrid (or combination) CV that places equal weight on teaching skills and experience. This version works well if you’re returning to teaching after a break or perfect if you’ve acquired a little work experience as well as transferable skills from earlier roles.

Check out our CV templates if you need some inspiration and choose the format that best suits your situation. We also have several education CV examples you can review. 

Include your contact information

Your CV header sets the tone for the rest of your English teacher's CV. This section is pretty straightforward, but it needs to be distinctive and include accurate information so that the recruiter can easily get in touch to arrange an interview. 

Make sure you use the same header design for your cover letter. By presenting your CV and accompanying cover letter as a matching pair, you’re showing your regard for cohesiveness and the finer details. Here’s what you need to include: 

• Full name & title. Start by listing your first name and last name, followed by the title of the role you are pursuing.
• Professional email address. Avoid using any quirky email addresses. Instead, use a clean format such as firstname.lastname@email.com.
• Phone number. Choose the phone number where you can be easily contacted along with a professional voicemail message.
• Location. Listing your full address is no longer necessary. Provide your city or general location or a ‘Willing to relocate' if applicable.
• LinkedIn. Many recruiters will check your LinkedIn profile even if this is not listed on your CV. Update your profile to ensure it's consistent with your CV.

Don’t include:

• Date of birth. Including your date of birth can lead to potential age discrimination.
• Social media: Avoid including any personal social media accounts, such as Instagram, X, YouTube, or Facebook.

Make use of a summary

Your professional summary (or profile) is your introduction to the hiring manager, so it needs to set the tone and provide a compelling snapshot of your teaching skills and achievements. 

Stick to 4-5 key sentences that provide an overview of your qualifications and expertise in teaching English, including any notable accomplishments. This could include a prestigious award, specialist certification, or recognition for impressive results. Balance this with your passion for your chosen subject and commitment to improving student outcomes.

Schools will be looking for teachers who align with their vision and values. Completing some background research and referencing values that resonate with you adds a personal touch. Whether this relates to respect, honesty, kindness, or inspiring a lifelong love of learning, referring to this in your profile could give you an edge over the competition.

You will, of course, go into more detail elsewhere in your CV but this will give recruiters a quick insight into what you have achieved and the value you can bring to their school. 

You can find adaptable English teacher CV example summaries below:

Outline your English teacher work experience: tell your career story

The all-important professional experience section comes next. This is your opportunity to explain not just where you have taught English, but how you have inspired your students. 

Start with your most recent teaching experience first and work back to earlier roles (covering a period of 10 to 15 years as a maximum). Underneath each employer and role heading, detail your teaching contributions in concise bullet point statements, excluding “I.” 

As an English teacher, you’ll be well aware of the power of action verbs. Sprinkle these across your work history section for maximum impact. Examples include inspired, spearheaded, instructed, partnered, steered, and revitalised.

When marking a student's English essay, you’ve likely commented in the margin “Great point, but can you be more specific?” The same applies to the information in your teaching experience section. For example, here is what you should not write: 

• “Taught English language and literature to KS3 students.”
• “Prepared and delivered engaging lessons.”
• “Contributed to curriculum improvement initiatives.”

While these statements might be accurate, they don’t tell the full story. Schools will be looking for teachers who can contribute to the delivery of high-quality curriculum and teaching, especially with looming Ofsted inspections on the horizon! Offering insight into what you can achieve by describing beneficial results will be more compelling. For example: 

• “Taught KS3 English language and literature to over 200 students with varying skill levels, achieving a 94% class pass rate.”
• “Planned, prepared, and delivered engaging lessons, resulting in a 25% increase in student engagement and comprehension.”
• “Spearheaded the introduction of cutting-edge instructional strategies, including student-led approaches such as Turn to Talk and Peer teaching.”

Take a look at the English teacher employment history CV sample below:

Include the relevant key skills that make a great English teacher CV

Your skills section should speak the language of the job description by including terms that are repeated and emphasised as important. This includes both hard skills and soft skills. 

Hard (teaching-specific) skills could include curriculum development, lesson planning, classroom management, and expertise across various educational technologies. Soft skills might include communication, problem-solving, multitasking, and collaboration skills.

Keep your skills list short and sweet. A laundry list of skills won’t be as impactful as 6 or 7 key skills that are directly relevant to the advertised teaching role. 

Our CV builder offers numerous examples of key skills as well as proficiency levels you can adjust. You can also add your own unique skills.

Here’s what the skills box looks like in our English teacher CV template.

Your skills section is vital to include, but so is evidence of these skills in action. When writing your English teacher CV, always think of examples to back up what you are stating. Link each key skill to specific situations and positive outcomes to pique the recruiters' attention.

For example, in your professional profile and work experience, highlight your: 

• Curriculum development skills by mentioning the creation of new literature modules for gifted and talented students.
• Technical capabilities by highlighting knowledge of educational technology such as SIMS, Google Teams, Interactive Reader, Quizlet, and Evernote.
• Communication skills by describing your success engaging with students, parents, teachers, senior leadership, and the wider community.

Reexamine the job posting so you have a good understanding of the exact skills the school is looking for. 

Detail your education & relevant teaching certifications

Naturally, the education section is extremely important on an English teacher CV. The hiring manager will be keen to review your route into the teaching profession and any continuing professional development.

Keep the information clear and direct, with relevant degrees and qualifications in reverse chronological order. This should include your Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or Post Graduate Certificate of Education (with QTS) as applicable, followed by any degrees or diplomas. Simply list the qualification, where completed, and the year. 

Beyond your formal education, this section is a great opportunity to list any training and professional development activities:

• Training and certifications. National professional qualification (NPQ) courses, workshops, seminars, and conferences show a strong commitment to improving your knowledge and skills in teaching.
• Internships. Feature any teaching internships completed, whether in the UK or overseas, particularly if you’re an early career teacher.
• Memberships and affiliations. Professional memberships with organisations such as The UK Literary Association or the General Teaching Council can boost your credibility.

Check out the education section from our adaptable CV sample below:

Pick the right CV layout and design for an English teacher CV

The content in your teaching CV is the main attraction, but the layout and design are also critical if you want to present your career story in the best possible light.

Clear, concise, and professional is the visual message you want to send to the reader. Uniform margins, readable and professional font (11pt or 12pt), clear sections, and the use of colour splashes sparingly will achieve an aesthetically pleasing CV design. 

The English teacher CV sample below follows these principles and uses a two-column format which is visually appealing and also allows for plenty of white space. 

Formatting can be a time-consuming task. Check out our tried and tested CV templates to create your very own masterpiece with ease.

English teacher text-only CV example

Teaching job market and outlook

Teachers are in demand in the UK, with vacancies increasing by 20% during 2023. This is largely due to the recruitment of teachers remaining far below targeted levels as well as teachers leaving the workforce.

NFER School Workforce Lead, Jack Worth, suggested that “policy actions to address teacher recruitment and retention are urgently needed.” In a recent House of Commons Committee report, recommendations included financial incentives, flexible working, and reduced workload.

Many teachers opt to move overseas to pursue their teaching careers. This can be an amazing experience, but it's worth doing your research. Every school and country will be different, so consider salary, life quality, cost of living, cultural integration, and career opportunities.

The good news is that there are plenty of teaching jobs out there and if you do pursue this career it can also be extremely rewarding. 

What type of salary you can expect in teaching 

How much will you make as a teacher? The average teacher salary in the UK is £31,550 per year, with more experienced teachers (10+ years) earning £36,000 to £43,000 annually.

Key takeaways for building an English teacher CV

A career as an English teacher can allow you to blend your love of language and literature with the opportunity to make a positive impact on numerous students' lives. Showcase your top-level teaching skills and achievements in your CV relevant to the job description. Let the school know the value you will bring and your commitment to their future goals and objectives.

Make your life easier using our online CV builder to create your English teacher CV with adaptable templates and AI-powered content.