Education cover letter example

An education cover letter should convey your passion for sharing knowledge and challenging the minds of your students. While your CV focuses on your educational results, the cover letter details the nuances of how you get there.

It would be easy to write a cover letter that reads like a copy of the job description. You should include your personality, educational philosophy, and a smattering of classroom stories that you wish to expand on during an interview.

How can an education cover letter achieve this? Think of it like a lesson – persuasive, informative, and memorable.

Education full text-only cover letter example

Sections of an education cover letter

Every education cover letter should follow a carefully constructed plan. Craft your educational career story with care – this is just the start of your job search conversation.

1. Cover Letter Header: List your full name, email, and mobile number. This section should be repeated from your CV. You never know when that interview invite might come.
2. Greeting: Connect with the hiring manager by addressing them by name. A cover letter that starts “to whom it may concern” will not create the best impression.
3. Introduction: Share why you want the job and give your most relevant example of why you would be a great choice. If this is compelling, they will read more.
4. Body: After careful study of the job description, which educational career stories will hit hardest? What do you want to talk about during an interview? Make sure that your students are at the very heart of your application.
5. Conclusion: Share one last education story and share that you are keen to find out more with a call-to-action. You want them to think that you are in demand.
6. Signature: End with a professional goodbye.

Every section of the cover letter should centre around your motivations and suitability for this specific role. Don’t tell your best classroom stories – tell the stories that are best for the role.

Aim for a concise, one-page cover letter that goes far beyond just listing your skills and experiences. Open up to the hiring manager and speak from the heart. You will only find a dream job if the hiring manager is hiring you based on who you really are.

For more general information and details that cover every section, view our article on how to write a cover letter.

After the formality of the header and greeting, the educational sales pitch starts with the introduction. Now, stand up in front of the class and tell your story.

Introduction of an education cover letter

When you start a cover letter for an education position, begin with one of your key achievements that will illustrate your potential for the role in question.

While it is tempting to share details about the success of your students, make sure to tell the employer the specifics of how you made the difference to them. What exactly did you do to elevate their learning outcomes?

Your introduction should contain a hint of why you love the job with some facts to back up your confidence in your candidature. Quantify your successes – put something down on paper that will stick in the mind of the interviewer. This will then form a hook to lead into an interesting interview conversation.

If your introduction is aligned with the requirements of the job description, the hiring manager will be keen to learn more and read on. That is not a given. If the intro is generic and uninspiring, they will lose interest. They have better things to do than read a cover letter that has likely been copy pasted for multiple employers. Make them feel special.

Education cover letter body

In the body of your cover letter, follow this formula: 

1. Highlight your skills and experience.
2. Show how you're a perfect fit for the school.
3. Finish with a conclusion that ends with one last compelling example.
4. Include a call to action that instills a sense of urgency in the hiring manager.

First body paragraph - Your suitability for the role (skills & experience)

Showcase your key skills, embedding them into stories of your accomplishments.

Here’s how you can Here’s how you can create a job winning narrative:

1. Highlight your education: ​​Educators should be on a constant journey of discovery.
2. Emphasise your focus on students: Student achievement should be at the heart of your education cover letter.
3. Technology awareness: Technology is becoming increasingly important in the classroom. Show that you are an adopter of new teaching methods such as interactive whiteboards, Microsoft Teams and Google Classroom.
4. Communication: Effective teachers are great communicators – make sure that your education cover letter is clear in its arguments.
5. Subject matter expert: Give some details about how the depth of your knowledge makes a difference to your students.
6. Pastoral care: Teachers do far more than stand in the classroom and teach. Do you get involved in extracurricular activities? How do you care for the students over and above the lessons that you teach?
7. Managerial ambition: Do you have ambitions to become a head of department or maybe even a senior member of the school management?

Second body paragraph(s) - Alignment with the organisation

Align your application with the school and how they teach the subject. Be aware of the exam boards for your subject and show that you are truly a subject matter expert.

You might wish to write about the curriculum that you are teaching, details of experience with particular exam boards, or your approach to managing coursework assignments. Show that you understand how the school approaches the curriculum and demonstrate that you have taught the subject in a similar way previously.

Use the cover letter format to show how your values and experiences align with these aspects, demonstrating you're not just a fit for the role but also for the culture.

Incorporate aspects of the school’s mission statement into your cover letter. Tell some personal stories about how you have worked in a similar environment.

Call to action & conclusion - Finish off strong

The call to action is the final part of your cover letter magic. Any hiring manager would expect you to be keen on the role, but saying that you want to find out more in the final lines of the letter has another effect. It creates a sense of urgency that may compel a hiring manager to invite you to interview – they won’t want to lose a good candidate, after all.

Don’t forget to express your gratitude to the recruiter for considering your application. This not only demonstrates good manners but also reaffirms your keen interest in the role. 

Conclude by signing your name. Ideally, add an electronic signature if you are sending a PDF of the letter. This personal touch should not be underestimated.

How to write an education cover letter with no experience

If you are entering the education industry, it may be the case that you have minimal experience. While teachers will require a PGCE and teaching work experience, it may be possible to secure work as a teaching assistant without having worked at a school previously. 

Consider these points:

• Highlight transferable skills: Educators need to be effective communicators, able to ensure optimal outcomes for a diverse student body.
• Showcase organisational abilities: A successful classroom is an organised classroom. Have you organised other people during events or projects?
• Express your passion for teaching: You may not have any experience, but your cover letter should be full of passion for the career that lies ahead.
• Include academic background: It is unlikely that you will choose to work in academia without a track record of success in your own academics. Share with pride.

These points will help balance out the lack of experience in your cover letter and pave the way to a creative and open-minded career discussion during an interview.

Key takeaway

A well-crafted education cover letter highlights your relevant skills and experiences.

Demonstrate your passion for the subject from the first line. Make every effort to showcase your unique strengths and care for your students.

Try our cover letter builder to help inspire your writing. It will make it easy to weave the best possible application for each specific role.