So you’ve started your teaching journey. As a newly qualified teacher, some might say the hardest bit is arguably over. You’re an NQT, and now you just have to put in the time until you’re able to teach a classroom all on your own. The best way to communicate the soft skills that make you a great asset to the classroom is through your newly qualified teacher cover letter.
Unlike a structured and regimented CV, your cover letter allows you to share more of your personality and what you’re like as an NQT. Sure, it can feel nerve-wracking. The good news is that here at Resume.io we help to take some of the pressure off of your job search journey.
In this cover letter guide, along with the corresponding newly qualified teacher cover letter example, we’ll cover the following topics to help you write the best cover letter possible:
- How to choose the best cover letter format and what paragraphs the cover letter should include
- How to maximise the effect of each cover letter paragraph (header, greeting, intro, body and conclusion)
- What approach to take when writing your cover letter
- What mistakes to avoid when writing your NQT cover letter.
By making the right impression before you’re in an interview, you can show off some of the traits that will make you a great teacher.
Since so much of being a teacher goes beyond qualifications and hard skills – which are easy to communicate on your CV – your cover letter could be one of the most important assets.
Read on and check out our cover letter examples - let’s get you to that all-important NQT interview phase so that you can wow the hiring manager in person!
If you’re looking for additional inspiration for your NQT cover letter writing, you can check out our related cover letter examples:
Best format for a newly qualified teacher cover letter
Before the hiring manager even skims through your newly qualified teacher cover letter example, they’ll want to see that it’s neatly presented. You don’t look forward to marking a scribbled piece of homework, do you? The first impression the hiring manager has of your cover letter works much in the same way.
The format of a newly qualified teacher cover letter should contain the following elements:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting / salutation
- The cover letter intro
- The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
- The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)
If you want to take a deep dive into the anatomy of a cover letter, consider checking out our guide on how to write a cover letter with no experience. Sure, as an NQT you’re not starting from scratch. However, these tips could help you to stand out from more experienced teachers or even other NQTs with other relevant professional experience.
Cover letter header
The cover letter header is the first thing a hiring manager will see. That’s because it’s positioned at the top of your cover letter. Your cover letter header should include your name and contact details.
The stakes are a bit higher than if a student hands in a worksheet without their name. If the reader – in this case the hiring manager - can’t identify who your cover letter belongs to, you risk missing out on an employment opportunity. Make sure it’s as easy as 1,2,3 for them to give you a call. Just because you’re a newly qualified teacher doesn’t mean you don’t know how to blow the hiring manager away with your excellent cover letter writing
Impress the ATS
The Applicant Tracking System (ATS) isn’t only something to think about when preparing your CV. The ATS will rank the best of the best applications and filter out the rest. It does this based on the presence of keywords throughout your application, including your cover letter.
So, read that job description carefully. Make sure the language you use throughout your NQT cover letter mirrors those keywords to be in with a better chance of making it to a job interview.
Cover letter greeting
Set the right tone with a strong greeting for your NQT cover letter. Opening words have a lasting impression, and in a hierarchical setting like a school, you don’t want to set out a potential working relationship on the wrong foot.
A simple “Dear Mr/Miss/Dr [Last Name]” is the widely accepted formal and professional greeting for the start of your cover letter. If you are finding it impossible to identify who is in charge of this particular hire, you want to go to the school’s website to work out who the head of department of headteacher themself is. By addressing the cover letter to them, at least you’ve shown that you’re capable of doing some extra research.
Don’t risk sounding too casual by using “To” as a greeting or by using the hiring manager’s first name. Plus, the classic “To whom it may concern” risks coming across as lazy, since it indicates that you haven’t taken the time to understand who you’re writing to.
Cover letter introduction
Now that you’ve opened your cover letter it’s time to get started with some top-quality content. Although your introduction is the first paragraph the hiring manager will read, it might be the last one you choose to write.
That’s because the introduction offers a short teaser of what the hiring manager can expect to read throughout the following paragraphs. The best way to summarise this concisely is to start your process by figuring out the main content of the rest of your cover letter.
Here is some key information you can consider including in the opening paragraph:
- The outstanding aspects that make you a top candidate for this role.
- If your training until now has included work experience in similar school environments.
- Any impressive accolades or skills that make you stand out as a candidate.
Think of the opening paragraph of your cover letter as the hook that’s going to engage the hiring manager’s interest so they read the rest of your letter. Check out our newly qualified teacher cover letter example content below to get some ideas.
Dear Ms Brown,
I am writing to apply for the position of Newly Qualified Teacher at St Mary's Primary School, as advertised on the TES website. As a passionate and dedicated educator with a PGCE from the University of London, I am excited about the opportunity to join your outstanding school and contribute to the academic and personal growth of your students.
Cover letter middle part (body)
Once you’ve nailed your introduction, the middle paragraphs of cover letters are the most important ones. That’s because they add a level of detail to the story you are telling about why you’re the right NQT for this role.
You can elaborate on the writing in your cover letter in a way that you can’t in your CV. As a newly qualified teacher, you likely haven’t got a huge amount of experience under your belt yet. So you can use these paragraphs to elaborate on traits, skills, and experiences you’ve had and explain why they are relevant.
As an NQT, part of your job is to inspire students. So, don’t be afraid to get creative! The NQT cover letter sample below will show you how it’s done.
During my teacher training at the University of London, I gained valuable experience teaching in diverse classroom settings across London, including a placement at the highly regarded Bousfield Primary School in Kensington. These experiences have equipped me with the skills to create engaging and inclusive lesson plans, differentiate instruction to meet individual student needs, and manage classroom behaviour effectively.
I am particularly drawn to St Mary's Primary School's ethos of nurturing the whole child and fostering a love for learning. I firmly believe in the importance of creating a supportive and stimulating learning environment where every child can thrive. In my previous placements, I have implemented creative teaching strategies, such as incorporating drama and outdoor learning, which have been highly effective in engaging students and promoting their social and emotional development.
In addition to my teaching qualifications, I have a strong commitment to professional development and staying up-to-date with the latest educational research and best practices. I recently attended a conference on promoting mental health and wellbeing in primary schools, which has further inspired me to prioritise student welfare in my teaching approach.
I am confident that my passion for teaching, strong academic background, and commitment to student success make me an excellent fit for the NQT position at St Mary's Primary School. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my skills and experiences can contribute to your school's continued success.
How to close a newly qualified teacher cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
Now that you’ve built a strong story of who you are as an NQT, it’s time to leave the hiring manager wanting more. That way they’ll be excited to hear you tell them more about the contents of your NQT cover letter in an interview.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of joining your dedicated team and making a positive impact on the lives of your students.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Rose
How to prepare for an NQT interview
If you nail your NQT cover letter, then up next is your job interview! If you’re nervous, you can prepare with these teaching job interview questions.
Newly qualified teacher cover letter with no experience
You might have your qualified teacher status, but as a newly qualified teacher you still have a way to go when it comes to building up experience. That’s not a weakness in itself. Every teacher had to start somewhere!
Schools across the country are keen to get new talent in to inspire and teach their students. So the trick to making the hiring manager think that you’re the person to do it could lie in the way you write your cover letter.
Consider some of these points to build a strong cover letter example when you have limited experience as an NQT:
- Draw on experiences from your training that make you a good fit for this particular role.
- Show your enthusiasm to work at this particular department or school.
- Highlight transferable skills from previous professional, volunteer, or extracurricular roles you’ve held in the past.
Key takeaways
- Let your soft skills and personal qualities shine through in your newly qualified teacher cover letter.
- Don’t be shy - every teacher has to start somewhere. Lean into transferable skills if you’re in doubt about what to write about.
- Write your cover letter introduction last so you can really hook in the hiring manager.
- Make sure your cover letter has a professional presentation with proper formatting and a neat cover letter template.
At Resume.io we’re dedicated to making your NQT job application experience as smooth as possible. So if you’re in need of some guidance, then our cover letter templates can help you to get where you want to go.
