Teacher Aide CV Examples & Writing Guide
Updated 22 July 2026
A strong teacher aide CV shows you can support the class teacher, manage small groups, and help pupils make progress. UK schools hire teaching assistants who understand classroom routines, safeguarding, and how to deliver targeted support without needing constant direction. This guide walks you through building a CV that gets you shortlisted.
Teacher Aide CV examples
Entry-Level Teaching Assistant
entryLeads with Level 2 qualification and child-facing volunteer work, showing readiness despite limited paid experience.
SEN Teaching Assistant
midTailored to SEN support with EHCP and IEP experience, behaviour de-escalation, and assistive tools named explicitly.
Senior Teaching Assistant (HLTA)
seniorDemonstrates leadership through HLTA status, mentoring junior TAs, and leading whole-class cover, with strong pupil-outcome metrics.
How to write a teacher aide CV
A teacher aide CV should be two pages maximum, in reverse-chronological order. Open with contact details and a short personal statement (2-3 sentences), then work experience, education, and certifications. Schools scan for your Level 2 or Level 3 TA qualification and safeguarding credentials first, so put those high.
What to include in each section
| Section | What to show |
|---|---|
| Personal statement | Your TA specialism (SEN, EAL, early years), years of experience, and key strengths in 2-3 sentences |
| Work experience | Year groups supported, pupil numbers, group sizes, and concrete outcomes (reading levels, behaviour incidents, exam grades) |
| Education | Level 2/3 Certificate or Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools, plus GCSEs (especially English and Maths) |
| Certifications | Paediatric first aid, safeguarding training, enhanced DBS, and any SEN or behaviour-management courses |
| Skills | Classroom support, behaviour management, small-group instruction, phonics delivery, SEN awareness |
Personal statement: Tailor it to the support type the school wants. If the job spec mentions SEN, open with your SEN experience and any EHCP work. If it's an EAL role, lead with language support and any TEFL qualification. Generic statements lose to targeted ones.
Experience: Show how you supported the class teacher and what happened as a result. Did pupils improve their reading levels? Did behaviour incidents drop? Did a group catch up to age-related expectations? Schools want evidence you can take a task and run with it.
Skills: List the tools and methods you actually use (Read Write Inc, Makaton, visual timetables, Team Teach). Naming specific interventions shows you can pick up a school's existing programme.
Education and certifications: Put your TA qualification at the top of the education section. Many schools screen for Level 2 or Level 3 before reading the rest. Safeguarding, paediatric first aid, and an enhanced DBS check are near-mandatory, so list them clearly.
What to leave out: No photo, date of birth, marital status, nationality, or 'references available on request'. UK education-sector CVs omit these, and including them signals you don't know the norms.
Personal statement examples
Compassionate SEN teaching assistant with five years supporting children with physical and learning disabilities across Key Stages 1 and 2. Level 3 qualified with expertise in adapting lesson materials to EHCP targets, behaviour de-escalation, and using visual aids and assistive technology. Committed to helping every pupil access the curriculum and reach their potential.
Hardworking and reliable teaching assistant looking for a role to use my skills and grow. A good team player who is passionate about helping children learn and develop in a supportive environment.
Writing your experience
Teaching assistant bullets should show what you did, for how many pupils, and what changed. The pattern is: action + context (year group, pupil numbers, group size) + result (reading levels, behaviour incidents, exam outcomes).
Before and after examples
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| Helped with classroom activities | Assisted the Year 3 class teacher daily with a class of 30 pupils, delivering small-group maths activities to groups of 5 |
| Supported pupils with reading | Delivered one-to-one reading support to 4 pupils, helping each improve by at least one reading band per term |
| Worked with SEN children | Supported 6 pupils with EHCPs, adapting lesson materials to individual learning targets and reducing classroom disruption incidents by 50% using de-escalation techniques |
Action verbs for teaching assistants: Assisted, supported, delivered, facilitated, adapted, implemented, liaised, supervised, ran, coordinated, mentored (for senior TAs).
Show your support specialism: If you ran phonics catch-up, name the scheme (Read Write Inc, Letters and Sounds). If you supported SEN pupils, mention EHCPs, IEPs, visual aids, or assistive tech. If you worked with EAL learners, describe language intervention or family liaison. Specifics prove you know the role.
One-to-one and small-group work: This is the core of the TA job. Every bullet should make it clear you can take a pupil or group the teacher hands off and run a focused session without constant supervision.
Key skills & ATS keywords
Hard skills
Soft skills
ATS keywords
Education & certifications
Put your Level 2 or Level 3 Certificate/Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools at the top of your education section. This is the recognised UK TA credential, and many schools screen for it before reading anything else. If you're working towards it, write 'Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools (in progress, due [month/year])'.
Include your GCSEs, especially English and Maths. Schools expect at least Grade 4/C in both. If you have A-Levels or a degree, list them too, but the TA qualification matters more for this role.
Certifications that matter:
- Paediatric first aid – near-mandatory for anyone in contact with pupils. List the issuing body (St John Ambulance, British Red Cross, etc.).
- Safeguarding and child protection training – Level 1 is the minimum; Level 2 or DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead) training is a plus for senior TAs.
- Enhanced DBS check – schools expect this. Write 'Enhanced DBS Check (Disclosure and Barring Service)' in your achievements or certifications section.
- SEN-specific training – Team Teach (behaviour management), Makaton (signing), autism awareness, ADHD support. These are differentiators for SEN TA roles.
- EAL-specific training – TEFL, TESOL, or any language-support qualification. If you speak a second language, list it under additional info.
If you're an HLTA (Higher Level Teaching Assistant), put that status prominently. It signals you can lead whole-class lessons and mentor junior TAs, which opens senior TA roles.
No TA qualification yet? Lead with your GCSEs and any child-facing experience (childcare, tutoring, youth work, volunteering in a classroom). Then add 'Currently pursuing Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools' if you've enrolled. Schools hire trainee TAs on potential and rapport with children, not just credentials.
Common mistakes to avoid
Writing 'helped in a school' without naming year groups or key stages
Specify the year groups or key stages you supported, e.g. 'Assisted teachers in Years 3, 4, and 5' or 'Supported Key Stage 1 pupils'. Schools hire TAs for specific age ranges.
Listing duties instead of outcomes ('responsible for supporting pupils with reading')
Show the result: 'Delivered one-to-one reading support to 4 pupils, helping each improve by at least one reading band per term.'
Writing a generic personal statement that could apply to any TA role
Tailor it to the support type the school wants. If the job spec mentions SEN, open with your SEN experience and EHCP work. If it's EAL, lead with language support.
Burying your Level 2 or Level 3 TA qualification at the bottom of the CV
Put it at the top of your education section. Many schools screen for this credential before reading anything else.
Forgetting to list safeguarding, paediatric first aid, or enhanced DBS
Name these certifications clearly in an achievements or certifications section. Schools treat them as near-mandatory and won't shortlist without them.
Including personal demographics (date of birth, marital status, nationality) or 'references available on request'
UK education-sector CVs omit these. Including them signals you don't know the norms and wastes space.
Junior vs senior: what changes
| Aspect | Junior | Senior |
|---|---|---|
| Personal statement | Leads with Level 2 qualification, volunteer or early paid experience, and enthusiasm for supporting pupils | Leads with years of experience, HLTA status or Level 3 qualification, and evidence of leading interventions or mentoring junior TAs |
| Experience bullets | Shows small-group and one-to-one support under teacher direction, with basic pupil-outcome metrics (reading bands, group sizes) | Shows leading whole-class lessons, mentoring TAs, coordinating interventions, and stronger outcome metrics (exam grades, reading-age gains, exclusion reductions) |
| Certifications | Paediatric first aid, safeguarding Level 1, enhanced DBS | All of the above plus Team Teach, Makaton, DSL training, or HLTA status |
| Responsibilities | Assists the class teacher, runs small-group activities, supports individual pupils | Covers whole-class teaching, plans and delivers interventions independently, tracks pupil data, mentors junior TAs |
| Pupil numbers and impact | Supported 3-6 pupils in small groups, helped individuals improve by one reading band | Supported 8-12 pupils across multiple year groups, raised average reading ages by 12+ months, reduced behaviour incidents by 50% |