WORLD OF WORK CAREERS CENTRE TEACHING: TACKLING NQT LETTERS OF APPLICATION & APPLICATION FORMS This guide will help teaching students negotiate the job application process and secure an all important interview Liverpool John Moores University Tackling Application Forms The purpose of this booklet is to help you prepare and write effective job applications for teaching posts. Teaching vacancies are advertised on many websites. The most popular to use are: TES, Guardian, local council, jobsgopublic, Capita and eteach. You will be asked to register, making it easier to search for jobs, receive vacancy alerts and in some cases create personal profiles. Some Local Councils operate NQT recruitment pools (check if your area runs one). For any vacancy you apply for you will be asked to complete an application form, send a tailored covering letter and possibly a CV. Application Forms All schools require you to complete an application form as the first stage of the recruitment process. Some forms are specific to the school and some may use generic forms. These are generally on local council websites. Using application forms allows recruiters to collect information that is specific to the job requirements and that helps them assess how your education, school placements, paid or voluntary work experience, skills and extracurricular activities relate to the vacancy. What information do I need to provide on an application form? School application forms, like many standard forms, require you to complete sections on your personal details, education and qualifications, work history, supporting information and references (see diagram below). Apart from the supporting information section, these should be relatively straightforward for you to complete and you can copy relevant details from your CV (although you should ensure that these details are tailored to the job role). The additional/supporting information section (Letter of Application) is hugely important and needs to be tailored to the individual role, 2 Teaching: Tackling Application Forms because this is where you need to convince the employer that you are the right candidate for the job and discuss why you would like to work for their school. This can be completed in the section provided, however for teaching jobs it is generally submitted in the form of a letter of application (2 pages A4). Application for Employment Teaching Post CONFIDENTIAL Please read the Guidance Notes above before completing this form As you go through the form there will be information/ guidance about how to complete each section so make sure you follow any instructions carefully. Always keep a copy of your application form, letter of application and any other documents (CV if requested) that you submit for each individual application. Personal information Qualifications Employment history Letter of application / personal information References Monitoring information This is the most important part of the application form and writing a good response could get you an interview for the job. It is essential to make a clear, structured and well presented response which gives full details of your motivation and suitability for the post. Liverpool John Moores University Preparation is key Before you start completing the application form spend some time thinking about yourself and what you have to offer, the job role and the school. Your letter of application is where you state your case for why you would be the right person for the job. The purpose of the letter is to inform the head teacher about the relevant skills, knowledge and experience you can bring to the post and to persuade them to offer you an interview. Before writing your letter, do your research: ■■ Find out what the job involves ■■ Read the job description and person specification ■■ Talk to colleagues, professionals, tutors, careers advisors and friends about the post and the school you are applying to ■■ Look at the school website, and visit the school if the opportunity is there ■■ Assess what you have to offer and think about examples you can use to demonstrate this By considering the job role, the school and your own experience this will allow you to tailor your personal statement section in the form of a letter and demonstrate your motivation to work for this school, which is crucial for your application to stand out. If you have completed the first stage of the LJMU World of Work Skills Certificate about Self-Awareness this will help you to think about the skills and experiences you have to offer an employer and the examples you could use. The Organisational Awareness part of the certificate will support you when considering what you have to offer in terms of the role you will be expected to do, researching the school and updating your knowledge on key issues affecting the education sector. Letter of Application The most common format when applying for a teaching job is to write a letter of application, 2 sides of A4. This is your supporting information; therefore you can write on the application form in the ‘supporting information’ section, please refer to my covering letter. However, many students worry that not completing a box on the application form will jeopardise their chance. If this does worry you put brief points on the application form that you have expanded on in your covering letter. Make sure you refer the employer to your covering letter. There are some application forms that do not have a section for supporting information, although you will be requested to submit a letter of application. Supporting/Additional information The supporting/additional information section on a school’s application form can come in the form of any of the following statements: Personal Statement: Please state why you believe your qualifications, experience and personal qualities fulfil the requirements of this post, and any other information to demonstrate your suitability for the post. Statement of Suitability: Applicants for the post should write a statement of suitability as a separate letter. Please explain how your ability, skills and knowledge match those required for the appointment. Give examples where you can in support of your application. Further Information (generic council form) Please attach any further details in support of your application which you feel are of interest or relevant, such as educational philosophy, personal interests and suitability for the position. ❝ Applications which are succinct, without mistakes and presented well will stand a good chance of being shortlisted. The most annoying aspect of receiving an application is when the candidate forgets to change the name of the head teacher and the school address. This shows a lack of attention and will ensure that the application is immediately rejected. John Banks, Headteacher at Westleigh High School, Leigh, Wigan ❝ Teaching: Tackling Application Forms 3 Liverpool John Moores University A good personal statement should address each of the criteria, one by one, outlined in the person specification providing convincing evidence to demonstrate you have each key requirement. You can use subheadings to structure your statement, however, the majority of letters of application for teaching post are written in a continuous format of 2 pages long. In order to prepare this section of your application form you need to use the information about the job (the job description) and the information about the characteristics the employer is seeking in the successful applicant (the person specification). You also need to use the information you have researched about the school you are aiming to work for, in order to market yourself effectively for the job. The structure and content could be as follows: Introduction (make it engaging) ■■ State what job you are applying for; where you saw the job advertised; what you are currently doing; why you want this particular job; why do you want to teach your chosen subject. Introduce yourself – ‘I am writing to you and the Governors of Liverpool Primary School to express my interest and excitement in the current vacancy for a KS2 teacher. I am looking for a post where I can use and advance my skills as a grade1 / outstanding Newly Qualified Teacher, but more importantly, to have the opportunity to work alongside children, so as to develop confident and independent individuals with a love of learning............’ If you have visited the school or done a placement there – what impressed you about the school, the pupils and the atmosphere? ‘Whilst completing my degree I have maintained strong links with Liverpool High School through volunteering. I have used my knowledge and enthusiasm to deliver PE and extracurricular activities throughout the summer term of 2012. I also completed a research project on the school and the effects the current changes to Education had on their pupils. As a former student of Liverpool High School, I truly believe that my developed confidence and dedication, coupled with my desire to teach is reflective of the outstanding contribution that Liverpool High School made to my career choice and success’. Summarise your interest & enthusiasm for the specific post, the profession, and the employer - why this school, why this job role? ‘I see this post as an exciting and challenging opportunity to develop and share my teaching skills. I am a versatile, enthusiastic and hardworking individual, who is fully committed to raising the standard in Physical Education through the motivation of pupils and delivery of an enriching curriculum. I am passionate about teaching this subject because tangible success is possible for every student. I was initially drawn to working within the school due to the positive, creative nature of the school allowing the pupils to be individuals in a happy and safe environment. Being part of such a thriving, motivated and dedicated team would be a fantastic opportunity’. Main Text (3 or 4 paragraphs) ■■ Make a case for why you are suited to the post- what have you taught? Where? Age ranges/Year groups? ■■ Tell the school that you have got what they are looking for and give examples of lessons ❝ I can assume, from their qualifications and the time they have spent in getting them, that candidates know their subject and want to teach. So, what I want to explore is whether they also have a passion for the young people they will teach within the particular ethos of South Sefton College. 4 Teaching: Tackling Application Forms ❝ Dr Frank McCann, Principal, South Sefton College Liverpool John Moores University – refer to your school placements. Outline what you could contribute as a Teacher ■■ Describe your experiences and explain why it is relevant to the post. Match your skills and experience to those being sought in the person specification. ■■ Organise your information so that it is easy for the reader to see how you meet the person specification – use thematic paragraphs or even sub-headings. Include: lesson planning, assessment – children’s progress; OFSTED; SEN, EAL & G & T. ■■ Put the pupils at the heart of the letter. When giving examples of your experiences follow the STAR technique, and don’t forget to include the benefit to the pupils not just yourself! Further Information ■■ What else do you have to offer? ■■ Have you been a Form Tutor? – Provide an example of pupil involvement in your form – debates, charity fundraising, assemblies. ■■ Extracurricular –what clubs or societies have you set up either through your placement or voluntary work – again remember to state what impact this had on the pupils. ■■ Communication with parents; external bodies/supporting groups, Governors Desirable criteria are the “nice to haves”, i.e. skills, experience and knowledge that enhance a candidate’s ability to carry out the responsibilities of the role. If you meet any of the desirable criteria, make sure that you address these on the personal statement, as this can give you an advantage over other candidates. However, these can easily be gained through further training once a candidate is in post. Common Errors: what to avoid ■■ Not personalising the letter ■■ Addressing it to the right school but wrong head teacher ■■ When it reads more about what you will get out of it, rather than what the school and pupils will get from recruiting you. ■■ Lack of examples and evidence of your own experience ■■ No mention of the young people you have taught or want to teach - what is the benefit to them having you as their teacher? Final tips for writing a good letter of application ■■ Target the opportunity: Don’t use the same Closing Paragraph ■■ ■■ Summarise what you have to offer and ■■ why they should consider you. Confirm your interest in the post and finish in a positive way. For example, “I would like to emphasise my keen interest in the advertised post................. I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you at interview to discuss my application in more depth”. Most person specifications will distinguish between essential and desirable criteria. Essential criteria are the “must haves”, i.e. the skills, experience and knowledge you need to be able to do the job. Only candidates that meet all the essential criteria will usually be invited for interview, so ensure that you always address all of these. ■■ ■■ ■■ letter of application for all job vacancies. Each letter will need a slightly different emphasis, depending on the school you are applying to. Make sure the letter links to the person specification for the post. Make sure your letter is well written and grammatically correct. Use good English and make your statement fresh, lively, and informative. Don’t just rely on a spell check, read through your final version several times and get a friend or careers adviser to read it too. Be clear and concise. Show the ability to put the most important points across in a few words. Stay within prescribed word limits. Give your letter a structure with an introduction, a main body and an end. Be positive and enthusiastic – selectors will read many applications and you want your letter to stand out. Teaching: Tackling Application Forms 5 Liverpool John Moores University Other sections you are usually required to complete on a standard application form for teaching posts are: Other qualifications: Provide details of any vocational qualifications or skills that you possess or training that you have received which you consider to be relevant to the role for which you have applied. This is your opportunity to put forward any additional qualifications – Sports Leaders; CEOPS training (child exploitation and online protection); Developing Practical ABCs. Employment History: The employment section is your opportunity to outline clearly all the work experience you have had. This gives the employer a breakdown of where and when you worked and the job role you undertook. You are requested to give a full history, in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent occupation, whether the job had an education focus or not. It is important to include all periods of paid employment, full and/or part time or voluntary work. Interests: Please give details of any interests that you have. For teaching posts and roles involving significant pupil contact you should indicate those 6 Teaching: Tackling Application Forms interests which you could bring to the school for the purpose of enriching pupils’ extracurricular activity. Referees: Two referees should be supplied. One should be an academic member of staff and one an employer. Use someone from a teaching placement or school based voluntary work. Ensure that you have asked the relevant person if they would be willing to provide you with a reference. Convictions: All schools apply the Safer Recruitment in Education standard to all appointments and you must declare any convictions. This is due to the nature of the work which you are applying for. If your application is successful and you did not disclose any convictions or other sanctions it could result in dismissal or disciplinary action being taken against you. Any employment offer will be subject to a satisfactory disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Dept for Education (DfE) number – is sent to you after your graduation when you have been recommended for QTS. So, for the purpose of the application form you will leave this blank until after graduation when you can then put your individual number on. Liverpool John Moores University Be a STAR consisted of 50 minutes and I taught a variety of topics including fitness and football. A useful tool to help you structure your answers to competency questions or if you are providing examples of evidence in your letter is the STAR technique. STAR is a simple strategy that will help you focus your answers and stands for: Action: It was important that I ensured all learners were involved in every lesson and that I planned for all abilities. I approached this task by using my free periods to plan the lessons and my free time at home after school and during the weekend. To ensure that SEN pupils were included and TA’s and required equipment was clear to see, I put together a detailed written lesson plan for each lesson, recording the activities and timings as well as what I needed at the start of each lesson. I completed the planning of each lesson at least a week in advance, so I had enough time to check if the facility and equipment that I had chosen to use were available. ■■ Situation: briefly describe the context for your example. When was this? Where was this? ■■ Task: describe what you had to do. What were you hoping to achieve? ■■ Action: describe what you did to achieve the task, how you did it and what skills you used. ■■ Result: briefly describe the outcome. What did you learn? Would you do anything differently? For example: Situation: A good example of a time when I have used my organisation and planning skills was during my final placement in a local secondary school. Result: The result of my planning being a week in advance worked to my advantage. I did not have to rush the night before school and I also had time to mentally rehearse the lesson so I knew exactly what I wanted to happen in the lesson and at what time. The pupils had high expectations as they knew they would always be walking into a lesson that had been well thought out and suited to their needs. Task: I had to plan for 11 lessons a week for a range of classes in key stage three. The lessons Teaching: Tackling Application Forms 7 Liverpool John Moores University Exercise/Activity: As stated above to successfully get through the first sift you need to clearly demonstrate that you have what the recruiter is looking for. They have told you this in the person specification so you must address each essential criterion one by one. The exercise below should help you to do this. You should use this approach every time you apply for a job. List the essential criteria required for the post (detailed in the person specification) in the left hand column. Then write down an example or piece of evidence you could use to show how you meet that criterion/have demonstrated that skill. There may be several criteria that you can meet by using one example! Essential Criteria that the recruiter is looking for (knowledge/skills/ experience) Your evidence to demonstrate this (from all areas of your life – university, work placements, parttime jobs, voluntary work, leisure activities etc) Example: Ability to communicate effectively... During my time on placement I was given many opportunities to experience effective communicate with parents. In addition to meeting and greeting in the mornings, and conversing with parents at home times (both of which I found to be extremely beneficial), I have been supported in reporting to parents during formal parents’ evenings. These dialogues have proved productive and informative. During a parents’ evening on my placement in Early Years, a friendly conversation with a parent about her child’s handwriting allowed me to discover the root cause of her little boy’s reluctance to write in lower case. He practiced writing with his grandfather, who capitalised all of his letters. Through explaining the benefits of pre-cursive handwriting to the child’s mother, and supplying her with writing resources designed by myself and the school, I observed an improvement in the child’s handwriting during phonics sessions and continuous provision. 8 Teaching: Tackling Application Forms Liverpool John Moores University Teaching: Tackling Application Forms 9 Liverpool John Moores University World of Work Careers Centre Kingsway House Hatton Garden Liverpool L3 2AJ T: 0151 231 8099 E: [email protected] W: www.ljmu.ac.uk/worldofwork LJMUWoW EVENTS SYSTEM: worldofwork.ljmu.ac.uk/events VACANCY WEBSITE: ljmu.prospects.ac.uk Linda Graham Careers Adviser - [email protected] 10 Teaching: Tackling Application Forms