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Create ResumeA strong teaching assistant CV in the UK needs to prove one thing quickly: you can support pupils, teachers and the wider school safely, calmly and effectively. Schools are not just looking for someone who “enjoys working with children”. That is nice, but it is not enough. They want evidence that you understand safeguarding, classroom routines, behaviour support, SEN needs, communication with teachers, and how your work helps pupils make progress.
When I review teaching assistant CVs, the strongest ones are not the longest. They are the clearest. They show the age groups supported, the type of school environment, the needs of the pupils, and the practical impact the candidate had. A vague CV says, “I helped in the classroom.” A strong CV shows how, with whom, and why it mattered.
A teaching assistant CV is not only about listing school duties. It is about giving the school confidence that you can walk into a classroom and be useful without creating extra work for the teacher.
That sounds blunt, but it is the reality. Hiring managers in schools are often busy, under pressure, and reading CVs around a hundred other priorities. They are scanning for reassurance. They want to know:
Can you support pupils safely?
Do you understand safeguarding responsibilities?
Have you worked with children of the right age group?
Can you manage behaviour calmly?
Do you know how to support SEN, EHCPs or additional learning needs?
Can you work under teacher direction without needing constant hand holding?
The real purpose of your teaching assistant CV is to help the school picture you in their classrooms.
Not in a vague “I love education” way. In a practical way.
They need to see whether you are suited to:
Primary school support
Secondary school support
SEN teaching assistant work
One to one pupil support
Early years support
Behaviour support
Intervention work
Are you reliable, patient and emotionally steady?
Can you communicate with staff, pupils and parents appropriately?
The mistake many candidates make is treating a teaching assistant CV like a personality document. They write about being caring, passionate and enthusiastic, but they do not show what they actually did in a school setting.
Schools do care about your character. Of course they do. But recruitment decisions are not made on warmth alone. They are made on evidence of suitability, safeguarding judgement, relevant experience and classroom readiness.
General classroom assistance
Cover supervisor progression
Pastoral or inclusion support
A good CV makes that positioning obvious. A weak CV leaves the reader guessing.
This matters because teaching assistant roles can look similar from the outside, but they are not the same in practice. Supporting phonics in Year 1 is very different from helping a Year 10 pupil regulate behaviour during a maths lesson. Working in a mainstream primary classroom is different from supporting pupils with autism, ADHD, speech and language needs, SEMH challenges or physical disabilities.
When a CV does not show the context, recruiters and schools have to fill in the gaps. And in hiring, gaps are rarely filled generously. They are usually filled with doubt.
A UK teaching assistant CV should be clear, practical and easy to scan. Schools do not need decorative layouts, profile photos, colourful boxes or overdesigned templates. In fact, those often make the CV harder to read and worse for applicant tracking systems.
Use this structure:
Name and contact details
Professional profile
Key skills
Employment history
Education and qualifications
Safeguarding, SEN or childcare training
Voluntary experience if relevant
References available on request
You do not need to include your date of birth, marital status, full address or a photo. UK employers do not need that information, and it can make the CV feel outdated.
The strongest teaching assistant CVs are usually two pages. One page can work for entry level candidates, but many teaching assistant candidates need space to show school placements, voluntary work, SEN exposure, childcare experience and training.
The key is not to cram everything in. The key is to make every line earn its place.
Your CV profile is the short paragraph at the top of your CV. This is where many candidates either win attention or lose it immediately.
A weak profile says:
Weak Example
“Hardworking and passionate teaching assistant with excellent communication skills. I enjoy helping children learn and am looking for a new opportunity in a school where I can develop my skills.”
The problem is not that this is bad as a human statement. The problem is that it tells the school almost nothing useful. It could belong to hundreds of candidates.
A stronger profile says:
Good Example
“Teaching assistant with experience supporting Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils in mainstream primary classrooms, including small group literacy interventions, one to one SEN support and behaviour management. Confident working under teacher direction, adapting tasks for mixed ability learners and maintaining calm, safe classroom routines in line with safeguarding expectations.”
That profile immediately gives the reader useful information. It shows setting, age range, support type, SEN exposure, behaviour awareness and classroom readiness.
This is what schools need. Not a motivational poster. Useful evidence.
Your teaching assistant CV profile should usually include:
Your relevant school or childcare experience
The age range or key stages you have supported
SEN, EHCP, autism, ADHD, SEMH or speech and language experience if relevant
Classroom support, intervention or one to one experience
Safeguarding awareness
Behaviour support or emotional regulation experience
Your target role if your background is mixed
Keep it focused. Do not try to tell your life story in the profile. The profile should position you, not explain everything.
The key skills section should not be a random list of soft skills. Schools already assume a teaching assistant should be patient, organised and caring. Those words are fine, but on their own they are weak.
The better approach is to combine practical classroom skills with the areas schools actually recruit for.
Strong teaching assistant CV skills include:
Classroom support across individual, small group and whole class activities
One to one pupil support
SEN support including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, speech and language needs or SEMH
Supporting pupils with EHCP targets
Behaviour management and emotional regulation support
Phonics, reading, literacy and numeracy interventions
Safeguarding awareness and child protection procedures
Supporting pupils with low confidence, anxiety or barriers to learning
Adapting learning materials under teacher guidance
Building positive pupil relationships while maintaining boundaries
Communication with teachers, SENCOs and pastoral staff
Recording pupil progress and feeding back observations
Supporting classroom routines, transitions and behaviour expectations
Notice the difference. These are not fluffy claims. They are job relevant signals.
A recruiter reading this can quickly understand where you may fit. A school hiring manager can match your experience to their classroom needs.
Your work experience section is where your CV becomes credible. This is where you need to stop saying you are supportive and start showing what support looked like.
For each role, include:
Job title
School or employer name
Location
Dates
Type of setting if helpful
Key responsibilities and achievements
If the school type matters, mention it. For example:
Mainstream primary school
Secondary academy
SEN school
Early years setting
Pupil referral unit
Alternative provision
Nursery
After school club
Youth organisation
This context helps recruiters understand the environment you have worked in.
Weak teaching assistant CV bullet points usually sound like job descriptions copied from an advert.
Weak Example
Helped the teacher in the classroom
Supported children with their work
Managed behaviour
Worked with SEN pupils
These are too broad. They do not show level, context or impact.
Strong bullet points are more specific.
Good Example
Supported a Year 3 class of mixed ability pupils during English, maths and topic lessons, helping pupils stay focused, understand instructions and complete differentiated tasks
Delivered small group phonics and reading activities under teacher guidance, helping pupils build confidence with decoding, comprehension and independent reading
Provided one to one support for a pupil with autism, using visual prompts, clear routines and calm communication to support participation and reduce classroom anxiety
Recorded pupil observations and shared feedback with the class teacher and SENCO to support planning, interventions and EHCP review discussions
Helped maintain positive behaviour routines by reinforcing classroom expectations, redirecting low level disruption and supporting pupils during transitions
This is much stronger because it shows what actually happened.
When I read a CV like this, I can see the candidate in the classroom. I can understand the level of responsibility. I can see whether they have worked with relevant pupil needs. That makes the CV far easier to shortlist.
Below is a strong UK teaching assistant CV example. This is not a template to copy word for word. It is an example of the level of specificity, structure and practical evidence schools want to see.
Name
Aisha Khan
Contact Details
Manchester, UK
07700 900000
LinkedIn URL if relevant
Professional Profile
Teaching assistant with experience supporting Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils in mainstream primary classrooms, including one to one SEN support, small group literacy interventions and classroom behaviour routines. Confident supporting pupils with autism, ADHD, speech and language needs and low confidence, while working closely with teachers and SENCOs to adapt learning activities and maintain safe, inclusive classroom environments. Strong understanding of safeguarding expectations, pupil confidentiality and the need for calm, consistent communication in school settings.
Key Skills
Classroom support across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
One to one SEN pupil support
Autism, ADHD and speech and language support
Phonics, reading and early literacy interventions
Behaviour management and emotional regulation strategies
Supporting EHCP targets under SENCO guidance
Safeguarding awareness and child protection procedures
Small group learning support
Differentiated classroom activities
Pupil observation and progress feedback
Positive relationships with pupils, teachers and parents
Classroom organisation and learning resource preparation
Employment History
Teaching Assistant, Greenfield Primary School, Manchester
September 2023 to Present
Mainstream primary school supporting pupils across Year 2 and Year 4
Support class teachers during English, maths and foundation subject lessons by helping pupils understand instructions, remain focused and complete differentiated classroom tasks
Provide one to one support for a Year 4 pupil with autism, using visual timetables, structured routines and calm communication to support engagement and reduce anxiety during transitions
Deliver small group phonics and reading activities for pupils working below age related expectations, helping them build confidence with decoding, fluency and comprehension
Reinforce positive behaviour expectations by using consistent language, redirecting low level disruption and supporting pupils to regulate emotions before rejoining learning activities
Prepare classroom resources, organise learning materials and support lesson transitions to help the teacher maintain smooth classroom routines
Record pupil observations and share feedback with the class teacher and SENCO to support intervention planning and review of pupil progress
Support playground and lunchtime supervision, helping pupils manage social interactions and follow school behaviour expectations
Learning Support Volunteer, Bright Futures Community Centre, Manchester
March 2022 to August 2023
After school learning and homework support for primary aged children
Supported children aged 6 to 11 with reading, spelling, homework tasks and confidence building activities in a community learning environment
Worked with pupils who needed additional encouragement, including children with low confidence, limited concentration and English as an additional language
Helped create a calm and structured learning space by setting clear expectations, encouraging participation and offering patient one to one support
Communicated progress and concerns to the programme coordinator, including observations around engagement, confidence and behaviour
Nursery Assistant, Little Steps Nursery, Manchester
June 2021 to February 2022
Early years childcare setting
Supported children aged 2 to 4 with play based learning, routines, personal care and early communication development
Helped staff deliver activities linked to early years learning goals, including language development, fine motor skills, social interaction and independence
Maintained safe, clean and organised play areas while following nursery safeguarding, hygiene and supervision procedures
Built positive relationships with children by using warm, clear and age appropriate communication
Education
Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning
Manchester College
2023
GCSEs
English Language, Maths and Science
Grades 4 to 6
Training
Safeguarding Children Level 2
Autism Awareness Training
Paediatric First Aid
Behaviour Management in Primary Settings
Additional Information
Enhanced DBS certificate available
References available on request
One of the biggest CV mistakes I see is candidates using the same teaching assistant CV for every school role.
That usually weakens the application.
A general teaching assistant role, SEN teaching assistant role, behaviour support role and early years teaching assistant role may overlap, but they are not looking for exactly the same evidence.
For a general teaching assistant role, focus on classroom support, helping the teacher, small group work, pupil engagement, lesson preparation and behaviour routines.
The school wants someone flexible, steady and useful across the classroom.
Prioritise:
Key stage experience
Whole class support
Small group interventions
Reading, phonics, numeracy or literacy support
Classroom organisation
Behaviour expectations
Teacher support
For an SEN teaching assistant role, your CV needs to show specific pupil needs and how you supported them.
Do not just write “worked with SEN pupils”. That is far too vague.
Mention relevant experience such as:
Autism
ADHD
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
Speech and language needs
SEMH
Global developmental delay
Physical disabilities
Sensory needs
EHCP support
The school wants to know whether you understand individualised support, patience, consistency and safeguarding boundaries.
For one to one roles, schools are looking closely at trust, consistency and judgement.
Your CV should show that you can support one pupil without isolating them from the rest of the class or making them dependent on you. That is a subtle point, but a very important one.
Strong one to one support is not hovering over a child all day. It is helping them access learning, build independence and remain included where possible.
Mention:
Supporting EHCP targets
Building independence
Managing transitions
Emotional regulation
Communication with teachers and SENCOs
Adapting tasks
Tracking observations
Encouraging participation
For early years roles, schools and nurseries care about communication, routines, supervision, safeguarding, personal care, play based learning and emotional development.
Your CV should show:
Age range supported
EYFS awareness
Play based learning
Personal care routines
Speech and language support
Fine motor development
Behaviour and social interaction
Parent communication if relevant
Safeguarding and supervision
Early years roles are sometimes wrongly presented as “just playing with children”. Schools know better. The CV needs to show that you understand development, safety, routine and observation.
Secondary teaching assistant CVs need a slightly different tone. You are supporting older pupils, subject teachers, behaviour expectations and sometimes more complex confidence or engagement issues.
Mention:
Subject support if relevant
GCSE support
Behaviour management
Pastoral awareness
SEN or SEMH support
Supporting independent learning
Working with teenagers
Classroom boundaries
Communication with subject teachers
Secondary schools are often looking for someone who can be calm, firm and respectful without trying too hard to be liked. That balance matters.
Schools notice more than candidates think.
They notice if your CV is too vague. They notice if your dates are confusing. They notice if you claim SEN experience but do not name the type of needs. They notice if you talk about passion but give no classroom evidence.
They also notice small signals of professionalism.
A strong teaching assistant CV gives confidence through details such as:
Specific key stages
Specific pupil needs
Clear safeguarding awareness
Relevant school settings
Practical classroom responsibilities
Calm behaviour support language
Evidence of working with teachers and SENCOs
Training that matches the role
Clear dates and job titles
No unnecessary personal information
What they do not need is dramatic language. Avoid saying you “transformed lives” unless you can prove it with specific evidence. Schools are allergic to exaggerated CV language because they deal in reality every day.
A better phrase is:
Good Example
“Supported pupils to build confidence with reading through weekly small group phonics activities and individual encouragement.”
That is believable. It shows value without pretending you single handedly fixed the education system before lunch.
Most weak teaching assistant CVs do not fail because the person is unsuitable. They fail because the CV does not translate the experience properly.
Passion is not a substitute for evidence.
Schools want people who care about pupils, but caring must be supported by safe practice, patience, classroom judgement and reliability.
Instead of saying:
Weak Example
“I am passionate about helping children reach their full potential.”
Say:
Good Example
“Supported pupils working below age related expectations by reinforcing teacher instructions, breaking tasks into manageable steps and encouraging confidence during small group literacy activities.”
The second version shows care through action.
“SEN experience” can mean many things. It can mean occasional classroom exposure, one to one support, EHCP work, specialist provision or behavioural support.
Be clear.
Mention the needs you have supported and what you did. For example:
Supported a pupil with ADHD by using short task instructions, movement breaks and positive reinforcement
Helped a pupil with autism manage classroom transitions using visual prompts and predictable routines
Supported pupils with speech and language needs by modelling clear language and checking understanding
This gives the school useful evidence.
Behaviour management in schools is not about sounding strict. It is about consistency, calmness and appropriate boundaries.
Avoid aggressive language such as:
Weak Example
“Controlled difficult pupils and dealt with bad behaviour.”
This sounds judgemental and unprofessional.
Use language like:
Good Example
“Supported positive behaviour by reinforcing classroom expectations, using calm redirection and helping pupils regulate emotions before returning to learning.”
That sounds like someone who understands school practice.
Safeguarding matters in every school role. Even if the job advert does not shout about it, the school is thinking about it.
You do not need to write a whole essay on safeguarding, but your CV should show awareness through training, language and responsibilities.
Mention safeguarding training if you have it. If you do not, you can still show appropriate awareness by referring to pupil confidentiality, safe supervision, reporting concerns through the correct channels and following school policies.
Do not overclaim. If you have not completed safeguarding training, do not pretend you have.
Schools can tell when a CV has not been tailored. The clues are obvious: broad wording, no key stage alignment, no connection to the job advert, and skills that do not match the role.
Tailoring does not mean rewriting the whole CV every time. It means adjusting the profile, key skills and top bullet points to match the role.
For example, if the advert focuses on SEN support, your SEN experience should not be hidden on page two.
If the advert mentions phonics, reading intervention and Key Stage 1, those should appear clearly near the top if you have that experience.
Recruiters do not go treasure hunting for relevance. Put the relevant evidence where it can be seen.
You can still write a strong teaching assistant CV if you do not have direct school experience, but you need to position transferable experience carefully.
Relevant backgrounds can include:
Nursery work
Childcare
Youth work
Tutoring
Babysitting or nannying
Sports coaching
Summer camps
Volunteering with children
Care work
Mentoring
Customer service if communication and patience are strong
Support work
The trick is not to pretend these are the same as classroom experience. They are not. The trick is to show the parts that transfer into a school environment.
Useful transferable evidence includes:
Supporting children or young people
Explaining tasks clearly
Managing behaviour calmly
Maintaining routines
Building trust
Handling sensitive information
Communicating with parents, carers or professionals
Supporting people with additional needs
Working under policies and procedures
Good Example
“Supported children aged 7 to 11 during weekly sports coaching sessions, giving clear instructions, encouraging teamwork, managing low level behaviour and adapting activities for different confidence levels.”
That is not school experience, but it shows relevant potential.
If you are applying with no school experience, I would strongly recommend adding volunteering, school placement experience or relevant training where possible. Schools may take a chance on potential, but your CV needs to reduce the perceived risk.
Keywords matter because many schools, academy trusts, recruitment agencies and job boards use applicant tracking systems or database searches. But keywords should be natural. Stuffing your CV with repeated phrases makes it worse, not better.
Useful teaching assistant CV keywords include:
Teaching assistant
Learning support assistant
Classroom support
SEN support
Special educational needs
EHCP
Safeguarding
Child protection
Behaviour management
Emotional regulation
Autism
ADHD
Speech and language needs
SEMH
Phonics
Literacy intervention
Numeracy support
Key Stage 1
Key Stage 2
Early years
EYFS
Secondary school
Inclusion
Pupil progress
Differentiated learning
Small group support
One to one support
Use the keywords that genuinely match your experience. Do not add autism, ADHD or EHCP support unless you have actually worked in that context. In education recruitment, inaccurate claims can unravel quickly at interview.
For teaching assistant roles, qualifications matter, but they are not the only thing that matters.
Include:
GCSE English and maths
Teaching assistant qualifications
Supporting Teaching and Learning certificates
Childcare qualifications
Education degrees or relevant degrees
SEN qualifications
Safeguarding training
Paediatric first aid
Team Teach if relevant
Makaton or PECS if relevant
Mental health or trauma informed training if relevant
Behaviour management training
Some teaching assistant jobs ask for GCSE English and maths or equivalent. If you have them, make them easy to find. Do not bury them.
If you are currently studying a relevant qualification, include it as ongoing.
Good Example
Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning
Currently studying, expected completion July 2026
If your qualifications are not directly related, still include them, but do not let them dominate the CV. For teaching assistant roles, practical suitability often carries a lot of weight.
Keep your CV simple. This is not the place for creative design unless you have been specifically asked for something visual, which you almost certainly have not.
Use:
A clear font
Consistent headings
Two pages maximum for most candidates
Reverse chronological order
Bullet points under each role
Clear dates
Plenty of white space
No photo
No graphics
No skill bars
No tables if you are applying through an online system
Skill bars are especially pointless. Saying you are “90 percent organised” tells nobody anything, except perhaps that your CV template was having a moment.
A plain, well structured CV is more effective because it helps the reader find evidence quickly.
Before sending your teaching assistant CV, check whether it answers these questions:
Does the top section immediately show that I am suitable for a teaching assistant role?
Have I included the key stages, age groups or school settings I have supported?
Have I clearly explained any SEN experience?
Does my CV show safeguarding awareness?
Have I included classroom support, behaviour support and pupil progress evidence where relevant?
Are my bullet points specific rather than generic?
Have I tailored the CV to the job advert?
Are my qualifications and training easy to find?
Is the CV clear, professional and easy to scan?
Could a hiring manager understand my classroom value within 30 seconds?
That last question is the important one. Schools do not always have time to interpret your potential. Your CV has to make it obvious.
A teaching assistant CV should not try to make you sound like a qualified teacher. That is not the role. It should show that you understand how to support learning, behaviour, inclusion and safety within the classroom.
The best teaching assistant CVs are grounded, specific and calm. They do not overclaim. They do not hide the useful details. They show the reader exactly where the candidate has added value and what kind of school environment they are ready for.
If you remember one thing, remember this: schools are not only hiring kindness. They are hiring judgement.
They need someone who can support pupils without disrupting the teacher, build relationships without losing boundaries, help children feel safe without becoming overinvolved, and respond calmly when the classroom does not go to plan.
That is what your CV needs to prove.
Written by Simar Malhi, a recruiter and headhunter with international recruitment experience. I write about CVs, job applications, hiring decisions, and the reality behind recruitment processes. My goal is to help candidates understand more honestly how employers, recruiters, and hiring managers actually select candidates.
Emotional regulation
Visual timetables
Social stories
Makaton or PECS if relevant
Staying calm under pressure
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