You teach Math, Reading, and for some kids, spend more time with them than anyone else will that day. Show you are responsible with a glowing primary teacher cover letter.
You can carry a five-year-old in your left arm, separate two fighting twelve-year-olds with your right, put away some toys with your foot, and manage to shout at Julia to put her hat on before she goes outside.
That’s you, the primary teacher.
You are vital in the early development of these children, and have spent such a long time studying how to guide them in their early stages. You don’t just teach them Math and Reading—You teach them some life.
All that’s left to do to make sure you can make a lasting impression on someone’s life is to write a top-of-the-class elementary school teacher cover letter.
In this guide:
Save hours of work and get a cover letter like this. Pick a template, fill it in. Quick and easy. Choose from 21 cover letter templates and download your cover letter now.
What users say about ResumeLab:
I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your cover letter.”
Patrick
I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work!
Dylan
My previous cover letter was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful!
George
See how these samples do it.
The first sample comes from Diana, who has a few years of practical experience. The school she is applying to adheres to principles for schools of modern learning, and has a focus on using technology to improve children outcomes.
Let’s see how she plays it.
Diana W. Stanley
72 York Road
Greyswood, GU27 0PD
07006 982 778
dianawstanley@armyspy.com
linkedin.com/dianawstanley
Greyswood, 19th May 2019
John Odell
Hiring Manager
Greyswood Primary School
18 Mount Pleasant Road
Greyswood, GU27 0GL
Dear John,
As an primary school teacher with 7+ years of experience working with children aged 6-10, I was delighted to see that you were looking for someone like me at Greyswood Primary School. During my employment at Little Rock Primary School, I was able to introduce the same principles of modern education that you base your philosophy on, and boost test scores 12% in my classes, as well as reduce disruptions by 24%, so I would slot right into your methods.
I graduated in Education from University of Manchester in 2011, before a short internship at the Department of Education. At Little Rock Primary School, I was responsible for the daily teaching of 80 Year 2–Year 5 pupils (I am experienced in managing groups from 3 to 25 at all primary school ages). When working with children I do not use textbooks, but try to introduce solutions that are interesting for children based on the use of modern technology. I obtained a £56,000 grant from the council for the purchase of teaching aids and tablets for children. I have started a tradition that spread to the whole school that every second day of the month, we take an educational trip to the museum or a theatre, having negotiated it with the local facilities for free. At least once a month we have a ‘Career Day’, where children meet people from different professions to find out about what they do. Over the years, we have had over 50 different professions represented, some multiple times. Thanks to extracurricular activities I organised for four weeks in March, my pupils obtained first place in the county-wide "Keep an open mind" Art competition. Thanks to my methods of activating students and using multimedia teaching aids, my pupils' results are on average 25% better than in other classes.
I am convinced that my experience, excellent contact with children, and constant desire to develop make me an excellent candidate for Westwood Primary School. I know that a non-standard and modern approach to education is extremely important to you, which is why I would like to take advantage of your experience and in return offer my ingenuity and readiness to work hard.
I am looking forward to discussing with you how my interactive methods can boost learning behavioural improvements at Westwood Primary School.
Sincerely,
Diana W. Stanley
07006 982 778
dianawstanley@armyspy.com
Right away you know exactly who you’re dealing with. A thoroughly organised, modern, and effective teacher. She’s staying after school.
The next example is from someone who just qualified, but only has private and babysitting experience in the past.
Josefina P. Grantham
43 Farnum Road
Buckland, RH3 0GB
07786 877 629
josefinapgrantham@teleworm.uk
linkedin.com/josefinapgrantham
Buckland, 1st March 2020
Tom Porter
Headmaster
Westgate Primary School
16 Bell Street
Buckland, RH1 0FP
Dear Tom,
I am writing in regards to the primary teacher opening advertised on the Westgate Primary School website. As your school is recognised as one of the best primary schools in Suffolk, I was waiting for this opportunity. I would like to transfer proven child care skills from babysitting 60+ children ages 3-14, practical experience in giving private lessons for 45+ children weekly aged 8-14, and strong educational background to start my teaching career with you.
My passion for working with children began in secondary school, when I started working as a babysitter. A natural ability to keep the children's attention, organise their time, and explain homework resulted in a two-year internship in the afternoon kids' club, where I was giving private lessons for 45+ children weekly at the age from 10 to 14, boosting their Maths test scores by 16% on average. At the same time I was studying Early Childhood Education at the University of Southampton, from where I graduated in 2019 with first-class honours. Education studies gave me expert knowledge of teaching methodology, and studies of Child Psychology helped me to better understand and shape children's behaviour. In two years of giving private lessons, I have had 100% retention rate, and the lowest absence rates amongst all staff, assuring me that I have a natural disposition for working with children.
Given my comprehensive education and broad experience, I am confident I can translate the best parts of working 1-on-1 into classroom settings at Westgate Primary School.
Can we schedule a meeting to discuss what would be the best way to do that?
Sincerely,
Josefina P. Grantham
07786 877 629
josefinapgrantham@teleworm.uk
Let’s hit the books.
If your margins are unruly, how are you going to take charge of 30 kids? More than reflecting on you as a person, it is more likely just to discourage someone from reading further. Don’t fall at the first hurdle.
This is how not to lose marks on your cover letter format:
Check once again at the end—formatting can mess up mid-way, especially if you’re copy and pasting from your CV.
Once you have set the play area, let’s see what to include in your cover letter.
Add your contact details at the very top of your primary teacher cover letter address area, making it identical to your CV header. Do not omit your physical address or phone number. Underneath, write down the date and city, and below, the details of the head teacher, or whoever is dealing with your application.
Check against our template:
[ Your Full Name]
[ Primary School Teacher Title ]
[ Physical Address ]
[ Phone Number ]
[ Email Address ]
[ Date ]
[ Department / School Head ]
[ School Name ]
[ Address ]
[ City and Postcode ]
Expert Hint: Don’t put your address info at the top and bottom of an email cover letter. Just add your phone and email.
Double your impact with a matching CV and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter builder and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There’s 18 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
Address the head teacher by their proper title and surname. Start your cover letter by clearly stating you are applying for a primary teacher position, and provide your most significant teaching achievement to convince them to keep reading. Then link it back to what you can do for them
You can just replace the [blanks] with your information:
Dear [Proper Title] [Surname]:
I would like to apply to the [Primary Teacher] position at [School Name]. During my [X]+ years’ teaching background at [Past Institution Names], I have managed to [your most significant teaching achievement]. I believe I can translate this performance into [boosting test scores/improving behaviour/etc.] at [School Name].
Expert Hint: The British Educational Suppliers Association reports there are over 264,804 primary school teachers in the UK, and yet there's still a shortage of teaching professionals in England. Get your cover letter right, and you can be sure you'll have no trouble landing a job.
The first paragraph was for attention. The second paragraph is for convincing. You should focus on the positive outcomes you can achieve for your students, parents and other staff alike. Address the needs and values of the school—check their website in-depth, and write a targeted cover letter that isn’t generic.
Try and quantify what you achieve. Score improvements, lower number of incidents, higher satisfaction. Try to think of the innovative things that you tried that really took on, and include them as well.
I obtained my [Degree Name] from [University Name] with [Honours, if you achieved first-class], where I developed a special interest in [discuss relevant coursework if light on work experience]. At [Previous School Name] I have been responsible for [number] [age groups] students, in classes of up to [number]. I believe in [a modern approach to education/interactive learning/etc.] therefore I have [obtained funding/bought/budgeted for] [learning aids], which allowed the students to [improve at something]. I am invested not only in the learning, but the development of children which is why [I gained certifications/studied child psychology/etc.] and can help [School Name] improve its [something they want to improve].
Expert Hint: If you are really scant for experience and achievements, you can opt to bolster your package with some additional certifications on your CV and cover letter, and get a first aid certification from the British Red Cross.
The worst thing that could happen is when you are suddenly too modern, too innovative, and too progressive to be employed by some schools. Let them know you respect them too by finding out what is important to them and discussing those values and goals.
Make them feel like it’s the only school you’re applying to.
Fill in the [blanks]:
Joining [School Name] as a primary teacher would be a benefit to me, the kids, and the school, as it would allow me to channel my [special skills] in order to [achieve something for the kids or the school].
Signing off your cover letter the wrong way can send it straight to the bin. Being too friendly, too enthusiastic, or too sure of yourself can all play to your disadvantage. Be bold and explicitly ask for an interview, underlining it with your strongest argument or achievement.
Then sign off formally.
Like this:
When would be a good time to have a call or a meeting to discuss how my [your best, most relevant skill/their most important requirement][skills/experience] can help [Target School Name] achieve [something important to this school]?
Best Regards,
[Digital Copy of Your Handwritten Signature]
[Your Full Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]
One more tip. Use active voice and action verbs on your primary teacher cover letter. It means “20 students were mentored by me” becomes “I mentored 20 students.” The latter feels more impressive.
With ResumeLab’s CV builder you’ll write your CV in a flash. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Improve your CV in our CV builder now.
Nail it all with a splash of colour, choose a clean font, highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You’re the perfect candidate and we’ll prove it. Just pick one of 18 CV templates and get started now.
When writing your primary school teacher cover letter, remember:
Do you have any more questions about writing a cover letter for primary teacher jobs? Did you find our primary school teacher cover letter sample helpful? Leave us a comment, I’ll be more than happy to hear from you!
At ResumeLab, excellence lies at the heart of our values, underpinning our promise to provide outstanding career resources. Our team of career experts meticulously assesses each article in line with our editorial guidelines, guaranteeing our content's high quality and dependability. We consistently engage in original research, illuminating the nuances of the job market and earning acclaim from various influential news outlets. Our commitment to delivering professional career advice draws millions of readers to our blog annually.
Dave is a career expert whose articles cover various topics related to job applications. He created numerous advice pieces for ResumeLab UK to help readers improve their chances of landing great jobs using well-researched, data-driven tips.
Ready to get your desk situated in front of the blackboard and educate the next generation of students? Our guide will help you craft the best teacher cover letter to get there.
Christian Eilers
Career Expert
It’s outrageous that there is a selection process to save the world! Well, if you wanna get paid for it, there is. Polish your non profit cover letter with our expert hints.
Dave Rygielski
Career Expert
Google Docs cover letter templates are notoriously hard to find. But we like such challenges. That’s why we combed the Internet and cherry-picked the best ones just for you.
Maciej Duszynski
Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Expert