Newly Qualified Teacher CV (NQT/ECT): How to Write It for UK Schools
The NQT label has been replaced by Early Career Teacher (ECT) in England since September 2021, but the CV challenge remains the same: you are a qualified teacher with limited employment history, and every application is competing against candidates who may have more classroom hours. Your CV needs to make your PGCE placements and subject expertise work as hard as possible.
What headteachers and heads of department look for
Subject expertise:
Your degree and PGCE subject specialism is the primary filter. State it clearly and evidenced: grade, university, specialist modules, and exam board experience during placements.
Classroom impact:
Evidence of pupil progress — not just what you taught, but what pupils achieved because you taught it. Ofsted-friendly language: progress data, differentiation, assessment for learning, intervention impact.
Behaviour management:
One of the biggest concerns with NQTs/ECTs is whether they can manage a class independently. Address it through specific examples from placement.
Safeguarding awareness:
Schools shortlist only candidates who demonstrate basic safeguarding knowledge. Always mention your DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead) training, your understanding of KCSIE (Keeping Children Safe in Education), and that you hold (or are awaiting) an enhanced DBS.
ECF alignment:
The Early Career Framework (ECF) replaced the previous NQT induction framework. Schools running the ECF know what areas it covers. Referencing the ECF — behaviour management, adaptive teaching, professional development — signals awareness.
Personal statement example
"Enthusiastic and reflective English teacher, recently awarded QTS following a PGCE at [University], with successful placements at a mixed-sex comprehensive and a sixth-form college. During placement, I designed and delivered a Year 10 SOW on dystopian literature that contributed to a 14% improvement in mock examination performance across the cohort. I am a strong advocate for reading for pleasure and developed a tutor reading programme during my second placement that increased voluntary library membership by 30%. I am committed to inclusive practice, my safeguarding training is current, and I am eager to begin my ECT induction in a school where I can continue to develop my practice within a supportive department."
How to present PGCE placements as experience
Each placement should be listed as a role in your experience section:
ECT English Teacher (PGCE Placement 1) | [School Name], [Location] | Sep 2023 – Jan 2024
Taught English Language and Literature across KS3 and KS4, including bottom-set Year 9 and top-set Year 11. Designed a full SOW on spoken language for Year 10, incorporating oracy assessments aligned to AQA mark schemes.
- Managed a challenging Year 9 class independently from Week 4, implementing a behaviour management strategy that reduced low-level disruption by an estimated 60%
- Delivered targeted intervention sessions to 6 Year 11 students, resulting in 5 achieving their target grade or above in mock examinations
- Received "Outstanding" on 3 of 4 formal lesson observations; identified "adaptive teaching" and "questioning technique" as areas of particular strength by my mentor
ECT English Teacher (PGCE Placement 2) | [School Name], [Location] | Jan 2024 – May 2024
Sixth-form college placement: taught A-Level English Literature to Year 12 and Year 13, supporting students through NEA coursework and preparing them for AQA examinations.
Safeguarding: always include it
"Current enhanced DBS certificate held. Completed safeguarding training aligned with KCSIE 2023 during PGCE programme. Familiar with the school's duty to report concerns and the role of the DSL in safeguarding processes."
Skills section for an ECT CV
- QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) — awarded [month/year]
- Subject specialism: [subject], [age range], [exam boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC]
- Enhanced DBS Certificate (date)
- Safeguarding training aligned with KCSIE (year)
- Microsoft Office / Google Workspace
- MIS systems: SIMS, Bromcom, Arbor (if familiar)
- SEN and inclusion: experience with EHCP students, LSA coordination (if applicable)
Frequently asked questions
Should I apply for permanent or supply roles as a new ECT?
Permanent roles provide the structured induction your ECT status requires — the ECF induction programme must be completed in a school setting, not through supply agencies. Apply for permanent or fixed-term contracts first. Short-term supply before securing a contract is fine but does not count toward ECT induction.
What if my placement schools were in a different country?
PGCE placements outside England may require additional assessment for QTS equivalency. If your QTS is confirmed, state this clearly. Schools will ask — address it directly in your personal statement rather than leaving it unexplained.
How long should an NQT/ECT CV be?
Two pages. Education first (PGCE and degree), then placements, then any prior work experience. Prioritise classroom evidence over non-teaching employment history.