Education / Schools

Teaching Assistant supporting statement example (UK)

A worked UK teaching assistant supporting statement for applicants with no school experience, answering a person specification criterion by criterion.

Got the person specification? Check your CV against it for free, then use the example below to write your own.

What shortlisters look for

Every Essential criterion answered, in the same order as the person specification
Real examples of working with children or young people, from any setting (paid, voluntary or family)
Clear understanding that a teaching assistant works under the teacher's direction
A genuine commitment to safeguarding and to following school policies
Good written English, because the statement itself is evidence of your literacy
Reasons for wanting to work at that particular school

How to structure it

Opening: the post you're applying for, your background in one sentence and why this school
One short paragraph per Essential criterion, in the order of the person specification, each with a real example
Desirable criteria you can genuinely evidence, briefly
Safeguarding: what you understand and how you've shown it
Close: your availability, willingness to train and what you'd bring to the school

The person specification used in this example

GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and maths at grade 4/C or above (Essential)
Ability to build positive relationships with children (Essential)
Ability to follow instructions and work as part of a team under the direction of the class teacher (Essential)
Patience, resilience and a calm approach to behaviour (Essential)
Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children (Essential)
Willingness to undertake training (Essential)
Experience of supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) (Desirable)
Paediatric first aid certificate (Desirable)

Worked example

I am applying for the post of Teaching Assistant at [school name]. I don't yet have paid experience in a school, but for the past [two] years I have volunteered as an assistant leader with [Cubs / Brownies / a junior sports club], and I have worked in customer-facing retail for [four] years. I want to move into a school role because the part of my week I value most is helping children who find something hard get to the point where they can do it themselves. I was drawn to [school name] by [something specific and true, e.g. its focus on early reading / its inclusive ethos described on your website / what I saw at the open morning].

I have GCSEs in English (grade [5]) and maths (grade [4]). I use both every day at work, from writing shift handover notes to cashing up and checking stock counts, and I'm comfortable helping children with reading and number work at primary level.

Building relationships with children is the core of my volunteering. Each week I help run sessions for around [20] children aged [8 to 10]. I learn names quickly, notice who is hanging back, and give quieter children a small job so they feel part of the group. One child joined us who wouldn't speak in front of others. Over [a term] I paired them with a confident friend, gave them clear roles in games and praised specific things they did well. By the summer camp they were leading their team's chant. I would bring the same patience and attention to individual pupils in class.

I'm used to working under someone else's lead. At [Cubs], the group leader plans each session and I deliver the parts I'm given, adapting if something isn't working and telling them afterwards what I noticed. At work I follow store procedures exactly and pass information on accurately at handover. In a classroom I understand that the teacher sets the learning and my role is to support it, feed back what I've seen and ask when I'm unsure.

I stay calm when behaviour becomes challenging. In retail I regularly deal with upset customers, and I've learned to lower my voice, listen and focus on what can be done. With children I use the same approach: clear, consistent boundaries, a calm tone, and praise for the behaviour we want to see. I follow the group's behaviour code and hand over to the leader when a situation needs it.

I take safeguarding seriously. [I hold an enhanced DBS certificate for my volunteering] and completed [Scouts' / Girlguiding's / the club's] safeguarding training in [year]. I know that any concern about a child's welfare must be reported straight away to the designated person, that I should never promise a child to keep a secret, and that I must record what I saw or was told accurately and factually. I would expect to complete the school's own safeguarding training and read Keeping Children Safe in Education Part One on starting.

I am keen to learn and would welcome training such as a Level 2 or 3 teaching assistant qualification, phonics training and paediatric first aid. I have [started an online course in supporting children with SEND / read about how to support children with autism in the classroom], and I would like to develop this further, as I know many teaching assistants support individual pupils with additional needs.

I can work [Monday to Friday, term time], and I am available to start [after a month's notice]. Thank you for considering my application. I would welcome the chance to visit the school and to discuss how I could support your pupils and staff.

Illustrative only. Replace every [placeholder] with your own real experience. Shortlisting panels ask about your statement at interview, so never include anything you haven't done.

Why this example works

Look back at the worked example and you'll see the same pattern in every paragraph: the criterion, one real example, what happened, and how it would help in a classroom. That's what shortlisters score against. Here's how each paragraph maps to the person specification:

Paragraph	Criterion it answers	Evidence used
1	Opening and why this school	Volunteering, retail background, something specific about the school
2	GCSE English and maths	Grades plus everyday use at work
3	Building relationships with children	A quiet child who grew in confidence over a term
4	Teamwork under the teacher's direction	Delivering the leader's plan, feeding back, following procedures
5	Patience and behaviour	Calm de-escalation at work, consistent boundaries with children
6	Safeguarding	Enhanced DBS, training, knowing how to report and record
7	Willingness to train, SEND (Desirable)	Courses started or planned, honest about the level
8	Close	Availability and a short thank you

Where to find evidence if you've never worked in a school

You probably have more than you think. Good sources of examples include:

Volunteering with children: Scouts, Girlguiding, sports clubs, holiday clubs, church or community groups, reading schemes.
Childcare and family: babysitting, helping with homework, supporting a relative with additional needs. Keep personal details brief.
Work with the public: retail, hospitality and call centres show patience, calm communication and following procedures.
Coaching, tutoring and mentoring: any time you've explained something until someone understood it.
Training: safeguarding, first aid, phonics, SEND awareness or a Level 2 course you've started.

If you have none of these yet, volunteering in a local school or with a community group is the step the National Careers Service suggests.

If you have some experience

Change the opening so your most relevant experience comes first, for example: "I have spent [two terms] volunteering in a Year 2 classroom at [school], supporting small reading groups under the class teacher's direction." Then use classroom examples wherever you can, and keep the volunteering or work examples for criteria the classroom doesn't cover.

Applying for a SEN teaching assistant role

For SEN or one-to-one roles, the person specification usually puts more weight on supporting individual pupils with additional needs. Lead with any SEND experience or training, describe how you adapt your communication (visual timetables, simple instructions, routine), and show you work closely with the SENCO, teacher and parents. Don't claim knowledge of specific conditions or approaches unless you've been trained or have used them.

Before you send it

Check every Essential criterion has a paragraph, in the right order.
Read it aloud. Cut anything that sounds like a job advert.
Check spelling and grammar carefully, then ask someone else to read it.
Make sure your CV and application form tell the same story, with the same dates.

Need your CV too? See the teaching assistant CV example and run it through the free CV checker. Paste the job advert into the job ad keyword extractor to pull out the words the school uses, and prepare for the interview with the interview questions tool and STAR method examples. The how to write a supporting statement guide covers the basics for any sector.

Common mistakes

Writing about your passion for working with children without a single real example.
Ignoring the order of the person specification, so shortlisters have to hunt for each criterion.
Copying the job description back to the panel instead of giving evidence.
Leaving safeguarding out, or mentioning it in one vague line.
Going over the word or character limit on the application form.
Spelling and grammar errors. Literacy is part of the job, and the statement is your first evidence of it.
Using a template or AI to claim experience you don't have. Panels ask about your examples at interview.

Official sources and further reading

FAQs

Can I become a teaching assistant with no experience?

Yes. The National Careers Service lists applying directly to schools, local authorities and academy trusts as one route in, alongside college courses, apprenticeships and volunteering. Each school sets its own requirements, though you'll usually need GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 in English and maths. Check whether experience is Essential or Desirable on the person specification, and use transferable examples.

How long should a teaching assistant supporting statement be?

Stick to any word or character limit on the form. If there isn't one, aim to cover every Essential criterion clearly, which usually takes one to two sides of A4. Coverage and real examples matter more than length.

What's the difference between a supporting statement and a personal statement?

For school jobs, they're usually the same thing. Some schools call the box on the application form a personal statement and others a supporting statement. Either way, answer the person specification with evidence.

Do I need a DBS check to work as a teaching assistant?

Yes. In England, schools follow the safer recruitment rules in the government's Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance, which include an enhanced DBS check for staff working with pupils. The school arranges it if you're offered the job. Scotland and Northern Ireland use their own schemes (PVG and AccessNI).

Do I need a teaching assistant qualification?

Not always. Some schools ask for a Level 2 or 3 qualification in supporting teaching and learning, while others recruit people without one and train them. The person specification will say. If it's Desirable, mention any training you're doing or willing to do.

Should I use the STAR method in a supporting statement?

It helps. For each criterion, briefly say what the situation was, what you did and what happened as a result. Keep it short and use your own words.

Can I use the same supporting statement for every school?

Reuse your examples, but rewrite the opening, the closing and the order to match each school's person specification. A statement that could be sent to any school is easy to spot.