Teacher CV Keywords: Skills & ATS Terms to Include

Schools screen teacher applications against a person specification: QTS, phase, subject and safeguarding come first. Headteachers then look for evidence of pupil progress, not descriptions of duties.

Not sure which of these your CV is missing? Upload it with a teacher job description and get your ATS score and missing keywords free.

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Teacher hard skills

Core competencies recruiters and ATS filters search for.

Lesson planningCurriculum designDifferentiationAssessment for learningBehaviour managementSEND supportSafeguardingData trackingIntervention planningParent communicationScheme of work developmentModeration

Teacher tools & software

Use the exact product names from the job ad.

Google ClassroomMicrosoft TeamsSIMSArborClassDojoSeesawEducakeSparxPromethean / SMART boards

Teacher certifications & qualifications

Write the full name and the acronym, with the year.

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)PGCEEarly Career Teacher (ECT) inductionNPQ (NPQLT, NPQML, NPQSL)Designated Safeguarding Lead trainingEnhanced DBS

Teacher soft skills

Show these through achievements rather than listing them alone.

Classroom presencePatienceAdaptabilityCollaboration with colleaguesCommunication with parentsReflective practice

Teacher action verbs

Start each bullet with one of these instead of "Responsible for".

TaughtRaisedDesignedImplementedLedDifferentiatedAssessedMentoredIntroducedImproved

Weak vs strong teacher CV bullets

Taught Year 9 maths.

Raised the share of Year 9 pupils at expected standard in maths from 54% to 71% in one year through a targeted intervention programme.

Ran an after-school club.

Founded a KS3 coding club of 22 pupils; two members placed in the regional Bebras computational thinking challenge.

Examples are illustrative. Only use figures you can back up in an interview.

ATS tip for teacher CVs

Include your QTS year and DfE Teacher Reference Number, key stages and subjects in exactly the words the advert uses (e.g. "KS3 and KS4 Science").

How to use these keywords

  1. Start from the job description, not this list. Keywords that appear in the ad matter most.
  2. Only include skills you genuinely have. You will be asked about them.
  3. Put the most important keywords in both your Skills section and your experience bullets.
  4. Use the employer's exact wording (e.g. "Google Classroom", not a synonym).
  5. Keep formatting simple: single column, standard headings, no text inside images.

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