When schools review applications for SEND teaching and education support roles, they are often looking beyond qualifications alone.

In busy education settings, CVs may be reviewed quickly at first. SENCOs, school leaders and hiring teams are often trying to answer one important question:

That is why the strongest SEND CVs are not necessarily the longest. The CVs that stand out clearly explain the candidate’s experience, approach, communication skills and ability to provide consistent support.

Whether you are applying for a SEND teaching role, teaching assistant position, learning support role, one-to-one support position or another education support opportunity, understanding what schools notice can help you present your experience more effectively.

What do schools look for on a SEND CV?

Every school and role is different, but hiring teams commonly look for:

• Relevant SEND experience
• Clear descriptions of previous responsibilities
• A calm, consistent and individualised approach
• Communication and relationship-building skills
• Transferable experience from other sectors
• Evidence of impact where appropriate
• Accurate practical information
• A clear and easy-to-read structure

Your CV should help a school understand where you have worked, whom you have supported and how you approached your responsibilities.

Make your SEND experience specific

One of the first things schools may notice is whether you clearly explain the settings, age groups and individual needs you have experience of supporting.

Instead of writing:

Give enough context to help the reader understand your experience. Depending on your background, this could include supporting:

• Autistic children and young people
• Pupils with ADHD
• Social, emotional and mental health needs
• Speech, language and communication needs
• Moderate, severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties
• Sensory processing differences
• Physical disabilities or mobility requirements
• Learners who benefit from individualised behaviour support
• Children and young people in alternative provisions

Do not simply add a long list of diagnoses or abbreviations. Where possible, briefly explain the type of support you provided and the environment in which you gained that experience.

For example:

This gives the school a much clearer picture of your experience than a broad statement about having worked in SEND.

Communication and consistency matter

Many SEND teaching and support roles involve much more than supervising pupils or assisting with classroom tasks.

Schools may look for candidates who can:

• Remain calm when situations change
• Communicate clearly with pupils and colleagues
• Follow established routines and support plans
• Respect different communication preferences
• Support emotional regulation
• Build professional, positive relationships
• Work consistently as part of a wider team
• Create a safe and supportive learning environment

These qualities can be as important as qualifications or the number of years you have worked in education. Include clear examples rather than relying only on words such as “patient”, “caring” or “reliable”.

Transferable experience can strengthen your CV

You may already have valuable skills even if you have not worked in a school before.

Relevant experience may come from:

• Care or support work
• Youth work
• Sports coaching
• Childcare
• Mentoring
• Community work
• Mental health support
• Residential support
• Creative, drama or activity-based work with children and young people

Do more than name the sector. Explain the relevant skills you developed, such as adapting your communication, maintaining professional boundaries, following support plans or helping someone participate in an activity.

Be honest about the experience you have. Transferable skills can be valuable, but they should not be presented as direct school or SEND experience when they are not.

Avoid a generic CV profile

One of the most common weaknesses on education CVs is a profile that sounds positive but does not tell the reader anything specific.

For example:

Although this is positive, it does not explain your experience, strengths or preferred area of work.

A stronger profile could briefly cover:

• Your current or most relevant role
• The education settings in which you have worked
• The age groups or learners you have supported
• Your strongest relevant skills
• The type of role you are seeking

Keep your profile concise. Its purpose is to give the reader a useful introduction, not to repeat your entire employment history.

Show your impact and approach

Schools are not necessarily expecting a corporate-style CV filled with statistics. They usually want to understand what you did and how you supported pupils.

Instead of writing:

You could write:

This gives the school more information about the learners, the environment and your approach.

Where appropriate, you can include examples of progress or positive impact. Keep these accurate and do not claim sole responsibility for an outcome that resulted from the work of a wider team.

Include useful practical information

Schools and teaching agencies also need practical information to understand whether a role is suitable.

Make sure your CV or candidate profile accurately reflects:

• Your general location
• Your recent education experience
• The age groups you have supported
• Your relevant SEND experience
• Your qualifications and completed training
• Your driving status, if relevant to the roles you are seeking
• Any employment gaps that require a brief explanation

Your current availability, travel range and setting preferences can change more frequently than your CV. Keep those details updated directly with your teaching agency rather than relying on an older CV to communicate them.

Make your CV easy to read

A clear structure helps a busy reader find the information they need.

Use:

• Clear section headings
• A straightforward font
• Consistent formatting
• Short paragraphs and concise bullet points
• Employment dates that are easy to follow
• Your most relevant experience near the beginning
• Careful spelling and proofreading

Avoid decorative layouts, excessive colours or complicated columns that make the information harder to scan. A simple, well-organised document is usually more useful than an elaborate design.

Protect confidential information

Your CV should demonstrate your experience without identifying individual children, families or confidential situations.

Do not include:

• A child or young person’s name
• Information that could make a learner identifiable
• Private medical or safeguarding details
• Confidential information about a family
• Sensitive details about a former school or colleague

You can explain the type of support you provided without sharing personal details.

Help schools picture you in their setting

A strong SEND CV helps a school understand how your experience and approach could translate into its environment.

Be clear, relevant and honest. Explain what you have done, the settings in which you gained your experience and the individualised support approaches you have used.

Once your CV helps you secure an interview, the next step is explaining that experience confidently. Read Ace Your SEND Education Job Interview for practical interview guidance.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a SEND CV be?

There is no single required length. Your CV should be long enough to explain your relevant experience clearly without including unnecessary repetition. For many candidates, two or three well-structured pages may be sufficient, although more experienced professionals may require additional space.

Should I list every type of SEND I have encountered?

No. Focus on relevant experience that you can explain honestly. Briefly describe the learners you supported, the setting and the support you provided instead of adding a long list of diagnoses without context.

Can I apply for SEND roles without school experience?

Some entry-level roles may be open to candidates with relevant transferable experience from care, youth work, coaching, childcare, mentoring or support work. Requirements vary, so explain your transferable skills accurately and check the essential criteria for each position.

Should I tailor my CV for each SEND role?

Yes. You do not need to rewrite the entire document, but you should make your most relevant experience easy to find and reflect the essential requirements of the role.

Should I include a photograph on my CV?

A photograph is not normally necessary when applying for education roles in the UK. Use the available space to explain your relevant experience, skills and qualifications.

Should I explain gaps in my employment history?

Yes. Because employment history is relevant to safer recruitment in education, make sure your dates are clear and provide a brief, honest explanation for gaps where appropriate. Your teaching agency may ask for further information during registration and compliance checks.

This article provides general CV guidance. Requirements vary between roles, schools and education settings, so always review the individual job description and application instructions.