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Cover letter examples · Education

Secondary Teacher cover letter example

Principals read a secondary teacher's letter for your subjects and levels, your results with students and how you work with whānau. This example is from the same teacher as our CV example, applying to lead a science department, and every fact in it comes from her CV.

Goes with Hannah Lindqvist's Secondary Teacher CV · Checked

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The letter

What each paragraph is doing.

Hannah Lindqvist is made up, and so is Selwyn Plains College, Rolleston. Every fact in the letter comes from Hannah's CV, the way a real one should: nothing new, just the parts of the CV this job cares about most.

Hannah Lindqvist

Christchurch · 027 555 0268 · hannah.lindqvist@email.com

Jo Mackintosh, Principal

Selwyn Plains College, Rolleston

Re: Head of Science

Dear Jo,

I'm applying for the Head of Science position. I'm a fully certificated secondary teacher with eight years teaching junior science and senior chemistry to NCEA Level 3, including the last five years in charge of chemistry at Kōtuku College in Christchurch.

Leading chemistry has given me the parts of the role you describe. I set the teaching programme and run internal moderation across the department, and through targeted revision and practice assessments I lifted our Level 2 chemistry pass rate from 71% to 84% over three years. I also rewrote the Year 10 practical programme so every unit has a hands-on investigation. I teach five classes, about 120 students, and as form teacher for a Year 12 class I meet with whānau each term.

I started my career at Kea Valley College in Ashburton, where I taught junior science and Level 1 chemistry and ran the school's science fair entries, with two students placing at the regional fair. I'd like to lead a whole science department next, and a growing school close to Christchurch is where I'd like to do it.

I hold a full (Tūturu) practising certificate and I'm safety checked under the Children's Act. I'd welcome the chance to visit the school and talk about your plans for science.

Kind regards,

Hannah Lindqvist

  1. 1Opens with the job, subjects and leadershipCertification, years, subjects, levels and her current leadership role are what a principal looks for first, and they're all in two sentences.
  2. 2Leadership shown with resultsModeration, a rewritten programme and a pass rate that rose from 71% to 84% show she already does department-level work, not just classroom teaching.
  3. 3Range and a reason for the moveHer first school adds junior science and extracurricular work, and the reason for applying is plain and believable without claims about the school.
  4. 4Certification, safety check and an offerThese are required for every teaching role in New Zealand, and offering to visit is a warm, practical close that suits school hiring.

Opening lines

Other ways to open.

The first line decides whether the rest gets read. Each of these names the job and leads with proof. Swap in your own facts.

  • “I'm applying for your Teacher of Science and Chemistry role, bringing eight years teaching junior science and NCEA chemistry to Level 3.”
  • “I lifted our Level 2 chemistry pass rate from 71% to 84% over three years, and I'd like to bring that focus on results to your department.”
  • “Having led chemistry for the last five years, setting the programme and running moderation, I'm applying for your Teacher in Charge of Chemistry position.”
  • “I'm applying for the Science Teacher role, with a Year 10 practical programme I rewrote so every unit has a hands-on investigation.”

Common mistakes

What gets secondary teacher letters skipped.

  • Writing about your teaching philosophy at length.

    Show it through what you've done instead, such as a programme you rewrote or a result you lifted, in a sentence or two.

  • Leaving out subjects and levels.

    Name the subjects and year levels or NCEA levels you teach in the first paragraph so the school can match you to its timetable.

  • Not mentioning whānau and pastoral care.

    Schools value teachers who build relationships beyond the classroom. Mention form class, whānau meetings or other pastoral work.

  • Forgetting your certificate.

    State your practising certificate and safety check in the closing paragraph. Every school needs to confirm them.

Write yours

A letter like this, for every job ad.

Paste a secondary teacher job ad into SmartCVs and it writes your cover letter alongside your tailored CV. The free plan gives you 3 job scans a week, each with both.

How cover letters work in SmartCVs
  • Written in the same step as your tailored CV, from your profile and the job ad
  • Three or four paragraphs, in plain, professional language
  • Every fact from your profile: a number your profile doesn't have is dropped before you see it
  • Edit any line, copy it into an application, or download PDF or Word

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Something else on your mind? Email support@smartcvs.ai and a person will reply.

Do secondary teachers need a cover letter in New Zealand?

Yes. Most schools ask for a letter with your CV and application form, and principals read it to see how you'd fit their school.

How long should a teacher's cover letter be?

One page is plenty. Three or four paragraphs covering your subjects, your results, why this school and your certification works well.

Should I mention NCEA results?

Yes, if you can give a real change over time, such as a pass rate that went up. Say what you did to help it happen.

More cover letter examples

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