Personal Statement - PCGE English

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

From an early age, I have always envisaged a career in teaching, and more specifically, in teaching English. I have planned my life to date around my desire to teach English, continually taking actions in preparation for reaching this goal. Excellent teaching involves encompassing and catering to all learning styles, providing interactive and enjoyable lessons, and always taking into account the needs and abilities of each individual student. It is for that reason that I relished the opportunity of being an English assistant in France in my third year of University, to enhance my own skills in teaching, to learn new skills from qualified teachers, and to gain valuable and necessary experience in the classroom working with young people. My year abroad was my first opportunity to experience real classroom teaching, a responsibility I was happy to seize and learn from, whilst also improving and expanding upon my teaching skills, greatly reaffirming my love and enjoyment of the profession and increasing my desire to pursue a teaching career. No matter what the circumstance or challenge, it is always when teaching that I experience the most self-fulfilment, and I have come to realise that the more challenging the situation, the greater the satisfaction I gain.

In becoming a teacher, I would strive to encompass my strong beliefs with my work. I believe that every child should begin with equal opportunities, and I know that I would receive no greater satisfaction than helping each and every student to reach their full potential, regardless of background. I recognise that there exists a real educational disadvantage in our society, and one of my life goals lies in addressing this disadvantage. I would therefore relish the opportunity of teaching in challenging circumstances. I believe that I possess the quality of being able to recognise the best in people, having been able to encourage and inspire even the most difficult of students. As a qualified teacher, I would use this quality to encourage every one of my students to recognise and reach their full potential through my boundless enthusiasm for the subject of English.

Overall, I cannot see myself in any other profession than teaching, as it is in this career I see myself experiencing the most job satisfaction and making the best contribution to society.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

As an assistant, my remit required that I would assist the teacher in the classroom. I recognised that I could benefit more from the experience, however, and requested an increase in independence and responsibility from the teachers with whom I was working. Following many successful lessons and positive feedback from both students and teachers, I was then trusted with planning and taking entire classes on my own, a responsibility not generally meted out to assistants.

Along with my time in France, I have always strived to gain any teaching experience I can, involving myself in a variety of different settings to benefit the most from the many challenges that teaching provides. I have volunteered as a classroom assistant in primary schools, tutored a wide range of students in English, French and Mathematics, and am currently working as an Au Pair in Paris with a young boy who has been diagnosed with ADHD and consequently has some learning difficulties.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

No matter what the circumstance or challenge, it is always when teaching that I experience the most self-fulfilment, and I have come to realise that the more challenging the situation, the greater the satisfaction I gain. I have gained valuable insights and skills outside of education by tutoring students across subjects and supporting a child with ADHD as an Au Pair, experiences that have broadened my understanding of diverse learning needs and reinforced my patience, adaptability, and enthusiasm—qualities I consider essential to teaching.

I believe that my hands-on experience, combined with my strong belief in equal opportunities and my passion for nurturing potential, leads me to become a teacher who not only delivers content but inspires and supports every student to succeed.

Universities applied to:

• King's College London (English)

Grades achieved:

• English (A2) - A
• French (A2) - B
• Mathematics (A2) - B

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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