Art Teacher CV example

Whether you’re leading a secondary school department or guiding primary pupils through their first brush strokes, the way you present your experience matters just as much as the experience itself.

This guide walks you through every section, helping you organise your artistic journey into writing a CV that’s as engaging as it is effective.

In a creative field like art education, it’s tempting to let your design skills shine through – but the CV structure itself should stay clean and easy to navigate. You can save the flair for your portfolio: your priority here is making your application as pleasant and simple to read as possible, so no recruiters struggle to understand what makes you the perfect fit.

Here’s the layout to follow:

• Name and contact details – Place these personal details at the top so employers can get in touch easily.
• Profile –  Kick things off with a concise overview of what makes you the ideal candidate for the job.
• Core skills – Briefly highlight those qualities which make you the best candidate.
• Work experience – List your previous roles in reverse chronological order, with your most recent first.
• Education – Go through the academic history which underpins your expertise.
• Additional info – This optional section can include professional memberships, awards, or hobbies that showcase your suitability for the role.
  

Keep your font legible and classic, and divide your CV with clear, bold headings. Bullet points are your friend in the experience section – they break up dense information and help recruiters quickly spot what they’re looking for. Limit your CV to two pages long, use plenty of white space, and don’t overcrowd it with long paragraphs or visual distractions. A clean format shows that you can bring order to creative chaos – something every head of department values!

This section is your opportunity to present yourself as a confident, capable educator with a passion for visual learning. It’s a short paragraph – just a few lines – but it’s the first thing recruiters will see, so make sure it captures your professional identity and the value you bring to the classroom.

Rather than listing every artistic medium you’ve ever taught, focus your CV profile on how you teach, the kind of learning environment you create, and the results you’ve helped students achieve. 

Here are some tips on what to include:

• Where you worked – State the level and type of educational institutions you’ve worked in – from secondary schools to sixth forms or specialist academies.
• Your top qualifications – Include your degree, teaching qualification, and any subject-specific training.
• Essential skills – Highlight your ability to plan engaging lessons, encourage creative confidence, and support different learning needs.
• Your artistic focus – Mention the styles, media, or disciplines you’ve taught, from traditional techniques to digital tools.
• Value delivered – Emphasise how your teaching has helped students express themselves, improve their skills, or succeed in exams or applications.
  

The core CV skills section provides a snapshot of your teaching and creative strengths – giving hiring managers a quick idea of what you bring to their department. While you don’t need to list every technique or tool, focus on key professional capabilities that are aligned with the specific role you’re applying for.

This section should reflect your ability to deliver excellent teaching, maintain classroom engagement, and contribute to the wider school community. Keep it aligned to the job description, and always prioritise tangible, well-defined strengths over vague or general traits.

Your work experience section should go beyond listing what you taught – it’s where you show how you made an impact. Whether you introduced a new curriculum module or raised pupil attainment, this section should communicate both your responsibilities and your on-the-job achievements.

List your jobs in reverse order, starting with the most recent. Open each one with a short paragraph describing the school, your teaching level, and your subject remit. Then follow with bullet points that show your contributions and results – especially anything tied to pupil outcomes or extracurricular activities.

• Outline – Summarise the school setting, the age groups you taught, and your role within the department. Mention if you held responsibilities like form tutor, mentor, or curriculum lead.
• Responsibilities – Use action words like “delivered” and “developed.” For example: “delivered GCSE coursework support to Year 11 pupils” or “developed inclusive schemes of work for KS3 art lessons.”
• Achievements – Include any standout contributions. Did your students win competitions? Improve their grades? Curate an end-of-year exhibition? Numbers and outcomes give weight to your experience.

Your education section should list your degree, teaching qualification, and any art-related training you’ve completed. For teaching roles, it’s important to show both subject and pedagogical knowledge, so be clear about the relevance of your qualifications.

Keep this section concise and professional – no need to list modules, but do ensure your degrees and certificates are clearly named, dated, and easy to read. If you’ve completed CPD or specialist workshops in your field, mention those too.