International and UK secondary hiring reads a CV differently from how a US district reads a resume. Recruiters for international schools are comparing curriculum systems (IB, British, American) as much as candidates, and a UK state school is checking your induction stage — ECT, qualified, or beyond — before anything else. A CV written for primary teaching, or for teaching in general, won’t carry that detail.
Below are eight secondary school teacher CV examples: four by career stage, from early-career to Head of Year, and four by the specialization international and UK recruiters hire for most — IB Diploma, maths, science, and a career-changer route into the classroom. After the gallery, you’ll find the section-by-section breakdown, copy-ready lines, and the formatting choices recruiters at international school fairs actually expect to see.
Who Is Actually Reading a Secondary Teacher CV
Three different audiences read secondary CVs, and each is scanning for something specific:
- UK state school panels check QTS status and induction stage (ECT or beyond) before anything else — the wrong terminology here can read as inexperience with the system.
- International school recruiters (often via a fair or agency like Search Associates or Schrole) compare curriculum fluency — IB, British, American, or a national system — against the posting.
- Department heads at any of the above are still, underneath the system differences, checking for the same thing a US principal checks: subject depth and results.
The International and UK Secondary Hiring Picture in 2026
What if I don't have international or IB experience yet?
Lead with your curriculum fluency in whatever system you do know (national curriculum, state standards, exam board) and name it precisely — “GCSE and A-Level” or “state-standard aligned,” not just “secondary curriculum.” Most international schools weight subject depth and exam results above a specific IB credential for a first international post, and will often support IB or PYP/MYP/DP certification once you’re hired.
Demand for IB Diploma Programme specialists (particularly physics, maths, chemistry, and economics) is strong across international school postings, per recruitment platforms like Search Associates and TES International. In England specifically, the current induction framework (Early Career Teacher status, replacing the former NQT system since September 2021) runs two years rather than one — worth noting precisely on your CV if you’re newly qualified, since “NQT” is now outdated terminology.
8 High School Teacher CV Examples
The first four track career stage; the second four cover the curriculum and subject specializations international and UK recruiters search for by name.
Early Career Secondary Teacher CV (ECT)
For a teacher in their first two years after gaining QTS. States induction stage (Year 1 or Year 2 ECT) plainly near the top, since that’s one of the first things a UK panel checks, and builds the rest of the CV around a single placement school’s results.
- Names the correct current terminology (ECT, not the retired “NQT” label) — a small detail panels notice.
- Turns one placement year into specific, countable outcomes rather than a general duties list.
Secondary School Teacher CV
A five-to-eight-year baseline CV: current post detailed in full, one prior post compressed, and a personal statement that states curriculum system and subject in the first line rather than the fourth.
Experienced International Secondary Teacher CV
For a teacher with postings in two or more countries or school systems. The main risk at this stage is a CV that lists schools chronologically with no throughline — this version groups curriculum fluency (which systems, which exam boards) ahead of the chronological history so a recruiter can match it to the posting fast.
- Leads with a curriculum-fluency summary line before the chronological history, since that’s what a recruiter is matching against first.
- Keeps references ready and clearly labeled from senior leaders, which most international recruiters require upfront.
Head of Secondary / Head of Year CV
Written for pastoral and middle-leadership roles specific to the UK/international system — Head of Year, Head of Department, or Head of Secondary — where whole-cohort attendance, behavior, or exam-outcome data matters alongside continued subject teaching.
- Quantifies leadership scope (cohort size, staff line-managed, whole-year outcome data) the way a middle-leadership application is actually assessed.
- Keeps a subject-teaching results line even in a leadership-heavy CV, since most of these roles retain a reduced timetable.
IB Diploma Programme Teacher CV
Built for the IB-specific international market. Specifies DP (not just “IB”) and the subject level taught (Standard or Higher Level), names IB-coordinator or examiner work if applicable, and reports exam results against the IB’s own 1-7 point scale rather than a letter grade.
Secondary Mathematics Teacher CV
Names the exact exam boards and qualification levels taught (GCSE, A-Level, IB, or a national equivalent) rather than a generic “maths” label, and leads with grade-boundary or value-added data — the detail that distinguishes one maths applicant from the next at this level.
Secondary Science Teacher CV
For Biology, Chemistry, or Physics specialists (or Combined/Triple Science generalists). Covers lab safety and technician-coordination experience alongside exam outcomes — both are standard questions at international school interviews for this subject.
Career-Changer Secondary Teacher CV
For someone entering secondary teaching through a postgraduate route (PGCE or an equivalent alternative-certification path) after a first career in industry — a common and well-regarded route into shortage subjects internationally as well as in the UK. States the prior career as subject-matter credibility first, then the teacher-training route and placement results.
Anatomy of a Secondary Teacher CV
Underneath the different content, every example above follows the same structure. Here’s each part with an adaptable line.
Header & Personal Statement
UK and international CVs open with a personal statement rather than a US-style summary — slightly longer, and expected to name your curriculum system up front.
[Full Name] | [City, Country] | [Phone] | [Email]
[Subject] teacher with [X] years’ experience across [curriculum system(s), e.g., National Curriculum / IB DP / American], currently seeking a [role type] post in [region/country of interest].
Curriculum & Qualification Line
Specify the exact exam board or programme by name — “IB DP Higher Level Chemistry” carries far more weight with a recruiter than “science.”
Qualified to teach [Subject] under [curriculum system — e.g., AQA GCSE / IB MYP & DP / AP], with [X] years delivering [specific exam/assessment].
The Results Bullet
Same formula as a US resume underneath the different vocabulary: action, method, measurable outcome.
[Action verb] [what you changed] for [cohort/year group], resulting in [specific exam or outcome data] against [prior year or school average].
Skills & Pastoral Responsibilities
International and UK CVs typically separate subject skills from pastoral/extracurricular duties — both matter, but keep them distinct rather than blending into one list.
[Subject/curriculum area], [Exam board, e.g., Edexcel/IB], Differentiated Instruction, Pastoral Care / Form Tutoring, [Extracurricular, e.g., CAS Coordination / Duke of Edinburgh], Safeguarding Training
Copy These Secondary Teacher CV Lines
Three ready-to-adapt lines, pulled from the example types above.
For an early-career (ECT) applicant
States induction stage and placement results together, since a panel checks both in the same glance.
Year [1/2] ECT qualified to teach [Subject], completing induction at [School]. Delivered [X] terms of [Key Stage] lessons independently, with [specific outcome, e.g., 85% of students meeting target grade].
For an IB Diploma Programme applicant
Names the exact level and exam-point data, the detail IB recruiters search for first.
Taught IB DP [Subject] at [Standard/Higher] Level to [X] students, achieving an average of [X.X] points against a global average of [X.X], including [X]% scoring 6 or 7.
For a Head of Year or pastoral leadership applicant
Treats pastoral outcomes as data the same way academic outcomes are treated.
Led pastoral provision for a [X]-student year group as Head of Year, raising attendance from [X]% to [X]% and reducing behavior referrals by [X]% over one academic year.
Formatting and Terminology for a UK or International CV
| If applying to | Lead with | Key terminology to use correctly |
|---|---|---|
| UK state school | QTS status and induction stage | ECT (not NQT), QTS, Key Stage, GCSE/A-Level |
| IB international school | Programme and subject level | PYP / MYP / DP, Standard/Higher Level, IB point scale |
| American international school | State-equivalent certification and AP results | AP, state standards, grade-level bands |
Two CVs long is standard for UK and international applications, slightly longer than the typical one-page US resume. Include a photo only if the specific country or school’s norms call for one (common in parts of Europe and Asia, unusual in the UK and most of the Middle East) — check the posting rather than defaulting either way. See our CV vs. resume guide for the broader format differences if you’re applying to both US and international postings in the same search.
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High School Teacher CV FAQ
Is “NQT” still the correct term to use?
Not in England — it was replaced by “ECT” (Early Career Teacher) in September 2021, with induction now running two years instead of one. Some non-English UK nations and some international postings still use “newly qualified” informally, but ECT is the current and more precise term where it applies.
Do I need IB certification before applying to IB schools?
Not usually for a first post — most IB schools hire for strong subject results and curriculum fluency, then support IB Educator Certificate (IBEC) training once you’re hired. Note any IB coursework or training you’ve already completed, but don’t let its absence stop you from applying.
Should my CV look different for a UK school versus an international school?
The structure stays similar, but match the terminology to the audience: QTS/ECT/Key Stage language for a UK state school, programme-specific language (DP, MYP, AP) for an international one. A CV that mixes both reads as generic rather than targeted.
How many references should I include?
Most international school recruitment expects two to three professional references, ideally from senior leaders, with professional (not personal) email addresses — list them as “available on request” if the posting doesn’t ask for them upfront.
Applying to US schools as well? See our high school teacher resume examples for the US-market version of this page.
For other grade levels, browse our general teacher CV examples.
Or pick a different design from the full CV template library.
Need a resume instead of a CV? See our Resume example for High School Teacher.
