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Resume example

Primary school teacher resume example

A professeur des écoles teaches every subject to one class in a French école maternelle or élémentaire, from the first year of nursery school to CM2, the last year before collège.

The national programmes set what children learn, but you choose how: the reading method, the order of maths topics, the projects that bring science or art into the week. A typical day begins with greeting pupils at the door, then French and maths in the morning, when children concentrate best, and other subjects or physical education in the afternoon. You also mark notebooks, fill in the school's digital report book (livret scolaire unique), meet parents, take part in team meetings and supervise the playground on a rota. In a class with a pupil who has special needs, you coordinate with the AESH and the school psychologist.

Resume example

[First name Last name]

Professeur des Écoles | Cycle 2 and Cycle 3 Classes

[City] · [phone] · [email]

Profile

Professeur des écoles for [x] years, mainly in cycle 3 classes in a priority education network. I run class projects with local partners, adapt teaching for pupils with learning difficulties and act as reference teacher for digital tools.

Experience

Professeur des écoles, École élémentaire [Name], [City]

[month year] to present

  • Taught a CM1-CM2 class of [x] pupils, covering all subjects in the national programmes
  • Set up daily reading fluency workshops that helped struggling readers gain confidence
  • Led a class project with the local library leading to a published book written by the pupils
  • Worked with the AESH and the school psychologist to adapt lessons for a pupil with dyslexia
  • Organised a residential science trip with colleagues and parents

Resume headlines

  • Professeur des Écoles | Cycle 2 and Cycle 3 Classes
  • Primary School Teacher, Bilingual English and French
  • Contract Primary Teacher (Contractuel) | Replacements in [Académie]

Summaries for your profile

Entry level

Recently qualified after the CRPE and a training year in [Académie], with placements in CP and CE2 classes. I build sequences around explicit teaching of reading and use manipulation in maths.

Experienced

Professeur des écoles for [x] years, mainly in cycle 3 classes in a priority education network. I run class projects with local partners, adapt teaching for pupils with learning difficulties and act as reference teacher for digital tools.

Career change

Former engineer, I passed the CRPE through the troisième concours, open to candidates with private-sector experience. I bring a concrete approach to science and maths and experience of training adults.

Tips

  • Specify the levels and cycles you have taught, from petite section to CM2.
  • Mention the type of school: rural multi-level class, priority education network, bilingual school.
  • List one or two class projects with what pupils produced.
  • If you teach in English, specify your CEFR level in French and English.
  • For private or international schools, indicate your experience with their curriculum.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Writing 'taught all subjects' without levels or approaches.
  • Omitting your status (titulaire, stagiaire, contractuel), which determines how you can be hired.
  • Using a non-French grading system without explanation.
  • Forgetting that a public school teacher is assigned by the académie, not hired by the school.

Working as a primary school teacher in France

Search for professeur des écoles, enseignant du premier degré, and for replacements enseignant contractuel premier degré. Permanent posts in state schools go through the CRPE, a competitive exam organised by académie, followed by a training period before tenure; the degree level required has changed with the current reform, so check devenirenseignant.gouv.fr. Tenured posts are open to EU, EEA and Swiss nationals; other nationals can be hired as contract teachers. Private schools under contract with the State have a parallel recruitment route. International and bilingual schools hire directly and are often the easiest entry point for English-speaking teachers.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I become a primary school teacher in a French state school?

You need to pass the CRPE, the competitive exam organised by each académie, then complete a paid training period before tenure. The required degree level has changed with the current reform of teacher training, so check the latest conditions on devenirenseignant.gouv.fr before you plan your route.

Can I teach in France without the CRPE?

Yes, as a contract teacher (contractuel), recruited by the académie's departmental services to replace absent teachers, usually with a bachelor's degree. Private schools outside the state contract and international schools also recruit directly, sometimes with foreign teaching qualifications.

Should my resume list my teaching placements?

Yes, especially at the start of your career. For each placement, give the level, the school and one thing you designed or led. Inspectors and headteachers want to see that you have faced a real class and know the national programmes.

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