Ace your interview for a teacher training place

If you are invited for an interview for a place on a teacher training course, the process may last for a morning or a whole day. It will include a variety of tasks, such as a panel and/or one-to-one interview, taking part in a group discussion or doing a short presentation to assess your communication skills, and various tests to assess subject competency. Interviews are usually held in the spring and summer terms, and can take place at the university or at a school.

Dress the part

Make sure your appearance is smart and professional when you attend your interview. Try to stand and sit confidently and don’t be afraid to smile and make eye contact. During the interview, listen to the questions carefully and don’t interrupt. Speak clearly and confidently – for obvious reasons, your oral presentation is important. At the end of the interview you will be invited to ask the interviewers your own questions, so have some thoughtful, proactive questions to hand.

Question and answer time

A typical interview is designed to assess your personal qualities, interpersonal skills, commitment to teaching and equal opportunities, expectations of teaching, the extent of your subject knowledge and your awareness of what will be required at the stage at which you wish to teach. There’s no need to be taken completely by surprise on the day because all the questions will be designed to find out about these very issues.

Typical interview questions

• Why do you think you would be a good teacher?
• How do you know you will relate well to the age group you want to teach?
• What stops pupils from learning?
• What key current educational issue interests you?
• What diversity do you anticipate in schools?
• What would you do if pupils were bullying another pupil?
• Where do you think you need to improve your subject knowledge?

Tricky interview questions

Why do you want to be a teacher?

Admissions tutors are looking for people who understand the breadth of the teaching role and why it appeals to them. Teaching isn’t just about liking children or young people. A great deal of a teacher’s time will be spent with other adults (for example teaching assistants, special needs co-ordinators and language supporters) and there are significant responsibilities that need to be taken on within the school setting, such as co-ordinator and leadership roles. You won’t impress if your response is that you like children, all your family are teachers or that you like the sound of the long holidays!

What worries you about teaching?

An honest answer will probably stand you in good stead. However, if you appear to be terrified of pupils that will worry the assessors! It’s true that all teachers work hard at behaviour management, but don’t be over-influenced by the negative portrayal of schools on TV. Another issue candidates raise is concern about the work/life balance. It is a legitimate response: even if you worked 24/7 in teaching there would still be things to do. I have also heard interviewees express uncertainty about managing other adults in the classroom. Basically, the question is designed to assess whether candidates have realistically thought through the different aspects of the teaching role.

What would you say to a pupil who says learning (for example, your subject) is a waste of time?

Assessors want to see whether you understand why learning is not a waste of time and to explore your feelings about learning. If you are applying to become a secondary teacher, the interviewer will want to be convinced by your passion and enthusiasm for your subject. If you are applying for a primary course, you will be teaching a huge range of subjects: take some time to reflect upon which subjects you feel most passionate about and why before the interview.

Remember that an interview for initial teacher training is different from a job interview. Your interviewers will want to make sure you've chosen the right course and the right career for you - not just that you'd make a good teacher.