Essential preparation for your interview scheduled in Belfast
This page has been created to give you all the information you need to prepare for your interview in Belfast. It is essential that you read all the sections carefully. This page covers the following courses:
Undergraduate courses
- BA (Hons) Primary Early Years Education with QTS
- BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS
- BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS (part-time)
PGCE Courses
- PGCE Primary Early Years Education with QTS
- PGCE Primary Education with QTS
- PGCE Primary Mathematics Specialist with QTS
- PGCE Primary Physical Education Specialist with QTS
Important information
- Your interview will be conducted face to face at the Hilton Belfast (4 Lanyon Place, Belfast, BT1 3LP).
- You should now have received an email from our Admissions Team with the date and time of your interview. If you do not think you have received this, please contact our Admissions Team admissions@edgehill.ac.uk
- You need to confirm that you will be available for your interview by completing our interview reply form.
- Please have with you your original photographic ID (i.e. current valid passport or photo-card driving licence). Your ID will be checked prior to the start of the process. If you do not have suitable ID on the day, you may not be able to take part in the interview and may have to reschedule for an alternative date.
What we’re looking for
The interview has been structured to enable you to demonstrate your commitment to becoming a teacher and your enthusiasm for education. You need to show that you can engage in discussion, contributing both as a speaker and as a listener. You will also be given the opportunity to demonstrate the contribution that you could make to the undergraduate or PGCE programme and, ultimately, to the education of children.
Throughout the interview process we will be looking for you to demonstrate:
- a commitment to and enthusiasm for working with children,
- strong verbal and written communication skills,
- the personal attributes and values required to train as a teacher,
- the ability to reflect on experiences and the learning taken from these.
Our aim at interview is to be able to identify the highest quality candidates. Therefore, performance in all aspects of the interview will be taken into consideration:
- Interview tasks (including the written, maths and group tasks)
- Individual interview
Things to do before your interview
It is essential that you:
- dress appropriately. You should present yourself as a future professional.
- have read all the information in this document and made a note of the items you need to have with you and any questions that you want to ask during your interview.
- have thought about, and can explain, why you want to teach children in the Early Years or Primary age range.
- have familiarised yourself with current educational issues. Useful publications include:
- The Guardian Educational Supplement (published on Tuesday)
- The Independent Educational Supplement (published on Thursday)
- The TES magazine (published on Friday)
- Appropriate websites include:
What to expect on the day of your interview
- You should allow approximately 3 hours for the interview process.
- You will be invited to either a morning OR afternoon interview session. The table below outlines the structure of the interview process but this may slightly vary on the day:
| Morning Session | Morning Session |
|---|---|
| 8.30am | Sign in |
| 8.45am – 9.30am | Welcome and instructions |
| 9.30am – 11am | Tasks and Interview take place |
| Afternoon Session | Afternoon Session |
|---|---|
| 12.30pm | Sign in |
| 12.45pm – 1.30pm | Welcome and instructions |
| 1.30pm – 3pm | Tasks and Interview take place |
The interview will consist of different parts:
- A written task: you will be asked to complete a short, written task whereby you need to answer a given question (pens and paper will be provided).
- A Maths task: you will answer a series of Maths-related questions. Please bring a device (eg mobile phone) which allows you to scan a QR code.
- A group task: you will be required to discuss something related to a Early Years classroom, as part of a group.
- An individual interview: you will be required to answer a series of questions designed to assess your suitability for the course.
What to have with you on the day
If you have any questions about your ID or qualifications, please contact our Admissions Team via email admissions@edgehill.ac.uk prior to your interview.
Any questions?
We look forward to meeting you at your interview. If you have any questions or special requirements that you would like to discuss with us prior to your interview, you can contact us in the following ways: