This page has been created to give you all the information you need to prepare for your on campus interview. It is essential that you read all the sections carefully. If you have applied for both our Primary Education with QTS and Primary Early Years Education with QTS courses, we’d like to invite you to attend one interview where you will be considered for both programmes, rather than ask you to attend a second interview.
Important information
- You will be required to attend the University – your interview will be conducted face-to-face, on campus.
- You should be able to view the date and time of your interview on UCAS Hub. If you cannot, please contact our Admissions Team at: [email protected]
- You need to confirm that you will attend your interview via UCAS Hub.
- Please find our online campus map for your reference
- If you are planning to drive to the Campus, then please aim to arrive at least 30 minutes before your sign in time. This should enable you to park your car (in Car Park C – see online map) and walk to the registration point. The registration point will be the Faculty of Education Lakeside Building (building number 10 on the campus map).
- You will need to validate your parking within 20 minutes of arriving on campus. Head to Main Reception (building number 1) upon arrival.
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 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:
- Group task
- Discussion on a professionalism scenario
- 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 on this webpage 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 age range and in Key Stage One.
- 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 1 hours for the interview process.
- The table below outlines the structure of the interview process but this may slightly vary on the day:
If your interview is at 1pm
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 12.45pm | Sign in at Registration Point* |
| 1pm | Welcome and short presentation |
| 1.10pm | Group tasks |
| 1.20pm | Professionalism discussion |
| 1.30pm | Individual interview |
| After Interview | Take qualifications to Admissions: building 4 on map. Optional Campus tour |
If your interview is at 2pm
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1.45pm | Sign in at Registration Point* |
| 2pm | Welcome and short presentation |
| 2.10pm | Group tasks |
| 2.20pm | Professionalism discussion |
| 2.30pm | Individual interview |
| After Interview | Take qualifications to Admissions: building 4 on map. Optional Campus tour |
If your interview is at 3pm
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| Before Interview | Take qualifications to Admissions: building 4 on map. Please ensure you allow sufficient time to arrive at the registration point. |
| 2.45pm | Sign in at Registration Point* |
| 3pm | Welcome and short presentation |
| 3.10pm | Group tasks |
| 3.20pm | Professionalism discussion |
| 3.30pm | Individual interview |
The interview will consist of different parts:
- A group task: you will be required to discuss something related to an Early Years classroom, as part of a group.
- A discussion scenario: you will be required to have a professional dialogue with your interviewer around a potential scenario related to the profession.
- An individual interview: you will be required to answer a series of questions designed to assess your suitability for the course.
- Take your qualifications to the admissions team. They are available Monday to Friday 9am – 4pm.
What to have with you on the day
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: