Essential preparation for your interview: PGCE Primary Early Years Education with QTS
This page has been created to give you all the information you need to prepare for your interview. It is essential that you read all the sections carefully.
Important information
- You will be required to attend the University – your interview will be conducted face-to-face, on campus.
- 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 [email protected]
- You need to confirm that you will be available for your interview by completing our interview reply form.
- 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 45 minutes before your scheduled interview time. This should enable you to park your car (in Car Park C – see online map) and walk to the registration point (the foyer in ‘the Faculty of Education: Lakeside’ – see online map). Everyone, whatever mode of transport, should aim to register 15 minutes before your scheduled interview time.
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 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 resilience, written, maths and group tasks)
- Individual interview
Things to do before your online 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 age range.
- have completed the online resilience task.
- have viewed the Programme Leader ‘Welcome’ video.
- 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:
‘This is Me’ video
Prior to your interview we would like you to record a short video: ‘This is Me.’ This is not a test of your filming and editing skills so please don’t spend a long time preparing this. Rather, it’s an opportunity for you to tell us a bit about yourself, for example –
- Anything interesting about you
- Where you live
- Something about your family or friends
- Your interests or hobbies
- What you are currently studying, or working as
- What you are most looking forward to when you start university
- Anything else that you think will be of interest to your interviewer.
As a guide, your video should be 1-2 minutes long. Please email your video to [email protected] at least 24 hours before your scheduled interview date, with your full name, date of birth and the date of your interview included in the email subject.
How to upload your video:
You will only have to upload your video to one of these options. There are various online guides and YouTube videos that can advise you on how to upload your video. If technical difficulties prevent you completing this task, then please do still attend your interview and your interviewer will discuss other options for you.
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:
- Prior to your interview you will need to:
- Complete ‘Resilience’ test online
- Submit ‘This is Me’ Video
- View Programme Leader ‘Welcome’ video
| Morning Session | Morning Session |
|---|---|
| 8.45am – 9am | Sign in at Registration Point* |
| 9.30am – 10am | Task 1 |
| 10am – 10.30am | Task 2 |
| 10.30am – 11am | Task 3 |
| 11am – 12pm | Optional Campus Tour |
| Afternoon Session | Afternoon Session |
|---|---|
| 12.45pm – 1pm | Sign in at Registration Point* |
| 1.30pm – 2pm | Task 1 |
| 2pm – 2.30pm | Task 2 |
| 2.30pm – 3pm | Task 3 |
| 3pm – 4pm | Optional Campus Tour |
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.
- An optional self-guided campus tour: you will have the opportunity to wander round our beautiful and stunning campus.
- There are several food outlets across the campus available for you (and anyone else who may accompany you on the day) to purchase refreshments.
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 [email protected] prior to your interview.
Any questions?
We look forward to meeting you at your interview.
If you would like to request a face-to-face interview, please contact our Admissions Team using the details below. 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: