Essential preparation for your interview: PGCE Secondary (11-16) Physical Education with QTS*

This page has been created to give you all the information that you will need for your interview process.

Essential preparation for your on campus interview

What to do before your on campus interview

1. Dress appropriately. You should arrive for your interview in clothing suitable to undertake a physical education task (e.g. sportswear). You should bring formal wear with you and will be able to change into this for your interview.
2. have read all the information on this preparation page and made a note of the items you need to have with you and any questions that you want to ask during your in person interview.
3. Completed your subject knowledge audit. Details of which can be found in the ‘course specific preparation’ section on this page.
4. have read the subject specific information below containing the details relating to your subject specialism.
5. have thought about, and can explain, why you want to teach children and young adults from the secondary age range and, in particular, why you wish to teach your particular subject.
6. have read educational publications to familiarise yourself with current educational issues. Useful publications include:
   • The Guardian Educational Supplement (published weekly)
   • The Independent Educational Supplement (published weekly)
   • The Times Education Supplement (published weekly)
7. have visited appropriate websites such as
   • The BBC Education website
   • Department for Education (DfE)
   • Standards Testing Agency
   • National curriculum and examination boards to further supplement general preparatory reading and research.
8. have read and understood the below information regarding ‘Training in Educational Settings’ to enable you to answer questions about your support needs.

Getting here

Planning your journey to the university is an important part of your preparation. On this page you will find some useful information to help you do this:

• Directions to our Ormskirk campus.
• Information on planning your route.

We would strongly advise that you travel by public transport wherever possible, as parking on campus is limited and cannot be guaranteed.
Please note, for your journey planning your destination train station should be Ormskirk.

If you are planning to travel by car, please display this parking notice and allow plenty of time for your journey and parking. If the on-campus car park is full, you can find several parking options in Ormskirk town centre. If you do arrive early, there are several catering outlets on campus for you to purchase refreshments.

You will need to report to the Student Administration Centre (building number 4 on the Ormskirk campus map) 15 minutes before your interview time.

Course specific preparation

2. ‘How would you teach’ presentation

When you arrive for your interview, you will be placed into small groups with other PGCE Secondary (11-16) PE applicants. You will be asked to either:

• demonstrate to a small group of peers how you would teach a Key Stage 3 gymnastic which has opportunities to develop and adapt into a routine or game.
• Demonstrates to a small group of peers how you would teach a Key Stage 3 games session which has opportunities to develop and adapt into a routine or game.

The task you are asked to undertake will be dependent on the day of your interview and the location/space available (for example, the space may not be suitable for gymnastics). You should attend in appropriate sportswear and be prepared to complete either task as both are taught at Key Stage 3. You will not be able to choose the task provided to you.

Both tasks will be an opportunity for you to demonstrate:

• Subject knowledge
• An understanding of key concepts in your subject
• An understanding of skills and application in your subject

This is also an opportunity to demonstrate your creative ideas and to show how well you communicate with others.

You are advised to prepare for your interview by:

• Looking at the national curriculum (or equivalent) and any GCSE specifications in your subject area. Explore examples of GCSE examination requirements for your subject area.
• Identify areas of your subject knowledge in need of further development using your audit to assist.

3. What we’re looking for

During the interview process we will be looking for you to demonstrate:

• A commitment to and enthusiasm for working with children and/or young people
• Strong 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.

Training in educational settings

The Partnership team will source all ITT practices.

• You will be expected to travel to your professional practices, and you must be prepared to travel some distance. You will be expected to drive or travel on public transport to your placement.
• We do provide, in some instances, reimbursement for travel to and from training.
• We have training partnership arrangements in a range of locations including the North West, the North East, Staffordshire, Cheshire, the West Midlands including Shropshire and London. We expect that you will approach each practice with a flexible and conscientious attitude, acting with integrity and commitment. We will ensure that we take into consideration your personal circumstances and needs.

All contact with practice schools is made formally via the Faculty of Education’s ITT Partnership Team; trainees should not contact schools directly to arrange practices.

What to have with you

Any questions?

We look forward to meeting you for 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: