Essential preparation for your interview: Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching: Further Education and Training (PgDiT)

This page has been created to give you all the information that you will need for your interview process. The majority of interviews will be taking place online. Face to face interviews can be accommodated to facilitate accessibility if required. For further information please get in touch with [email protected].

Important information

• You should now have received an email from our Admissions Team with the date and time of your interview along with your individual Microsoft Teams link. 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.
• Your interview will be conducted remotely using the Microsoft Teams App. If you do not already have Microsoft Teams, you can download this online. Download from the App Store here or Download from Google Play here. If you are unable to connect within ten minutes of the start of your interview, the interviewers will end the session, and you will need to contact our Admissions Team to reschedule.
• Please familiarise yourself with Microsoft Teams before your online interview. There are useful guides on YouTube to assist you.
• You should allow approximately 50 minutes for the online interview process.
• There are preparatory tasks you will need to complete for your interview. Details are provided underneath ‘Essential interview preparation’
• The interview has been structured in such a way as to enable you to demonstrate your commitment to becoming a teacher and your enthusiasm for your subject and education more generally.

Essential interview preparation

Your task

As part of your interview, you will be asked to create a short presentation (no more than 5 minutes) in which you outline how you would teach a Further Education (FE) learner about a key skill or concept in your specialist subject. This should be clearly linked to an examination specification (for example, A Level, BTEC or T-level) for your subject. For example, a skill or concept which is found on an A Level specification for Philosophy. In preparation for this you can opt to put together a short presentation (such as PowerPoint), or share your ideas without a presentation during your interview. 

Your presentation is an opportunity for you to demonstrate:

• Subject knowledge as appropriate to deliver within the FE phase (including up to and including A level or equivalent)
• An understanding of key concepts in your subject as appropriate to deliver within the FE phase (including up to and including A level or equivalent)
• An understanding of skills and application in your subject as appropriate to deliver within the FE phase (including up to and including A level or equivalent)
• Appropriate communication skills

This is also an opportunity to demonstrate your creative ideas and to show how well you communicate with others. If you wish to present a short presentation, such as a PowerPoint, please be prepared to screen share this with the panel during your interview.

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 learners in the Further Education phase.
• 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.

Things to do before your online interview

It is essential that you:

• have prepared for your presentation.
• have your individual Microsoft Teams link. Please contact our Admissions Team [email protected] if you have not received this.
• Have suitable identification so we can verify your identity (for example, your passport or driving licence). If you do not have suitable ID at the interview stage, we will not be able to interview you and your interview will be rescheduled.
• dress appropriately. You are not expected to be in formal wear, however you should present yourself as a future professional and take care to be in a suitable location for your interview. This should be somewhere quiet where you won’t be disturbed.
• Have access to a device which has a microphone and camera. We will not be able to interview you if we can’t verify your identity and/or see you on screen.
• 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 online interview.
• have read the subject specific information containing the details relating to your subject specialism.
• have thought about, and can explain, why you want to teach in the Further Education phase and in particular, why you wish to teach your particular subject.
• look at the relevant GCSE, A level, BTEC and/or T-Level curriculum for your chosen subject and have considered how you will address gaps in your subject knowledge so you can deliver to all learners within FE.
• have read educational publications to familiarise yourself with current educational issues and policies. Useful publications include:
  • The Guardian Educational Supplement (published weekly)
  • The Independent Educational Supplement (published weekly)
  • The Times Education Supplement (published weekly)
  • Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024)

What to have with you

Any questions?

We look forward to meeting you for your online 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: