The interview is an essential part of the application process where we assess your suitability for the course and your understanding of the role of the teacher. It is your opportunity to learn more about us, meet the teaching staff, see our facilities and ask any questions you may have.
We know that you will be nervous, but we aim to make the experience enjoyable and you will be fully supported throughout the day; we want you to do your best! You should expect that the session will last between one and a half and two hours. We want to get to know you during the interview and see if you meet our entry criteria. We are looking for people with a passion for education who want to make a difference to the lives of children by providing a high-quality education for them. We are also looking for people who can hold the attention of an audience and inspire them. Your interview is your chance to do this!
This information outlines the things you’ll need to do in order to be fully prepared for the day.
Format of the interview
Your interview will be conducted by members of our Primary Education team. In order for you to do your best, we want you to feel comfortable and prepared for all of the parts of the interview. Your interview will be comprised of the following sections:
Introduction to the course/group discussion (in a group of up to 6 applicants)
We will tell you about our course and about what we think is special about studying here at Staffordshire University. You will have chance to ask any questions you may have about the course. We will also have a group discussion about the attributes of a good teacher, so please be ready to share your ideas on what you think makes a great teacher.
Presentation (in a group of up to 6 applicants)
Please prepare a short five-minute presentation around a simple resource or artefact. You could choose a book, picture, poem, a special item from your house, something linked to a special interest or hobby of yours - anything which you feel is relevant and interesting! Your presentation should tell the audience all about the item you’ve chosen and why you have chosen it. You could also talk about how you would share the item with a class of children in school and what you would do with it.
This presentation will allow you to demonstrate your ability to engage with an audience and hold their interest. In this case the audience will be the interview team, made up of one of our course lecturers and a small group of the other applicants. As you only have 5 minutes for your presentation, please do not prepare a PowerPoint presentation, just show us the item/artefact and be ready to talk about it.
Interview (individual)
You will be on your own for this part of the interview, speaking with one of our primary education team of lecturers. We will ask you a range of questions to get to know you better, for example why you want to be a primary school teacher.
We would like to find out about your understanding of some of the current issues within primary education. Therefore, please make sure that you have read some recent stories about education that are in the news and be ready to share one specific story that you have found interesting with your interview team. You can bring a printout of the story if you would find this helpful, but this is not necessary.
Interview location
Your interview will be held in the Catalyst Building, on our Leek Road campus in Stoke-on-Trent. Information on how to get to the Stoke-on-Trent campus, and a campus map, is available on our how to find us pages. Please be ready to meet with your interview team inside the main entrance to the Catalyst Building at your allocated interview time. We will collect you and take you to the interview room.
GCSE Certificates
If you have them, please have the original copies of your GCSE certificates to hand so that you can show them to the interview team.
We are all looking forward to meeting you and getting to know you to see if you meet our entry criteria. We would encourage you to:
- Dress professionally; this is your formal interview for the course and we would recommend that you present yourself in a smart manner including how you dress.
- Prepare! Please plan for the activities detailed in this letter. Remember to draw on your experiences whether from your own education or from voluntary work, paid work or placements.
- Think of any questions that you may wish to ask our interviewing panel.
Don’t forget - we are looking for your potential to be a great teacher so please relax, smile and be yourself!
If you have any questions or require any further information, please contact me via email at catherine.rutherford@staffs.ac.uk.
Cathy Rutherford, on behalf of the Primary Education Team
Staffordshire University