Top Tips for Preparing for your Next Teaching Interview
Preparing for your next teaching interview can be a daunting process, what will they ask you? Will you make a good impression? But don’t worry, we’re here to help with our top tips for preparing for an interview.
You will understandably have some nerves before going for your interview but if you are well prepared and armed with all the information you need to dazzle, you are sure to be successful and if you are not then it is all good experience and can help you ensure you are extra ready for the next one.
So let’s take a look at some of the tips and tricks for making sure you are ready for your interview.
Before the interview
Do your homework (excuse the pun) by researching the school. Look at the school’s website to help you gain a clear understanding of their strengths, ethos and mission. There may also be a section on the website about how they get involved with the local community, which could help you think of ideas you could bring to the school around community engagement.
Take the time to review the school’s inspection reports to see how they are performing and if there are any areas of improvement. Again, being armed with this information can help you talk about ideas to address any areas for improvement. Think about past school’s you have worked at and whether they excelled in any particular areas so you can suggest ways to adopt new ways of thinking or working.
Make sure you set aside plenty of time in the days or weeks leading up to your interview so you can conduct thorough research, and remember to review your notes on the day of the interview so they are fresh in your mind.
Refresh yourself on the basics of safeguarding, as this will likely come up in the interview to assess your understanding. Consider if there are any examples where you have been involved in safeguarding and think about how you handled it, the steps you took and the outcome.
Plan to succeed
Ensure you take plenty of time to prepare your lesson plan, it can tell interviewers a lot about your teaching style and also other soft skills such as planning and creativity. Think about how you engage and motivate students to learn and the tasks you will ask them to do to get the most from them.
Your lesson plan is the way to make a great first impression before you even start to teach and it’ll help you deliver a brilliant lesson too.
Prepare your answers and your questions
Think about the types of questions you may be asked and prepare answers for them to help you ensure your responses are succinct, to the point and backed with evidence such as examples of how you have achieved goals. Typical questions may include:
- Why did you choose to teach the age group?
- What can you bring to the role that other candidates may not be able to?
- How would you work with a teaching assistant in your classroom?
- What is the most difficult piece of feedback you have ever had to give, and why?
- How do you ensure all children are involved?
- How do you assess and record your children’s progress? How would you motivate a reluctant child?
It is also imperative to think about any questions you may want to ask, being inquisitive in an interview demonstrates your interest in the school and the role. Thinking and planning which questions you want to ask can help differentiate you from other candidates and being prepared reduces the risk of forgetting to ask them.
Examples of the types of questions you may want to ask could include:
- I appreciate having an opportunity to contribute my input. How often are staff and departmental meetings held?
- I have valuable experience in integrating technology into the classroom. What kind of resources would I have access to?
- What opportunities are there for professional development?
- Can you explain your homework policy to me?
- What extracurricular activities are available for teacher participation?
During the interview
Firstly, make sure you dress appropriately and professionally as first impressions are often made within the first few minutes of meeting someone. Greet your interviewer with a firm handshake and remember to smile and maintain eye contact throughout the interview.
Speak clearly and with enthusiasm, try to back up all your answers with evidence about how you work or your approach to certain situations. Be sure to tell your story, for many teaching isn’t just a job it is the opportunity to serve and impact lives and shape successful futures.
And finally, relax and enjoy the experience.
Looking to take the next step in your teaching journey?
If you are looking for your next challenge, join the Vision Teaching community to help you find your next rewarding role. As specialists in all aspects of school recruitment, we help every borough in London attract and retain high-quality teaching, support, and administrative staff. We have a wide range of opportunities across London in both primary and secondary education settings.
Browse our teaching jobs and find your next role: https://visionteaching.co.uk/job-search/
