Interview Preparation for Teaching Staff

1. Questions about the role:

What are the key features of outstanding teaching?

• Exceptional progress in learning and skills
• Expert subject knowledge/classroom management
• Effective communication
• Differentiation for groups
• Engaging and motivating students
• Developing independent and resilient learners
• Skills and content for passing exams
• Assessment/challenging the most able
• Collaborative learning
• Sharing criteria for success 
  
  

2. Your understanding of your own teaching and learning methods, strengths and improvement areas:
   

• What is your understanding of high-quality teaching and learning?
• Describe a good lesson
• What are your teaching strengths?
• How do you differentiate in the classroom?
• What are your teaching weaknesses and what support do you need to improve?
• Can you provide a good example of a lesson that worked out well for you? Why?
• Can you provide a good example of a lesson that did not work well for you and what you did/would do to make it better in the future?

If I came into your classroom, what would I see?

Discuss, if applicable: animated discussions, students making progress as evidenced in oral and written contributions, visual displays of students’ work showing progress, high levels of engagement etc. Be sure to communicate the impact you have had on pupils’ achievement.

• Describe a teaching method you find effective
• How would you organise teaching and learning for a mixed-age group?
• How do you ensure all pupils are involved in learning?

How do you teach XXX in schools?

Discuss specifically how you teach xxx to: improve skills and independent learning; to encourage teamwork; to gain a qualification; for enjoyment (very important, rarely mentioned); to enhance other subjects; to develop literacy, numeracy and ICT skills; to improve career prospects; self-discipline; memory development; to encourage life-long learning in that subject.

What are the key qualities and skills that students look for in teachers?

If you overheard some colleagues talking about you, what would they say?

Think about your contribution to the school organisation and your team spirit. Think about what you would want your colleagues to say about you in three years’ time. 

How do you evaluate the success of your lesson?

You need to be able to demonstrate your ability to recognise what went well and make suggestions as to how the lesson may have gone better- what you would do differently with hindsight.

3. Ensuring progress:

• What assessment strategies would you use?
• How do you ensure all pupils are involved in learning?
• Can you give an example where you have raised pupil progress?
• How would you motivate a reluctant pupil?
• How would you meet the needs of more able pupils in the class?
• What is your experience of having a very high-attaining or low-attaining pupil in the class?
• If a pupil does not show signs of improvement after an intervention, what do you do next?
  
  

4. Behaviour management:
   

What behaviour management policies have you worked with, and what do you consider as having been effective?

• How would you deal with a pupil who is not cooperating?
• How would you deal with a disruptive pupil?
• What do you think is the best way to motivate pupils?
• What do you understand by the term ‘providing support’ for a pupil?
• Bullying is a serious issue that comes up in all areas of work with children. In your experience, what is the best way to deal with it?
  
  

5. Self-promotion

• It is paramount to promote yourself through personal examples of your success – have some stories ready and explain how you could adapt these methods to suit the school.
• Think about your difference, your individuality – why you versus someone else with the same qualifications deserves the post – it may be your coaching / extra-curricular activities / your experience / your life experience, etc.