If you've applied to study a PGCE Primary (either age phase) and have met the entry criteria, you will be invited to attend an interview.
Once you have completed your interview we will make a decision about your offer.
We are currently conducting all our PGCE Primary interviews by Teams.
Interview process
There are three key parts to the University-led interview:
- a children's literature presentation task,
- interview questions: Understanding Teaching and Learning and
- a reflection on Professional Practice.
The interview is designed to be a safe, friendly environment where you can demonstrate your potential to train to teach. Your interview will last up to an hour and your interviewer will be one of our experienced tutors, so you will have the opportunity to ask questions about the course as part of the interview.
Children's literature presentation task
In this task, you will conduct a 5-minute presentation that is based upon a story book of your choice that you feel would be interesting and relevant to children in your relevant age range.
Your presentation will include:
- A rationale for your choice of story book.
- Reading a section of the text for 2-3 minutes as though you are reading to a class of children.
- Sharing questions that you might ask the children in response to reading the story to generate a class discussion.
- Outlining briefly how you might use this text in the classroom.
Some top tips
In choosing your book, try to find a text that you find interesting. Do your research. There are a lot of options to choose from. You could look at this list for some ideas about which text to choose: Book lists | Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (clpe.org.uk)
It is important that you have the book to hand during your interview. If you need to, please visit the children’s section of your local library to source your book or even browse the charity shops as they often have some cheap, high-quality texts in their book selection.
When thinking about activities that might springboard from the text, don’t forget to identify potential links to the wider curriculum (i.e. how does this text relate to science, history, etc?).
Individual interview
In the discussion, your interviewer will ask you some more detailed questions about your understanding of teaching and the role of the class teacher.
We love talking about teaching – and we're interested in hearing your thoughts and opinions about what's happening in the world of primary education at the moment. Be prepared to talk about yourself and why you think you'd make a great teacher.
It's always good to prepare to talk about a particular issue in education that interests you – and don't be afraid to ask questions too.
These are some of the questions you might be asked during the interview process to help you prepare. You may not be asked all of these and if your interviewer is interested in what you have to say, they may add some additional questions of their own.
A reflection on professional practice
As part of your individual interview, your interviewer will explore your understanding of what it means to be a teaching professional.
Choose one of the three resources listed below to talk about.
- Watch: Pierson, R (2013) Rita Pierson: Every kid needs a champion [Video] Ted Conference
Rita Pierson: Every kid needs a champion | TED Talk
- Read: Kramer, P A (2003) To develop a strong sense of professionalism, a teacher must focus on the critical elements of attitude, behaviour, and communication. Kappa Delta Pi Record Fall
- Listen: TES Podagogy (September 2017 ) Dylan Wiliam: Growth Mindset [Audio podcast Episode] on Spotify Open
Tes Podagogy | Podcast on Spotify
We are not expecting you to produce an essay about this but rather to think about how the reading compares to your understanding of the classroom and how it connects to your experiences of learning.
After you have done this, you should consider some or all the following:
- What does this tell you about being a teacher and teaching?
- How does this link to your experiences in the home/ school/ university/work contexts (pick the areas that are most relevant to you)?
- What do you find interesting or challenging about the resources that you have chosen?
Delivery Partner-led interviews
For information on the Delivery Partner-led interview process, please visit your chosen school provider's website.
You will be contacted directly by your school with details of your interview, including how to prepare.
Got a question?
If you have any questions about PGCE interviews or the admissions process, please contact the admissions team: