PGCE Primary interview

We are pleased to be inviting you to interview for the PGCE Primary course at the University of Reading and we are looking forward to meeting you.

We want this to be a stress-free process to enable you to perform to your potential and we hope, therefore, that the following information will be helpful to you. Please read all of the information carefully.

What do I need to do before my interview?

• Begin to become familiar with the Teachers' Standards
• Be aware of the current issues facing teaching, particularly in the area for which you have applied 
• Watch the ‘Presentation by the Programme Director’ video 
• Complete the ‘KS1 Maths Lesson’ task
• Complete and return a written task 
• You will be required to hold up a piece of photographic ID to the camera so your identity can be verified (for example, your passport, driving licence (full or provisional) or EU ID card). Please have this document to hand at the start of the interview

KS1 Maths Lesson task

Please watch the first 8 minutes of the Maths at Melcombe Primary School film and make notes on the techniques that the teacher uses to support the children's learning. Your notes should address the following:

• How does the teacher encourage good learning behaviour?
• What would the teacher have needed to consider when planning this lesson?
• How does the teacher use voice and body language to support the learning?
• How does the teacher assess the understanding of the children?

During your interview, you will be prompted to discuss your responses to these points and reflect on what you noted in the video. Please come to your interview with questions prepared.

The written task

Approximately two or three working days prior to your interview, you will be sent a Microsoft Teams meeting invitation for your interview and an email containing the written task. Please respond to this email before your interview attaching the completed written task.

What will happen at my interview?

There will be a brief informal discussion focused on the KS1 Maths Lesson task.

There will also be a more formal interview with questions that will enable you to demonstrate the following:

• Your motivations for beginning a career in primary teaching
• An understanding of safeguarding
• Your own values and ethics regarding primary teaching
• The ability to reflect on and analyse your own experience in the context of your development as a trainee teacher
• Awareness of the Teachers' Standards and relevance to your own development.

There will also be an opportunity for you to ask any questions you might have at the end of your interview.

Who will interview me?

You will be interviewed by one of the programme tutors from the Institute of Education and another interviewer. The second interviewer may be a colleague from one of our partner schools. Please note that we will share relevant background information from your application form with our partner school colleague, but this will not include any sensitive data that you provided as part of your application. If you have any queries or concerns in relation to this, please contact admissionssupport@reading.ac.uk.

We look forward to meeting you. In the meantime, if you have any questions about the interview process or if you require any assistance in relation to your interview, please contact admissionssupport@reading.ac.uk.