PGCE Secondary interview

Congratulations on being invited to interview for the PGCE Secondary course at the University of Reading.

We want this to be a stress-free process to enable you to perform to your potential and we hope that the information on this webpage will be helpful to you.

Please read all of the information carefully.

What do I need to do before my online interview?

• Create the presentation that you will deliver on your interview day – please refer to the interview information webpage for your subject for further details.
• Familiarise yourself with the Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. The full guidance is available in an alternative format.
• Read the Institute of Education's interview top tips guide.
  
  

Do I need to provide any documents at my online interview?

At the start of your interview, you will be required to hold up a piece of photographic identification (ID) to the camera so your identity can be verified. Examples of acceptable forms of photographic ID include a passport, driving licence photocard (full or provisional), or an ID card. Please have an acceptable form of photographic ID ready to show at the start of your interview.

If you receive and accept an offer, you will be asked to bring original ID documents for the DBS check to an information session at the University before the start of the course. Further details will be sent to you at a later stage.

Your online interview will consist of two parts: a Welcome Talk and your individual interview, including a presentation. You will also need to complete and return a written task before your online interview. 

A member of staff from the Institute of Education will contact you via email a few days before your interview with further details which will include:

• a link to join the Welcome Talk using Microsoft Teams
• a second link to join your individual interview using Microsoft Teams
• instructions on how to complete and submit the written task, which must be returned 24 hours before your online interview.

You should be able to join a Teams meeting without a Microsoft Teams account. If you wish to join the Teams meeting using a web browser, we recommend that you use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

As teaching is a profession, please attend your online interview wearing appropriate clothing. This doesn’t have to be a suit, but dress appropriately for a formal interview.

What will happen on the day of my interview?

Your interview will include the following:

• A welcome talk delivered by the subject leader
• Subject-specific elements of your interview
• Individual interview
• Written task.

Subject-specific elements of your interview

Please be prepared for the subject-specific elements of your interview – refer to the interview information webpage for your subject for further details.

Art and Design

Design and Technology

English

Geography

History

Maths

Modern Foreign Languages (MFL)

Physical Education (PE)

Science

Individual interview

During your interview, you will be asked questions relating to the following topics:

• your motivations for becoming a teacher
• your passion for teaching your subject
• your subject knowledge and specialisms
• Safeguarding and child protection – we recommend that you read the summary of Keeping Children Safe in Education to prepare for this. The guidance is also available in an alternative format.

There will also be an opportunity for you to ask questions during your individual interview.

Written task

The written task will be sent to you via email before your interview. Please read the instructions in the email that you received with the written task, which will include the following details:

• the title for the written task
• instructions on how to complete the written task
• the amount of time that you will have to complete the written task
• the email address that you will need to return the written task to, once completed.

You will be given time to plan and submit, and the following will be reviewed:

• legibility of your handwriting
• spelling, punctuation, and grammar
• your ability to plan and compose ideas in a written format.

Please let us know if any adjustments are needed for you to access this task. 

Time Zones

The time on the Microsoft Teams invitation that you receive from us will show the UK time for your interview. If you are joining the online interview from outside the UK, please make sure you check the time difference between the UK and the country you are in to ensure that you attend at the correct time.

Who will interview me?

Your individual interview will be conducted by one of the programme tutors from the Institute of Education. During your interview, a second interviewer may also be present. The second interviewer may be a colleague from one of our partner schools or from the University.

Please note that we may share relevant background information from your application form with our partner school or university colleague, but this will not include any sensitive data that you provided as part of your application.

Questions?

We are looking forward to meeting you at your interview. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please email the Admissions Support team.

We are fully committed to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in our admissions and interview processes. If you would like to request any specific requirements or adjustments around accessibility for your interview, please email the Admissions Support team. Please rest assured that requesting reasonable adjustments or having specific requirements will not affect the outcome of the interview or our decision on whether you are offered a place on the course.