Congratulations on being invited to interview for the PGCE Secondary course at the University of Reading. We look forward to meeting you.

To enable you to perform to the best of your abilities, we aim to make the interview process as stress-free as possible. Please read all the information provided carefully.

What do I need to do before my interview?

Do I need to provide any documents at my 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.

The interview process

Your online interview will consist of two parts: a welcome talk and an individual interview. You will be asked to deliver a presentation during your individual interview, which you will need to prepare beforehand - please refer to the interview information webpage for your subject for further details. You will also need to complete and return a written task before your online interview. 

A few days before the date of your interview, a member of staff from the Institute of Education will send you a follow-up email/follow-up emails confirming the following details:

  • the start time of the welcome talk and a link to join the welcome talk at the designated time using Microsoft Teams 
  • the start time of your individual interview and a second link to join your individual interview at the designated time using Microsoft Teams
  • instructions on how to complete and submit the written task, which must be returned 24 hours before your online interview.

To ensure you receive your interview details, please check your junk or spam folder just in case our email(s) is/are redirected there. 

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 for the best experience.

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

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

Discussion topics for your interview

You will be asked questions relating to the following topics during your individual interview: 

  • your motivations for becoming a teacher
  • your passion for teaching your subject
  • your subject knowledge and specialisms
  • your experience of being organised and responding to feedback 
  • 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 a few days before the date of your interview and it will include three questions covering topics such as appropriate teacher-pupil relationships, behaviour management, and your ideal identity as a teacher. You will need to complete and submit your written task no later than 24 hours before your interview. Further instructions will be provided via email. 

The following elements will be reviewed in relation to the written task: 

  • 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 the written task. 

Time zones

The times listed on the Microsoft Teams meeting invitations that you receive from us will show the UK times for the welcome talk and your individual interview. If you are located outside the UK, please make sure you check the time difference between the UK and the country you are in to ensure that you join the welcome talk and your individual interview at the correct times.

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 colleagues, but this will not include any sensitive data that you provided as part of your application.

Questions?

Please email the Admissions Support Team if you have any questions. 

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.