Preparing for your online interview

We are pleased to invite you to interview for the Primary Postgraduate Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course at the University of Reading, and 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 very carefully.

• Familiarise yourself with the Teachers' Standards.
• Be aware of the current issues facing teaching, particularly in relation to your chosen pathway, for example, SEND or early years.
• Watch the Primary Postgraduate Initial Teacher Education (ITE) interview presentation video.
• Watch the Transforming Lives – the Institute of Education video.
• Prepare for the group task.
• Familiarise yourself with the Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance.
• Read the Institute of Education's interview top tips guide.
• Complete and return a written task.

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 group task and Q&A session, and an individual interview. You will also need to complete and return a written task before you attend your online interview. 

Instructions on how to join the group task using Microsoft Teams, how to join your individual interview using Microsoft Teams, and how to complete and return the written task, will be sent to you by email a few days before the date of your 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.

A link to join the group task and Q&A session using Microsoft Teams will be sent to you via email approximately one week before the date of your interview.

The group task is designed to evaluate your ability to collaborate with others, articulate your ideas clearly, and listen actively to your peers.

Before attending your interview, please watch the Primary Interviews: Clean Up! story video, where course tutors read the book Clean Up!, which is written by Nathan Bryon and illustrated by Dapo Adeola.

After watching the video, we ask that you:

• Consider how you would use the book, Clean Up!, to support a learning activity/develop children’s learning in a primary setting.
• Potentially consider an early or special setting, depending on your chosen pathway, for example, SEND or early years.
• Be prepared to share and discuss your activity with your group online, including why you have chosen the activity and your role in the children’s learning.

You may use notes when you are presenting online. If there is anything else you wish to share in relation to the group task, you are welcome to do so during your individual interview.

You will be allocated a 30-minute interview slot within the time frame of 10:15 to 13:00 UK Time. A few days before the date of your interview, an email will be sent to you confirming the following details:

• the specific time slot for your individual interview
• a link to join your individual interview at the designated time using Microsoft Teams
• instructions for the written task.

You may receive the email confirming the details for your individual interview and the written task a few days after you have received the email containing a link to join the group task and Q&A session, as the two emails will be sent to you separately.

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

• your motivations for becoming a teacher
• your passion and any experience of teaching your chosen pathway, for example, SEND or early years
• your own values and ethics, and how these will inform your teaching
• your understanding of teaching and learning in the classroom
• behaviour management and effective learning environments
• how you will prepare yourself for the course and career
• pathway specific questions if you have chosen the SEND or 3-7 pathways
• safeguarding and child protection - we recommend that you read the summary of the Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance to prepare for this. The full guidance is also available in an alternative format.

There will be an opportunity for you to ask questions at the end of your individual interview and to share anything else you may wish to from the group task.

The title for the written task will be sent to you via email a few days before the date of your interview. 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.

Please note that the instructions for the written task will be included within the same email that confirms the specific time slot for your individual interview and contains the link to join your individual interview at the designated time using Microsoft Teams.

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.

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.

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 contact 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.