VIEWS & OPINION When it comes to job interviews,


preparation is crucial! Comment by CLARE OTHMAN, Operations Director, Supply Desk


Many teachers suffer from an incredible lack of confidence when it comes to job interviews. Even the most capable of teachers, those able to confidently manage a classroom of children, parents, and school leaders, can crumble under the pressure. This is largely due to inexperience and, happily, it can be overcome! All you need is adequate preparation and rehearsal. Most teaching job interviews follow a fairly similar format, with variations on standard questions being asked. If you prepare quality responses to some of the more commonly asked questions, you will come across poised, prepared and confident.


What do schools want to know? • Why do you want to teach? • What are your future plans?


• Your subject knowledge, qualifications and training


• Your experience in and out of teaching, and your capacity to learn


• Are you a good fit for the school? Prepare to discuss how your experience, skills and qualities fit the needs of the school and prepare questions ahead of time to ensure the school is a right fit for you.


What should you focus on in preparing for your interview?


Your experience here is key – make sure you understand and can articulate how your current and past jobs have prepared you for the role you are applying for. This should include: • Your teaching experience – subjects, key stages • Pastoral experience


• Extra-curricular clubs, trips, etc.


• Your classroom management experience, with a range of examples for low level and escalating behaviour incidents (be prepared to give responses for a range of scenarios) • ICT knowledge and how you use it in learning activities


• Marking, feedback and reporting on progress Typical interview questions


Once you’re in the interview, it’s always best to have prepared answers to some of the more commonly asked interview questions. While not an exhaustive list, the following includes a selection of real life questions candidates have faced in the recent past:


• Tell me about a favourite lesson that you have taught. What was it that made it special? • Tell me about a lesson that went wrong, and


what you would change to ensure success next time?


• How do you monitor student progress to ensure every child in the class maximises their potential?


• What strategies do you use to meet the different learning styles of your students? • How do you differentiate your lessons and approach to ensure you effectively meet the different needs and abilities within the class • How do you promote high standards of discipline in your classroom and encourage positive behaviour?


• What methods would you use to build effective relationships with parents?


• What are your strengths as a teacher? How do you plan to further develop these? • In which areas do you feel you need further development?


• How will you be an asset to this school? • What are your long term career goals?


With careful preparation and a positive mindset, your interview is bound to go really well. Good luck!


Providing global opportunities for students


without the need for expensive trips abroad Comment by KAREN RAVEN, Headmistress, Chislehurst School for Girls


Britain’s future role on the world stage is a topic currently under much discussion with politicians, as well as heads of industry and finance, considering the effects that leaving the EU will have on UK business. The way in which we continue to prepare students to become ‘global citizens’ is also much discussed. With that thought uppermost, I would like to show how all students at Chislehurst are encouraged to form a global perspective – and not just those who can afford expensive school trips. According to a poll commissioned by the British Council in December last year, one in five UK adults plan to learn a language in 2018. The results of the survey showed that 58% of respondents agreed it was more important than ever for people in the UK to learn a foreign language. The value of language learning has been stressed by the UK government, with the now former education secretary Justine Greening announcing a new student loan reimbursement scheme for new modern foreign language teachers, targeted in areas of the country with a shortage of teachers.


Whilst this scheme goes some way to resolving the problems our schools have in providing opportunities for young people, it is not enough to level out the playing field between advantaged and disadvantaged children when it comes to global experience. In their report Language Trends 2015/16: The state of language learning in primary and secondary schools in England the British Council reported that in 2016 20% of schools in the state sector made language learning compulsory for all


20 www.education-today.co.uk


pupils in Key Stage 4. By contrast, 74% of independent schools made the study of languages compulsory for students. In addition to this is the overwhelming range of activities such as family holidays, school trips and international connections more likely to be accessible to children from wealthier families.


At Chislehurst we are committed to ensuring that all our students are granted equal opportunity to learn from and experience other cultures. Events such as our International Enhancement Days allow all students to experience different cultures. As an alternative to expensive trips abroad we also host a number of schools, including a recent visit from students living in the Jiangsu Province in China. With Mandarin Chinese predicted to become one of the most popular foreign languages in 2018 our links with the world’s largest trading nation are extremely important to our global programme. The rise of social media also makes school visits a key opportunity, as it allows our girls to form friendships and forge their own global connections with students from locations such as China and Japan, as well as Europe.


We also give our teachers the opportunity to learn from other cultures. Last year a group of our staff visited Uganda in order to learn from educators in an entirely fresh environment. By embedding this global perspective in every aspect of teaching we can encourage our students to really think internationally, helping them to become well-rounded individuals as well as global citizens.


February 2018


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