Teacher interview questions: what will I be asked?

If you’ve got a teaching job interview coming up, you’re bound to feel a bit anxious - because no matter how much time and energy you put into your preparation, you never know exactly what questions you’ll be asked.

But it is possible to do a bit of planning for your answers, as there are certain types of questions, on certain themes, that almost always crop up in teacher job interviews.

If you spend some time thinking about these, and any evidence and examples you could cite to back up your answers, it might make all the difference when you sit down for interview.

Here’s a list of the sorts of questions you’re likely to be asked - based on insights from both teachers who have been interviewed and headteachers who have led interviews.

Teacher interview questions

Suitability

• Why did you apply for this particular role?
• Why did you choose to teach this particular age range?
• What are your core strengths?
• What are your weaknesses? What have you done to address them in the past?
• What can you bring to the role that other candidates may not bring?

The school and staff

• What makes a successful school?
• How much importance do you attach to cooperation with colleagues, such as those who are teaching parallel classes?
• How would you cope with a lack of enthusiasm from colleagues?
• What is your impression of the school?
• How do you feel about parent helpers in the classroom?
• How would you work with a teaching assistant in your classroom?
• What is the most difficult piece of feedback you have ever had to give, and why?
• How would you react if a senior member of staff queried or criticised some aspect of your teaching?

Teaching and learning

• What is your understanding of high-quality teaching and learning?
• Describe a good lesson.
• What do you do when a lesson is going well?
• Describe a lesson that did not go well. What were the reasons for this?
• If I came into your classroom, what would I see?
• Describe the teaching method that you find most effective.
• How would you organise teaching and learning for a mixed-age group?
• Do you differentiate between outcome or task?
• What are the important things to consider when setting up a classroom?

Ensuring progress

• What assessment strategies do you use?
• How do you ensure that all children are involved?
• How do you assess and record children’s progress?
• How would you motivate a reluctant child?
• How would you meet the needs of more academically able children in the class?
• How do you use adaptive teaching in your lessons?
• Have you had experience with a very high-attaining and very low-attaining child in your class?
• Tell us about your experience of assessment for learning.
• If a child doesn’t show signs of improvement after all of your planning, monitoring and assessing, what do you do next?
• What strategies do you use to support children with special educational needs?
• What do you think good progress looks like in a given subject/within a particular year group?

Behaviour management

• What behaviour management policies have you experienced, and what has been effective?
• How would you handle a pupil who is not cooperating?
• How would you handle a pupil who is being disruptive?
• What do you think is the best way to motivate pupils?
• Some people say you should demand respect from children. Do you agree or disagree, and why?
• What do you understand by the term “providing support” for the pupil?
• Bullying is often a serious issue that has to be dealt with in all areas of work with children. In your experience, what is the best way to deal with it?

More on teacher job applications:

• What to expect from a teaching interview
• How to write the perfect teacher CV
• Tips to get your teacher resignation letter right

Safeguarding

• Have you ever felt uncomfortable about a colleague’s behaviour towards children in a previous job? If so, what were your concerns, what did you do and how was the issue resolved?
• Can you give me some examples of how you would contribute to making the school or trust a safer environment for children?
• Tell me about a time when a child or young person behaved in a way that caused you concern. How did you deal with that? Who else did you involve?
• Why do you want to work with children? What do you think you have to offer? Give an example of how children have benefited from contact with you.
• How did your previous school or trust tackle child protection?

Career development

• How will you develop yourself as a professional teacher?
• What is your understanding of effective performance management?
• What are your plans for the future?
• How would you like to see your career develop?
• Are you prepared to go on courses?
• How long do you expect to stay here?
• Would you aim to widen your experience by seeking posts in other schools after a reasonable period here?

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