Interview days for teaching jobs are demanding, and it can feel like you’re being assessed from the moment you walk through the door. You’ll need to show subject knowledge and classroom technique, as well as a passion for working with young people, understanding of the school’s culture and the ability to communicate with warmth and confidence. It’s a tall order.

We spoke to three headteachers to find out exactly what they’re looking for in interviews, and about the pitfalls that can cost candidates the job.

The observed lesson can make or break your day

For many interview panels, the observed lesson is the single most decisive part of the day.

Ben Kilgannon, headteacher of Lift Beacon primary school in Loughborough, Leicestershire, is clear about this, explaining that “an interview can be won or lost at that point”.

“I don’t ask candidates to all prepare the same lesson. I would rather give people some choice of what they prepare,” he says. “Candidates really have to think about what they’re teaching and how they’re teaching to children they don’t know.”

But what panels are watching for, he explains, goes beyond a technically competent lesson. His first priority when observing is not curriculum knowledge but how the children are responding.

“I will look at the rigour of the learning afterwards, but firstly I want to know the children are engaged, understand and are taking part,” Kilgannon says.

Raheel Akhtar, headteacher of Concordia Academy, a primary school in Romford, East London, describes a standout lesson he witnessed in which the candidate taught vocabulary explicitly at the start. The candidate ensured that every child understood the meaning of the words, then “used these four words relentlessly throughout the lesson so that by the end many children were using them in their responses”.

Crucially, he continues, that candidate did not have to deal with a single instance of off-task behaviour, and not because that class happened to be well-behaved.

“The children knew what was expected of them at all times and enjoyed the humour and positivity of the person delivering the lesson,” Akhtar explains.

One of the most revealing moments in any observed lesson is how a candidate handles misconceptions, Kilgannon continues.

“For me, a candidate who stops to explain a misconception or misunderstanding and knows how to pitch a lesson is excellent,” he says.

“I have seen candidates who will not go to the most challenging pupils in the room and interact with them, or might look at the panel observing their lessons for help,” he says. “My advice would be to imagine the panel is not in the room, as the situation would be if you got the job.”

Show that you know the school

Understanding the context of the school that you’re applying to work in is obviously important, and this understanding should be woven into everything you do on the day, advises Jamie Lewis, head of Wellfield Academy secondary school in Liverpool.

“Some candidates have clearly researched who we are and what they can bring to the school,” he says. “If this knowledge has been developed, the best candidates tailor the answers and approaches to the tasks during the day.”

Kilgannon strongly recommends visiting the school before the interview if at all possible, noting that “at least three of our staff at Lift Beacon came to look around before they applied”.

“They talked to me and met the team and then applied, and it has definitely worked to their advantage,” he says.

Communication matters

Akhtar is clear about one thing that can scupper your chances quickly. “If communication skills are not up to scratch, both written and spoken, then it is unlikely that we will proceed with the candidate’s application,” he says.

And in the interview itself, he says, one of the most encouraging signs for panels is when the conversation moves beyond simple question and answer to a place where “a natural dialogue has broken out…which yields knowledge and insight about the candidate”.

Kilgannon watches for a similar quality, and finds the absence of it to be telling. When panels have to keep prompting candidates to expand on their answers, he says, it’s generally a bad sign; a candidate who speaks freely, with depth and without needing to be chased for more, creates a much more positive impression.

Demonstrate passion, not just practical skills

Technical ability and subject knowledge matter, but they are rarely what panels remember, Lewis says.

“The passion and enthusiasm to improve the life chances of the students is key,” he says. “It is a signal about how enthused a candidate is to work with the young people in our school, not just to undertake the role they are being interviewed for.”

Akhtar echoes this, and offers a warning about the risk of negativity, referencing one of the worst interviews he has witnessed. The candidate had been asked about partnership working with parents, he recalls, and then proceeded to complain about the families in the community.

“That was the last question we asked them,” he says. “We all have to deal with difficult parents at times, but holding negative and generalised beliefs about a community should be at odds with the purpose of schools. All school staff should seek to foster optimism and create a positive and supportive environment.”

Be a positive presence

Kilgannon also highlights the importance of staying positive on the day, not least as a way of managing nerves - which he identifies as one of the biggest risks to an otherwise strong candidate.

“Nervousness can ruin a good application, so I would advise candidates to smile and try to build positive relationships,” he says.

Likewise, Akhtar’s final advice is to think about the basics to avoid stress on the day and be able to show your absolute best.

“The little things matter, so be on time, dress appropriately, be prepared. Every little thing adds up to build a picture about you, so think it all through in advance so you make the best possible impression.”