How to approach a teaching job interview
Congratulations, you’ve been invited to an interview for a teaching job! What’s next? We’ve spoken to experienced teachers to get their top tips for success, including how to prepare answers to interview questions and what to expect during the teacher interview process.
If you want to return to teaching in a primary or secondary school in England after a break, you could be eligible for a return to teaching adviser.
If you’re interested in teaching in further education, you can get support from an FE adviser.
1. Confirm your attendance
Make sure you accept the interview by email and reiterate your enthusiasm for the role. Make a note of any key staff names, who to ask for on your arrival, and what resources to bring with you.
2. Prepare any documentation
The school or college may require you to bring evidence of your:
- identity, such as your passport or driving licence
- residency or working rights
- exam qualifications, such as exam certificates or transcripts
- any teaching qualifications that are relevant to the role
These will be used for standard safeguarding checks.
You may also choose to bring a small professional portfolio, such as lesson plans or anonymised examples of learners’ work. This is optional, but it can help to refer to clear examples during your interview.
3. Think about your journey and appearance
Plan how you will get to the interview in advance. Do you know the best train to catch, or where the car park is? Think about your appearance too; be comfortable but consider professional clothing to create a positive first impression.
4. Prepare answers to common interview questions
Interview styles vary across schools and colleges — some may be formal while others may be more conversational. Study the school or college’s website to get a sense of what the setting is like.
Prepare answers to likely questions and try to do a mock interview with a friend or colleague. Saying your answers out loud is really different to practising in your head.
You may be asked questions like:
- why do you want to work in our school or college?
- what are your strongest qualities and why?
- in your professional life, what areas do you think you need to improve on?
- how do you adapt your teaching to ensure all learners make progress?
- what would you do if a learner told you something that concerned you?
- tell us about a recent lesson or session and why it went well
You may be assessed against the expectations of the role, so prepare clear, strong examples showing how your skills, experience and teaching practice meet them.
It can also be useful to think about examples related to behaviour management, special educational needs (SEN) support, and working with colleagues, parents or carers.
Take your time answering a question and ask for clarification if needed.
Prepare structured examples
If you want to strengthen how you share your experience before your interview, use our 5 step guide to writing a great teaching job application.
Many interview questions ask you to describe how you have handled real life situations. Using a clear structure can help you give strong, focused answers.
A useful approach is the STAR method:
- situation — briefly set the context
- task — explain what you needed to do
- action — describe what you did and why
- result — explain the outcome and what you learned
5. Prepare for a teaching interview lesson or micro-teach
You may be asked to teach a lesson or deliver a micro-teach as part of your interview.
Read advice from experienced school leaders on how best to prepare for a teaching interview lesson.
These activities are not about being perfect. Schools and colleges are often looking at how you:
- engage pupils
- manage time and behaviour
- adapt your teaching
- check understanding
- plan your lessons or sessions
Showing flexibility and reflection can help you ace a teaching interview.
6. Know about statutory guidance on safeguarding
If you have not had any experience of dealing with a safeguarding issue yourself, you must still be able to talk about what you would do. Think of some possible scenarios and explain how you would address them.
Statutory guidance for schools and colleges on safeguarding children and safer recruitment on GOV.UK.
7. Ask the panel questions
This shows your interest and gives you the opportunity to inform your decision about the role. You could ask:
- what do you like about working here?
- what are their priorities for improvement and what are the biggest challenges?
- what support is there for teachers?
You may also want to ask about professional development, support in the first term, or how the school or college supports staff wellbeing.
8. After your interview
If you are not offered the role:
- read through any feedback you receive from the hiring manager — this can help you succeed in your next interview
- ask the hiring manager for feedback if they do not offer to provide it
- remember that securing an interview shows you are a strong candidate — you are likely to be shortlisted again
If you are offered the role:
- take time to consider if the role is the right fit for you before accepting it — verbally accepting an offer is legally binding, so changing your mind later may breach contract terms
- confirm your decision in writing if you decide to accept
- expect to receive a written contract within 2 months of starting your new role — this should be signed by both parties as a formality
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