Interview Programme
Postgraduate Certificate in Education with QTS (PGCE)
Lancaster, Carlisle and London
PGCE Primary (3-7) with QTS
PGCE Primary (5-11) with QTS
Arriving for your Interview
Please refer to your emailed interview invitation which will detail the date, campus, location,
arrival time and estimated finish times, and report to the room detailed in your invitation. Please
be aware that there may be a number of programmes interviewing on the day. If you arrive
earlier than the stated time there are a number of catering outlets on campus serving drinks and
hot and cold snacks should you need somewhere to wait before attending your interview.
Additional Information
Use the links on our interview pages to find additional information to support your visit to the
University.
Programme Aim and Person Specification
The programme aims to provide all students with the opportunity to engage effectively with a:
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Range of learning approaches including independent and collaborative learning and elearning;
range of contexts including a strong focus on school based learning;
variety of innovative and challenging learning experiences.
In order to continue to develop as:
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effective classroom practitioners with developing personal philosophies
independent learners;
open minded and reflective practitioners;
enthusiastic and committed professionals;
respectful members of learning communities;
creative and adaptable problem solvers.
Who are able to:
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critically review, consolidate and extend their knowledge and understanding;
reflect critically and analytically on their experiences;
transfer and apply knowledge and skills flexibly to a range of contexts and changing
agendas and curriculum;
solve complex problems both individually and collaboratively;
exercise judgement and accept responsibility for achieving outcomes;
communicate ideas and arguments clearly and in a variety of forms;
value diversity and recognise the importance of an inclusive approach.
demonstrate empathic values and attitudes
contribute to (and, where appropriate, manage) a variety of groups and disciplines within
a diverse, multi-disciplinary environment;
promote and value effective professional relationships between all the groups of young
children and adults in an educational setting.
achieve mastery of a comprehensive range of complex and specialised skills for planning
teaching, observing, assessing, recording and class/setting management;
analyse complex concepts and professional situations in order to understand how, why and
when learning best occurs and act on this in the classroom/setting.
To enable children to become:
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successful learners
confident individuals
responsible citizens
During your interview we will be looking for evidence that you meet the following criteria:
Professional Attributes
The candidate demonstrates appropriate professional attributes by demonstrating they establish,
build and maintain effective professional relationships in both group and one-to-one situations
through appropriate interpersonal skills and attributes, adapting verbal and non-verbal language
where required. The candidate responds to colleagues respectfully, courteously and
constructively, and appears sensitive to the diverse needs of children and adults. They effectively
promote collaborative approaches to secure a shared outcome.
Professional Skills and Knowledge
The candidate demonstrates, commensurate with their prior experience, appropriate professional
knowledge and skills by demonstrating they can critically reflect upon and discuss the
multifaceted professional knowledge and skills that a teacher must possess. The candidate will
also demonstrate understanding of the role of the teacher and be able to discuss with a sense of
reality, effective learning and teaching. They can critically discuss a relevant and recent
educational issue and consider the implications for children, staff, parents and carers, and other
stakeholders in education.
National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) Literacy and Numeracy Skills
Tests
Your tutor at interview will ask you if you have completed and passed or arranged to take your
NCTL skills tests. The Department for Education advises applicants to take these tests as soon as
possible after submitting an application, you are not required to take these prior to your
interview. If successful at interview, you will be required to pass these tests in both Literacy and
Numeracy by 31 July 2016 as a condition of your offer.
If you have not already passed them, please familiarise yourself with the skills tests, information
that can be found on the University of Cumbria website at;
www.cumbria.ac.uk/skillstests
Prior to your interview, please complete at least one of the practice tests for both
Literacy and Numeracy and bring them with you, please identify any weaknesses in
subject knowledge and be prepared to talk about how you are going to address them in
the day.
Links to the NCTL practice skills tests can be found on the University of Cumbria website at;
www.cumbria.ac.uk/skillstests
If you have already passed the skills tests you are not required to complete these
practice tests.
Interview Assessment
The interview process comprises three components:
1. literacy task
2. mini teach
3. individual interview
The outcome of the interview will be informed by the quality of your engagement with all three
components.
1. Literacy Task
Before the interview read and reflect on the arguments presented in the following publication by
Jenny Moon of the University of Exeter:
Moon J., (2001) PDP Working Paper 4: Reflection in Higher Education Learning . York: The Higher
Education Academy [online] Available at
http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/Public/ER/Documents/Admissions/InterviewDocs/Moon2001ReflectiveP
racticeInterview-1.pdf
The publication can downloaded from the University of Cumbria website or it can be accessed
from the web link above.
On the interview day you will have a 20 minute literacy task to write a response to the
following question:
Based on your own experiences, how much do you agree with Moon’s discussion paper
about the role reflection plays in learning?
Tutors involved in selection will be looking for evidence of your ability to do the following:
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Understand the arguments put forward in the reading
Express your own view of education, relating it to the ideas in the reading
Express your ideas clearly with appropriate grammar, spelling and punctuation
You will be expected to refer to the reading in your answer. The purpose of the piece is to enable
you to demonstrate National College for Teaching and Leadership requirements for prospective
teachers which include your ability to read with understanding and to demonstrate the quality of
your communication in written English. We also use this task to assess your writing and to
identify if there is the need for further literacy support.
When we assess your writing we will be looking for:
1. A critically evaluative approach more than a descriptive approach
2. Evidence of having reflected on your understanding of the role of reflective learning in
Higher Education
3. Reference to the text within your writing
4. Clear, coherent academic writing style with no or only minor errors (if you have learning
needs please declare them to Education Admissions prior to the interview day. They will
provide a laptop and you will be entitled to an additional 10 minutes writing time)
5. Using appropriate references for the reading for example: ‘My understanding of reflective
learning differs from Moon’s (2001) because...’ you will be expected to apply this approach
to referencing in your writing. We are not looking for lengthy quotes from the reading but
we will be interested to see how your reading has informed your reflections.
6. You may use an annotated copy of the article to refer to in completing this task. Please
bring this with you to the Interview day.
You will not be allowed to a dictionary when you complete the literacy task on the interview day.
We do not anticipate you writing more than 500 words.
2. Mini Teach
As part of the interview process you will be required to conduct an eight minute mini-teach
followed by a two minute questions session. You should select one of the learning objectives from
the list below and use it to plan your mini-teach session. You will be teaching approximately four
other candidates. Be prepared to answer questions from the list below.
Briefing:
You should imagine that you are teaching one small group of the same ability. You must make
sure that you do some teaching – do not simply introduce an activity. You can give a short
introduction before starting your mini teach to explain any assumptions that you have made e.g.
I assume that the children can count to five in English and have already done some speaking in
French. You should plan to include both open and closed questions that might be used for
assessment purposes. Your session should be interactive i.e. it should not simply be you doing
direct teaching; the group must be involved as well. You will not have access to ICT resources.
Learning objectives:
To be able to count to five in French / Spanish / other MFL (Yr 3)
To be able to add any two single digit numbers (Yr 1)
To identify the difference between simile and metaphor and to understand the impact of
figurative language (Yr 5)
To be able to identify everyday forces (Yr 3)
To know the difference between common homophones (words that sound the same but
are spelt differently) (Yr 2)
To be able to recognise the main features of non-fiction, information texts (Yr 6)
To be able to identify and continue simple number sequences (Yr 3)
To show awareness of rhyme. (EYFS PGCE 3-7 pathway only)
To be able to order numbers 0-20 (Yr 1)
Questions to be prepared for:
How would you differentiate for more able or less able children?
How would you assess the learning of children in this lesson?
How might you make use of a teaching assistant in this lesson?
What opportunities are there for ICT to support this lesson?
What would you teach for the next lesson?
3. Individual interview
You need to complete and bring a copy of the ‘School Experience Summary’ available on the
Interview webpage to the interview and give it to your individual interviewer. You will each have a
20 minute interview with a different interviewing tutor to the one who observed your mini-teach.
Your interviewer may interrupt your answers to ensure there is time for all the interview
questions. Be prepared to provide succinct, relevant and informed answers to questions on topics
related to:
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The professional role of a teacher
What constitutes effective teaching and learning
Assessment, feedback and target setting
The ethos of your classroom
Providing an inclusive learning environment
How you cope with demanding situations
When we assess your interview we will be looking for potential to achieve QTS at a good or very
good/outstanding level.
After your individual interview you may wish to visit the campus or you are free to leave.
Education Admissions will inform you by email of the outcome of your interview within five
working days.