Interview Questions
Potential Interview Questions for Managerial/Leader and Deputy Posts
Before starting the interview ensure that you:

Have looked for any gaps in education or employment, or things that don’t
seem to add up – these can be checked during the interview

Introduce your candidate to the panel

Explain the structure of the interview to the candidate at the beginning and
remember to tell a candidate if you will be making notes, as there will be little
eye contact which can be off-putting
The following are some ideas for questions. It is likely you will need to make up
some of your own to allow you to fully investigate a candidate’s suitability and
experience. You do not need to ask all of these questions, just those that meet the
requirements for the post you are recruiting to.
Any questions you ask should encourage the candidate to talk about how their skills
and experience apply to the vacancy you are recruiting for.
Manager/Leader/Deputy
Can you tell us about your recent experience of working with children?
What are your particular strengths in relation to working with children?
What skills and experience do you have that you can bring to this post?
In your opinion what makes a good manager/leader/deputy?
Can you tell us about your experience of managing a setting ie day to day running
and supervision of staff?
How would you encourage teamwork with your staff and what qualities are required?
How would you describe good teamwork and how would you see the manager’s role
in ensuring that?
Early Years Setting: What can you tell me about the Early Years Foundation
Stage?
Early Years Setting: How would you plan for the Early Years Foundation Stage?
Playwork Setting: What could you tell me about playwork principles?
Playwork Setting: How would you ensure children are able access all the defined
play types?
What experience have you had dealing with Ofsted?
What experience and knowledge do you have of Child Protection/Safeguarding
procedures?
What would you do if a member of staff reported concerns relating to a child
protection/safeguarding issue?
Tell us about what you have done in the last 12 months to actually improve child
protection/safeguarding in the workplace. How did this action arise?
What is the safeguarding policy in your workplace?
How would you ensure that you and your staff worked in partnership with
parents/carers?
We talk about the importance of ‘good communications’. What does that mean to
you in relation to parents, colleagues and children?
How would you deal with a parent’s complaint about a member of staff or another
child at the setting?
Explain what you think equal opportunities and diversity means, how would you
ensure your staff work in an anti-discriminatory way?
How would you ensure the Health and Safety Standards are maintained in your
setting?
As manager you are responsible for the Health and Safety of both the children in
your care and the staff at the setting. How will you ensure that the Health and
Safety for both children and staff is maintained?
How will you promote staff development in the setting?
How do you keep up to date with the latest regulations and developments within
early years, childcare and playwork?
Can you give me an example of when you have dealt with a disciplinary/grievance
issue – relating to the staff at your setting?
Interview Scenario for deputy: Two members of staff have come to you with a
complaint; they feel the manager is giving preferential treatment to another staff
member over the hours she works. They also feel that they have been given more
of the mundane tasks to do, how would you deal with this?
Interview Scenarios for manager/leader: You consistently have recruitment and
retention of staff issues, what strategies would you put in place to rectify this?
Two members of staff have a heated disagreement in the nursery. One staff
member is shouting and the other distressed. How would you deal with this
situation?
Is there any training or support you would want?
Do you have any questions?
Interview Questions
Potential Interview Questions for Early Years, Childcare and Playworkers
Before starting the interview ensure that you:

Have looked for any gaps in education or employment, or things that don’t
seem to add up – these can be checked during the interview

Introduce your candidate to the panel

Explain the structure of the interview to the candidate at the beginning and
remember to tell a candidate if you will be making notes, as there will be little
eye contact which can be off-putting
The following are some ideas for questions. It is likely you will need to make up
some of your own to allow you to fully investigate a candidate’s suitability and
experience. You do not need to ask all of these questions, just those that meet the
requirements for the post you are recruiting to.
Any questions you ask should encourage the candidate to talk about how their skills
and experience apply to the vacancy you are recruiting for.
Early Years and Childcare roles
Can you tell us about your background and experience in childcare?
What are your particular strengths in relation to working with children?
What particular aspects of the work do you really enjoy/dislike?
In your opinion what skills and abilities make a good early years and childcare
worker?
How would you ensure that you meet all the individual needs of the children in your
care?
What can you tell us about the Early Years Foundation Stage?
What activities would you do with babies, toddlers, pre-school children?
Explain your understanding of the term equal opportunities and diversity?
Do you have experience of working with children with additional needs? What must
you consider?
What action would you take if a child protection issue arose?
What does the term confidentiality mean to you?
How would you ensure that you work in partnership with parents/carers?
How would you involve a parent in a child’s development?
If a fellow member of staff in your opinion was not fulfilling their duties and was
causing an issue with the work load at the setting – what would you do?
How would you ensure that you keep up to date with early years developments?
What qualities are important for good teamwork? What are your strengths within a
team?
How would you ensure that Health and Safety Standards are maintained in the
setting?
What do you feel you could bring to the role in special interests and skills?
What further training have you undertaken to help you in your present role?
What additional training may you require for this post?
Do you have any questions you would like to ask us/or further information about the
role?
Playwork roles
Can you tell us about your background and experience in childcare?
What are your particular strengths in relation to working with children?
What particular aspects of the work do you really enjoy/dislike?
What is your understanding of playwork?
In your opinion what skills and abilities make a good early years and childcare
worker?
You will be working with a group of children in a wide age range – how would you
meet the needs of different ages?
What considerations would you make when planning activities?
How would you manage behaviour you deemed as unacceptable?
Explain your understanding of the term equal opportunities and diversity?
Do you have experience of working with children with additional needs? What must
you consider?
What action would you take if a child protection issue arose?
What would you do if a child were not collected from your setting?
How would you ensure that you work in partnership with parents/carers?
What does the term confidentiality mean to you?
What qualities are important for good teamwork? What are your strengths within a
team?
How would you ensure that Health and Safety Standards are maintained in the
setting?
What do you feel you could bring to the role in special interests and skills?
What further training have you undertaken to help you in your present role?
What additional training may you require for this post?
Do you have any questions you would like to ask us/or further information about the
role?