Teacher / Educator Interview Questions

1.1Teaching standards - the Teachers Standards and the professional expectations for qualified teachers

1.2The teacher as a professional - continuous development, research-informed practice, and professional identity

1.3Learning theories - how children and young people learn and how these theories should inform teaching

1.4Inclusive education - the principles of inclusive practice and ensuring all learners can access the curriculum

2.1Lesson planning - objectives, activities, assessment, and the structure of an effective lesson

2.2Medium and long-term planning - unit plans, schemes of work, and mapping coverage of the curriculum

2.3Differentiation - designing lessons that meet the needs of all learners in a mixed-ability class

2.4Cross-curricular connections - making links between subjects and building a coherent learning experience

3.1Instructional strategies - direct instruction, guided discovery, collaborative learning, and when to use each

3.2Questioning techniques - the types of questions, wait time, cold calling, and high-quality classroom dialogue

3.3Explanation and modelling - how to explain new concepts clearly and model the thinking process

3.4Feedback in the classroom - effective verbal and written feedback that moves learning forward

4.1Positive behaviour management - building relationships, establishing routines, and preventing poor behaviour

4.2Behaviour policies - applying school policies consistently and fairly

4.3Managing challenging behaviour - de-escalation, restorative approaches, and when to escalate

4.4Creating a safe learning environment - psychological safety, classroom culture, and the conditions for learning

5.1Formative assessment - how teachers use day-to-day assessment to inform their teaching

5.2Summative assessment - tests, exams, and formal assessment and how teachers use the results

5.3Data-driven teaching - using pupil assessment data to identify needs and adapt provision

5.4Marking and feedback policy - effective marking practice that is sustainable and improves learning

6.1SEND framework - the SEND Code of Practice, EHCPs, and the teacher responsibilities

6.2Supporting learners with specific learning difficulties - dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and classroom strategies

6.3Working with teaching assistants - how to deploy TA support effectively to benefit learning

6.4Gifted and talented provision - challenging the most able learners within the mainstream classroom

7.1Parent and carer communication - parents evenings, written reports, and managing difficult conversations

7.2Working with colleagues - professional relationships, collaborative planning, and whole-school culture

7.3Safeguarding - the teacher legal duties, recognising abuse, and making referrals appropriately

7.4Professional boundaries - the code of conduct for teachers and why boundaries matter

8.1Subject expertise - the importance of deep subject knowledge for effective teaching

8.2Keeping subject knowledge current - CPD, research, and maintaining expertise in a changing curriculum

8.3Subject-specific pedagogy - the pedagogical approaches that work best in the specific subject

8.4National curriculum requirements - mapping teaching to the national curriculum and statutory requirements

9.1CPD culture - the teacher responsibility for ongoing professional development

9.2Research-informed practice - using educational research to improve teaching

9.3Career pathways in teaching - middle leadership, headship, advisory roles, and alternative routes

9.4Lesson observation and feedback - how teachers use observation to develop their practice

10.1Teaching demonstration - how to plan and deliver a lesson observation as part of the interview process

10.2Technical questions - safeguarding, SEND, assessment, behaviour management, and curriculum knowledge

10.3Values and philosophy questions - your teaching philosophy, why you chose the subject, and what great teaching looks like

10.4Salary negotiation in teaching, MPS and UPS pay scales, and questions to ask the headteacher about the school and role