Primary Education interview at Winchester

Hi

Can anyone give me any advice on how the Primary Ed Interview process works at Winchester please? I have an interview there in a couple of days time and I'm pretty unsure about what to expect..
I've already had an interview at Roehampton a few weeks ago but this one sounds like it will be comletely different so I'm really nervous!
It's mainly, the book presentation part I'm unsure of... my specialist subject is R.E. and i've found a book that a primary teacher friend recommended to me on the idea of explaining death to young children (I know, a bit morbid!) called Waterbugs and Dragonflies. Basically if anyone can tell me anything about the kind of thing they're expecting and whether or not I should present a lesson plan to them or actually teach the lesson.
Also is it a good idea to have notes and things or not?
Thank you!!

Reply 1

pinkywoo3

Hi!
To help with your question, from what I remember at the open day, they said it will be a group interview with a few questions and then some individual interviews asking about your personal statement and such. They also said to keep up to date on current affairs in the Education politics incase they ask you anything about that! Good luck!

Could you answer me this please :
I have applied for the same course at Winchester Uni, can you tell me how long ago you applied before you got the interview? I haven't recieved an interview yet and I'm really worried I have been unsuccessful - I sent my application at the end of November?
thanks!

Reply 2

Jess78

OP

Thank you!
I think I applied about 14th/15th November ish but I didn't find out until I think it was the 3rd December... quite a few of my friends are still waiting to hear back from them too. Plus, from what I've heard.. my group's the first lot of interviews so I wouldn't worry too much :smile:

Reply 3

pinkywoo3

Oh thanks! That gives me some hope then :biggrin:

Reply 4

ben05

2

The book part has thrown me a bit too. Assuming you have already had this interview, how did it go?

Reply 5

Jess78

OP

Erm I honestly couldn't say how it went really... I think it was alright, I kind of said the same things that others were saying. The writing task was quite difficult but the interview questions were the standard 'why teaching' kind of ones.
If you're still looking to choose a book obviously it depends what your subject specialism is but try and go for some kind of story book if you're going to aim it at younger children.
quite a few people said how they'd incorporate what they're learning from the book in their subject with other subjects. So if you were specialising in history and talked about the Great Fire of London you could have art lessons on painting fires and the different colours in them and science lessons on fire and things like that. Just an example :smile:

Reply 6

ben05

2

Great help thanks! I am doing geography so doing about weather. Did you focus on one age range like 5yrs olds or did you try and get it to appeal to all ranges 5-11? Was the written test just the general teaching question ? So nervous thank you for all your help

Reply 7

Superstar6318

15

Original post by Jess78

Hi

Can anyone give me any advice on how the Primary Ed Interview process works at Winchester please? I have an interview there in a couple of days time and I'm pretty unsure about what to expect..
I've already had an interview at Roehampton a few weeks ago but this one sounds like it will be comletely different so I'm really nervous!
It's mainly, the book presentation part I'm unsure of... my specialist subject is R.E. and i've found a book that a primary teacher friend recommended to me on the idea of explaining death to young children (I know, a bit morbid!) called Waterbugs and Dragonflies. Basically if anyone can tell me anything about the kind of thing they're expecting and whether or not I should present a lesson plan to them or actually teach the lesson.
Also is it a good idea to have notes and things or not?
Thank you!!

How did your Roehampton one go????? I have one soon, fill me in :smile:

!

Reply 8

ben05

2

I went to roehampton in November. It was fairly straight forward and the interviewers (well mine was) extremely nice. The interview was fairly simple with the reasons why you want to be a teacher and so on. The only part I struggled with was the written task but overall it was a fair interview :smile:

Reply 9

Jess78

OP

Original post by Superstar6318

How did your Roehampton one go????? I have one soon, fill me in :smile:

!

I think my Roehampton one went alright actually, the interviewer was really friendly and it was more of a chat than anything else really... First you're shown a couple of presentations about the uni in general and then you do the writing task where you're asked about your subject specialism and you have to mark a passage from Harry Potter where some mistakes have been put in like spelling, punctuation errors etc. as you would a child's piece of work. Then it's the interview and, to be honest, they're just standard questions like 'why do you want to be a teacher?', 'talk about current education issues' etc. we had a bit of a debate on the educational issues... don't know if that's good or not... she asked me what I thought about it and then said that it could be seen a different way and what did I think about that..... Then you're free to go :smile:

Hope this helps!

Reply 10

Superstar6318

15

Original post by Jess78

I think my Roehampton one went alright actually, the interviewer was really friendly and it was more of a chat than anything else really... First you're shown a couple of presentations about the uni in general and then you do the writing task where you're asked about your subject specialism and you have to mark a passage from Harry Potter where some mistakes have been put in like spelling, punctuation errors etc. as you would a child's piece of work. Then it's the interview and, to be honest, they're just standard questions like 'why do you want to be a teacher?', 'talk about current education issues' etc. we had a bit of a debate on the educational issues... don't know if that's good or not... she asked me what I thought about it and then said that it could be seen a different way and what did I think about that..... Then you're free to go :smile:

Hope this helps!

Did she talk about stuff you put in your personal statement?
Did you mention stuff you already have in your personal statement?

Reply 11

Jess78

OP

Original post by Superstar6318

Did she talk about stuff you put in your personal statement?
Did you mention stuff you already have in your personal statement?

She didn't really mention anything about my personal statement to be honest.. and I don't think I said much that I'd already put in there either... I'd look over your personal statement, though, just in case your interviewer does pick up on something that interested them about what you've said :smile:

Reply 12

Jess78

OP

Original post by ben05

Great help thanks! I am doing geography so doing about weather. Did you focus on one age range like 5yrs olds or did you try and get it to appeal to all ranges 5-11? Was the written test just the general teaching question ? So nervous thank you for all your help

I only just saw your post!! I'm really sorry, hope it's not too late for you :smile:

I focused on 1 age group because Ithink it'd be quite hard to get one thing relating across ages 5-11. Can't quite remember what the written test was but it was something about the role a teacher plays in a child's learning :smile:

Reply 13

C-Rose

Have just been reading through this thread and there's soome really useful info here so thanks to everyone.
I have applied to Winchester but not heard anything back yet.. will invites to interviews show up on track? and how long ago did those who already have interviews send in their applications please?

Reply 14

Jess78

OP

Original post by C-Rose

Have just been reading through this thread and there's soome really useful info here so thanks to everyone.
I have applied to Winchester but not heard anything back yet.. will invites to interviews show up on track? and how long ago did those who already have interviews send in their applications please?

Mine didn't, I just got a letter in the post with my invitation and info about the day :smile:

I sent my application early November-ish and I heard back from them about the beginning of December, so you're looking at like a month :smile:

Reply 15

C-Rose

Thanks Jess, that's put my mind at ease a bit!

Reply 16

KLD

Hi C-Rose,

I have just read your comment and am in the same position as you! I haven't heard a thing from Winchester and haven't even received a notification to say they've received my application. I sent my UCAS application off on the 29th November and keep checking track everyday! Do you know anyone else that hasn't heard from them yet? I've even emailed three times but have had no replies from anyone. Starting to get a bit worried! x x

Reply 17

C-Rose

Original post by KLD

Hi C-Rose,

I have just read your comment and am in the same position as you! I haven't heard a thing from Winchester and haven't even received a notification to say they've received my application. I sent my UCAS application off on the 29th November and keep checking track everyday! Do you know anyone else that hasn't heard from them yet? I've even emailed three times but have had no replies from anyone. Starting to get a bit worried! x x

Hey, afraid I don't know anyone else who's in the same position, I'm applying as a mature student so am not in contact with any other potential students.. that's why I'm on here!
Will let you know if I here anything at all.. I really want to go to Winchester, so am holding the hope!
Good luck! :smile:

Reply 18

Sarah2

Hi,

I had an interview at Winchester in December, and only found out about it about 2-3 weeks before, and i sent my UCAS off start of November. But many of my friend also applying for primary school teaching haven't heard back from them yet. Also at my interview at Kingston at the start of January, quite alot of the people i spoke to hadn't heard back from them. I'm still waiting for a reply from my interview, but in a thread i read the other day they said they were interviewing in specialism.

Hope you hear soon !