Institute of Education IOE Primary PGCE Interview 2014

Sorry I can't offer much advice specific to IOE, but I have an interview there too (5th Feb) and have had next to no information about it since the invite to interview! Have you heard anything about what we have to bring/prepare or even where it is exactly?

Hi there,
i have my interview coming up for primary pace at IOE. Could you please give me some advice on English and Maths test.
Thankyou

Hi Naz,

it's not too bad - I am terrible (I mean, 'failed my Maths GCSE first time round' terrible, yet I passed this test)!

The tests aren't like the Skills tests (if you've sat them). I would describe the English as more of a creative writing task (that said, I don't know if they change it for each interview intake, but I doubt it). The Maths test looked at things like number sequences, probability, etc (though I did find that revising for the skills tests did help in preparing for the maths, i.e. re-familiarising myself with mathematical terms, mental maths, and so on). The paper is short and there is plenty of time to get it done!

All the best with the interview...it's quite a good day and they let you know pretty quickly (they told me I got in within a week)!

Best,

Alex

Hi Alex,

Thanks for responding. I have been going insane with my interview, I just wished someone who attended the london diocesan board for schools interview could shed a light or two.

I have to teach a class and do a maths audit? I don't know what they mean by a maths audit....

Alex, have you done your PST? If you have can you pleeeeeease help in anyway? Thank you

Ah, don't go insane! These types of interviews really aren't too taxing (in hindsight, haha)! I prepared by going through possible questions that would come up (thinking about barriers to learning, reflecting on my own experience, etc) as well as getting to grips with current educational issues (I've been subscribing to TES for a few months which helped immensely).

An audit is to test your subject knowledge. The audits, so I've been informed, will be frequent throughout the training year in English, Maths and Science. It shows what you need to work on (for example, if I was audited now, I suspect it would show that need to improve my understanding of fractions)!

PST - profession skills tests? Then yes I have! They are just like the practice ones online! I would highly recommend doing them a few times, as well as watching this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM6zkJ-_RRU

Hope this helps and good luck!

A.

can anyone give me an insight into the maths test please and also the English task?
I have my primary pgce interview next week😳
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance 👍🏻

Hi,
So I had an IOE UCL interview a couple weeks ago, here is some advice and help for anyone in need of it.

Good luck!!!

So, firstly they collect your id, (usually passport) then you sit down for a 20 min lecture on the course. It was very interesting, and to be honest I was shocked and taken back by certain things the course consists of, and left me questioning when comparing it to other university PGCE courses .
Then depending on your schedule you either have the tests first then presentation/ group discussions or the other way.
For the MATHS test
It starts with three true or false questions, with needed explanation.
So I remember, one was 'Tom flipped a coin six times each time landing on tails, if tom flips the coin again it will land on tails, true or false give an explanation
Then there was a ratio question, make sure you know how to covert a fraction to a decimal, oh and make sure you know how to find the nth term.

The English test was about this school planet picnic (in which your given information about), my advice is to add your own creativity to it. They ask you to write a message on the school website informing parents.

Then comes the individual presentations in which you do in front of your small group of six or five and two lectures/professors.
Advice, whatever you talk about make sure it has an Introduction/Background/Experience of the Event/ Analysis Evaluation and a conclusion, oh make sure its coherent.

SO for those who are suck on ideas, one person I remember spoke about an effective learning experience is when he went on a day trip to see the word war II trenches and cemetery and how it brought it all alive of what they had been study in school.

Then in the group discussion I highly recommend before you begin whatever task they give you is to talk to each other, and agree a format of how the discussion will proceed.
So everyone should introduce themselves again, and then agree on an order of speaking to ensure everyone is given a chance to speak. Unfortunately my group possessed some very loud personalities and so the discussion became a shouting battle. Ultimately that wasn't in my nature so I didn't speak one word because every one was shouting over each other.

After comes the one on one interview, in which they begin by asking questions of how your presentation went, whose you liked most and why? What you would do different?
One important advice do not feel like you can't express your self, if you think the group discussion was bad don't lie, say it was bad but you have to explain. They want to see how you would act in a teacher role position when having to give feedback. So if you think it was bad, explain and suggest improvements for the group discussion , always in feedback talk about the strengths and improvements needed. DO not feel you have to give the answer they want ,because most definitely if you think the group discussion was bad so do they.

Then followed with the typical Primary PGCE interview questions, what do you bring, what are the challenges children face today, what skills can your degree bring and what educational issue are you passionate about etc...

Just helping my fellow brother and sister in humanity out. GOOD LUCK to ALL!!!!!