I did Maths, Further Maths, Politics, and Economics.
For Maths, it was tough—most people only managed about 5 out of the 9 questions. The questions felt like the really hard ones at the end of a higher-level GCSE Maths paper. We were allowed to use a calculator, though, which helped a bit.
Economics was a mix of a logic-based multiple-choice section and two essays—one short and one longer. Both were linked to current events, so keeping up with the news beforehand definitely came in handy.
Politics was more like a comprehension task. You had to read two articles and then write essays based on them. Again, knowing a bit about current affairs made it easier.
The interview had six parts:
1. Group activity: It started with a short problem-solving activity in a group. Honestly, it felt more like an icebreaker to help us relax rather than a proper assessment.
2. Subject-specific interviews:
• For Economics and Maths, the teachers didn’t really ask me questions—they just gave me problems to solve. The main thing they wanted was for me to think out loud. Even if you’re struggling, they just want to see how you approach things.
• In the Maths interview, the teacher actually taught me a bit of an A-level topic and had me apply it. I struggled with it, but they weren’t looking for perfection—they just wanted to see how I learn.
• The Politics interview was more of a chat. The teacher asked about my interests and why I chose the subject. They were really easy to talk to and seemed more interested in getting to know me than testing me.
3. General interview: This was definitely the hardest part for me. I was expecting questions like, “Why do you want to join the school?” or “Why are you leaving your current school?” Instead, they asked really casual, open-ended questions like:
• If you could invite three people (alive or dead) to a dinner party, who would you choose? And what would you serve?
• What does your ideal weekend look like?
• If you could go anywhere in the world for as long as you wanted, with no budget limit, where would you go?
To prepare, I tried looking up past interview questions, but I didn’t find much. My advice would be to make sure you know your reasons for wanting to join the school and just be ready to talk about your interests.
Oh, and keep in mind that everyone’s experience is different—it really depends on the teacher you get.