It’s all about interviews
😊 Welcome
It’s that point in the cycle when students start to receive interview invites, and teachers suddenly find themselves being asked to “just do a quick mock interview” for an Oxbridge, Medicine, Nursing or competitive-course applicant… sometimes with only 20 minutes’ notice.
So this week is all about university interviews; helping your students prepare, and helping you (and your colleagues) deliver confidence-building mock interviews, even if you’re not a subject specialist.
🤝 How to conduct a mock university interview (even if you’re not a subject specialist)
I’ve written a new article this week aimed directly at teachers, advisers and colleagues who step in to run mock interviews.
We look at how to structure a simple but effective 20–25 minute conversation, how to stretch a student just beyond their comfort zone without knocking their confidence, and crucially, why having specialist subject knowledge is not necessary.
You’ll also find a full set of interview questions, follow-ups and explanations, ready to use straight away.
This is a really useful one to share around the staff room - especially if you’re coordinating mock interviews across a wider team.
🧑🏻💻 Interview preparation for your students
If you have students preparing for interviews, whether that’s for professional health courses, teacher training, Oxford or Cambridge, or any highly competitive degree, you can also direct them to my university interviews hub:
There’s a ten-minute video, How to nail your university interview, which gives students a clear sense of what interviewers are looking for, and how to give structured, thoughtful answers.
There’s also a downloadable PDF guide, How to prepare for your university interview. This goes into a bit more depth, including why universities interview, the kinds of questions students might face, how to practise effectively, and what final preparations make the biggest difference. It’s ideal to share with students and families.
📝 In summary
I hope these resources give you everything you need to support students facing interviews over the next few weeks: a practical guide for running mock interviews (perfect for colleagues who don’t feel like specialists), a clear video to share with students, and a detailed PDF they can use to prepare in their own time.
Feel free to pass these on to your wider team - and to any students who will benefit.
Until next time!
Jonathan
