Hello, Tappsters!
Last month, we asked about your experiences with applying for teaching jobs — and you can read more about what we found here.
A huge 80% of you have been involved in the teacher recruitment process over the past two years!
- 62% have been job hunting
- 35% submitted applications
- 35% went to interviews
- 36% sat on the other side of the desk, interviewing candidates at their own schools
Clearly, you’re the experts when it comes to teacher interviews — which is exactly why we asked for your best interview questions.
Whether you’re prepping for your own next step, or drawing up questions to ask future colleagues, this list is essential reading for anyone involved in recruitment.
🧭 1. Motivation & Fit
These questions are all about your ‘why’
- Why do you want to work at this school?
- Why have you applied for this role at this time in your career?
- What do you know about our school and what makes it a good fit for you?
- What values are most important to you in a school community?
🏫 2. Teaching & Learning
Answers to these questions need to let your interviewer know about your approach to classroom teaching
- What does a great lesson look like to you?
- Tell us about a lesson that didn’t go well. What did you learn?
- Describe a lesson you’re really proud of and why it worked well.
- What is your approach to planning for progression across a sequence of lessons?
🧒 3. Behaviour & Relationships
When you answer questions like this, you’re sharing how you manage your classroom and connect with your pupils.
- How do you build positive relationships with students?
- What does good behaviour look like in your classroom, and how do you achieve it?
- Describe a time you had to manage a challenging behaviour situation — what did you do?
🛡️ 4. Safeguarding & Inclusion
Possibly the most important questions in the interview! Make sure you are ready to answer them.
- How would you respond if a child made a safeguarding disclosure to you?
- What does inclusion look like in your classroom?
- How do you support pupils with SEND or EAL needs?
👥 5. Teamwork & Culture
These questions are all about finding out if you will fit in at the new school
- What makes an effective team, and how do you contribute to one?
- How do you support a positive staff culture?
- What role does feedback play in your development, and how do you respond to it?
🔄 6. Reflection & Development
No one is the finished article – these questions get to your own attitudes towards your capacity to develop
- How do you reflect on your teaching to make improvements?
- What is one area of your practice you have improved recently? How did you do it?
- How do you stay professionally up to date and inspired?
