Questions To Ask In An Interview

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I hope you are all weel and I am also hoping (maybe cheekily) that all you lovely people will be able to help me and give me some good ideas.

 

I am a reception teacher and I am expecting my first child, due in September. My school had advertised for my maternity cover, which will start in September and the head has shortlisted 5 candidates for the selection process. I have not been involved up to now in any of the process apart from meeting potential candidates when they have looked round the school, although I have expressed a desire to be involved, especially as I will be returning back after a year to my job and working with a job share, potentially with the person appointed and am the only teacher in school who has an Early Years background.

 

I have been asked by the head to observe each candidates 10 minute activity (not sure what they have been asked to do as yet) and to draft 4 or 5 Early years specific questions for them to ask in interview and to bullet point the best points for a good/appropriate answer as I am the only member of staff in school who has a concrete and up-to date understanding of the Early years curriculum and Early Years practice. I would really appreciate any ideas from you lovely people as to the sort of questions you feel should be asked at interview as I have never had to do such a task and am only in my 3rd year of teaching and not sure if my ideas/thoughts are right.

 

Many thanks and hope this makes sense - feeling quite shattered this week!

 

Bxx

[Guest lou73]

Hi

I went for a reception post recently and was asked

 

What would you expect to see in a reception class? I thought this was a good question as it could have numerous answers and gives an insight into a persons ideas about how a early years class should operate i.e. children engaged in freely chosen activities

 

Can you tell us about a teaching activity you have undertaken that you feel proud about, why you feel it went well and what were its outcomes?

 

Hope that helps

Lou x

[Guest lou73]

Ps you could also ask about their views on the proposed changes to the EYFS regarding the Dame Ticknell report.

[Guest]

What particularly interests you about the Early Years?

 

Some scenarios?

[Guest]

If one of the potential people could be your job share partner - do they know this/will they? you may want to ask something along those lines about how they would liase etc with you how would you work together on profiles/observations etc just a thought as i am a job share i have been with my friend for 7 years now we work together very well same ideas about early years we sometimes have our differences about things but that is a good thing. The last thing you need when you are planning to come back is worrying about who you may be working with. A good job share is great i have 2 children now and it works well with them.

 

but yes also the otehr ideas are good ideas about new review on early years, thoughts on observtaions/profiles. ideal early years classroom, how would they set up activities for boys to engage in writing?

[Guest LornaW]

There is a thread that was started in April you may find useful here

 

http://www.foundation-stage.info/forums/in...rview+questions

 

Also it is important to know what your values are and those of your school especially as you are asking for someone to join a team that is already established. You are really looking for a round peg in a ropund hole for your job share.

 

Good Luck and with your baby in September!

 

Lorna

[Guest]

Many thanks for your replies and question ideas - thankfully they were the sorts of questions I was thinking of so I am obviously on the right lines!!

 

Unfortunately I am not being allowed to sit in on the interview so I will not be able to hear their replies or ask them the great questions about the job share role and liaising - I must admit I am apprehensive about that already and hope that whoever I potentially job share with has the same ideals/thoughts as me!

 

I am slowly working my way through the question ideas and trying to write bullet points for answers - it's quite tricky not to make it too much along my feelings!

 

hope you are all having good weekends and thanks for the ideas!

 

Bxx

[Guest]

Hi B,

 

I too will be starting my maternity leave in September and we are also advertising for a fixed term maternity cover. I'm in the same boat as you - the only Early Years Teacher in the school, and I'm really worried about who the Head will select. We are due an internal moderation this year, and I have a feeling that Ofsted will appear, so whoever takes the post has got to be experienced enough to manage the class with very little support from the SLT as none of them are experienced in EYFS.

 

I sat with the Head and went through the job description with her to make sure that it covered everything I do, and I've also been talking to her about what I think needs to be considered when they make the appointment.

 

As well as the ideas mentioned here you could find out other details, such as if your school uses Letters and Sounds are the candidates experienced in delivering the sessions, or what phonics scheme they have used previosuly? How would they be able to support the transition of children from feeder settings, and how do they envisage transition at the end of the year? Make sure the candidates can clearly define adult led and child led activities. How confidently can they talk about assessment in the early years?

 

I'm sure you are having all the same kinds of ideas. Just make sure you talk to the head in advance of the interviews, and I love how Lorna put it - that you are looking for a round peg to fit in a round hole - that sums it up perfectly.

 

Best of luck to you with the new baby. I am due on the 8th September and much as I will be sad not to be there in September, I am so excited now about our baby. Hope everything goes well for you.

 

Jess