Calm your nerves: Your guide to a confident Initial Teacher Training Interview

Applying for teacher training is a huge, exciting step, and it’s completely natural to feel a few nerves leading up to your interview. At KMT, we want you to see this interview as an opportunity to have a focused, engaging conversation about your passion for teaching, not a high-stakes interrogation.

Our goal is to get to know the authentic you and understand why you’re ready to start this rewarding journey. Knowing what to expect is the best way to quiet that interview anxiety. Here’s a breakdown of the key areas we’ll explore and how you can feel prepared.

What we’ll talk about: Your core foundations

The interview covers the foundational elements of becoming a successful teacher. You don’t need to be an expert yet—that’s what the training is for! We just want to see your potential.

We will definitely ask about:

• Your Motivations: Why teaching? Why now? We want to hear the story behind your decision to pursue this career and why you’ve chosen our specific training route. Think about the moments or people that inspired you.
• The teaching profession: Show us you’ve thought deeply about the role. What are the challenges and rewards of being a teacher? How do you see yourself contributing to a school community?
• Subject Knowledge & Curriculum: We will explore your current level of subject knowledge relevant to the phase you are applying for (e.g., Primary, Secondary Science, etc.). We’ll also ask about your understanding of the curriculum you will be teaching. This isn’t a deep exam; it’s a check that you have a solid foundation to build on.

Assessing your potential: Scenarios and professionalism

A major part of our interview is assessing how you might handle real-life situations. We use scenarios to understand your instinctive professional judgment. Be ready to tell us how you would respond to situations that assess:

• Professional behaviours: How would you manage a disagreement with a colleague? How do you plan to handle the demands of workload and time management? We’re looking for evidence that you understand the importance of integrity, collaboration, and resilience.
• Knowledge of safeguarding: Every teacher’s most critical responsibility is the safety and well-being of the students. We will assess your basic awareness and understanding of safeguarding principles. You should know what your duty is and who you would report concerns to.

Feeling anxious? Get in touch – we’re here to help!

If you are feeling particularly worried or anxious before your interview, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us by replying to your interview invitation email.

We understand that anxiety can impact performance, and we want everyone to have the opportunity to show their best self. If you feel a quick, informal chat would help, we will be happy to arrange a call with the Course Programme Lead for your hub. They can answer specific questions and help put your mind at ease.

Your journey to becoming a teacher is important to us. Take a deep breath, prepare thoughtfully, and we look forward to meeting you!