interviews
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T.i.p.s.y
It depends on how much you need or want this place. I always err on the side of caution even if I don't agree with super smart dress codes. If my son did ok on the test but everything rested on the interview then if he didn't get in I would wonder if even the slightest thing could have swayed them. We do want our kids to be relaxed but when we dress smartly we tend to act and sit more smartly. But, in saying all that,you know the school and it may be pretty relaxed about all of this and I could be talking rubbish! 
You can never tell with kids anyway; I practically had to pin our son to the floor to wrestle him into a shirt, tie and jacket for an interview. After a while I realised the whingeing and tantrums had stopped and went to force him back into his clothes on the assumption that he'd be back down to pants and socks, only to find him preening in front of the mirror.
Mike
Mike
Go for clean,neat and presentable look. No tears/rips in jeans or trousers and and understated smart top with a cardigan if all else fails. Ultra clean shoes, teeth and fingernails. Brushed hair, preferably no gel.
Pinch apples of cheeks before going into interview room to give a nice freshfaced look. Be prepared for, 'Get off me, Mum!!'
Pinch apples of cheeks before going into interview room to give a nice freshfaced look. Be prepared for, 'Get off me, Mum!!'
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Loopyloulou
- Posts: 878
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:20 pm
Snowdrops I so feel for you - I'm delighted it's all over for me for now (for another year or two anyway).
As to what to wear to interview, I hadn't heard anything so took DD along in school uniform, but when we got there she was the only one in uniform - very unsettling! Everyone else was smart. (I remember a headmaster years ago mentioning that he always looked to see if shoes had been polished! But it was years ago...).
It's obvious there's a huge range of interview types out there. For DD they went through some of the maths questions she'd got wrong on the paper, and then asked questions about geography. The head said beforehand that they were trying to identify a child's character, and sort those who had been coached to the hilt from those who were naturally bright.
I don't think I can usefully add any more to what's been said already.
Good luck and best wishes to all!
(ps anyone solved the fish yet??
)
As to what to wear to interview, I hadn't heard anything so took DD along in school uniform, but when we got there she was the only one in uniform - very unsettling! Everyone else was smart. (I remember a headmaster years ago mentioning that he always looked to see if shoes had been polished! But it was years ago...).
It's obvious there's a huge range of interview types out there. For DD they went through some of the maths questions she'd got wrong on the paper, and then asked questions about geography. The head said beforehand that they were trying to identify a child's character, and sort those who had been coached to the hilt from those who were naturally bright.
I don't think I can usefully add any more to what's been said already.
Good luck and best wishes to all!
(ps anyone solved the fish yet??
)Loopy
A few tips from someone who has only been through it once:
Dress your child in smart clothes, it shows that you/they care about the interview/whole experience!
When asked about books, try to avoid Harry Potter as fave book - this was mentioned by the person who interviewed Ed at Rugby. he commented that it was good to hear that Ed hadn't mentioned it!!
Good question to ask (IMO): If I were fortunate to be offered a place at (Name of school), what could I do between now and (September??)to prepare for my time here?
Dress your child in smart clothes, it shows that you/they care about the interview/whole experience!
When asked about books, try to avoid Harry Potter as fave book - this was mentioned by the person who interviewed Ed at Rugby. he commented that it was good to hear that Ed hadn't mentioned it!!
Good question to ask (IMO): If I were fortunate to be offered a place at (Name of school), what could I do between now and (September??)to prepare for my time here?
My DD had a scholarship interview last week and I naively thought it would just be questions about her hobbies, favourite subjects etc. however it included:
Reading a piece of poetry and answering questions
Hypothetical discussions about various science topics
Mental arithmetic
Current affairs (credit crunch, wars, US president)
Analysing some of her answers from the written test
As it was the first tme I have been through this process it came as a big shock to me, but DD seemed fine about it. I wish this thread had been around last week! We should hear soon.
Reading a piece of poetry and answering questions
Hypothetical discussions about various science topics
Mental arithmetic
Current affairs (credit crunch, wars, US president)
Analysing some of her answers from the written test
As it was the first tme I have been through this process it came as a big shock to me, but DD seemed fine about it. I wish this thread had been around last week! We should hear soon.
If anyone is worried that their DC's cultural knowledge is limited to the plotline of Eastenders, the BBC Newsround website has plenty of news and current affairs information and even a Barack Obama quiz. At least the little darlings will appear to be cultured while they're wearing their hoodies and jeans!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/
