It’s not enough for you to dress appropriately to make a good impression at an 11+ interview, one must also prepare by learning what 11 Plus interview questions may arise. Preparing for the 11+ interview can be a daunting experience, but with the right approach, it can be a valuable opportunity to showcase a child’s ability, strengths, personality, and good vocabulary.
Here, we outline potential 11 Plus interview questions that may arise and provide top tips on how to respond effectively. After all, the interview is an important step to getting admitted to the chosen school.
What Are the Basic 11 Plus Interview Questions?
Common types of interview questions asked in a typical one-on-one 11+ interview session include:
Personal Questions
These may include inquiries about the child’s interests, hobbies, and personal achievements.
Problem-solving Questions
Students might be presented with hypothetical scenarios and asked to propose solutions.
Creative Thinking Questions
These questions encourage children to think outside the box and showcase their imaginative abilities.
Scenario-Based Questions
Students may be asked certain common questions on how they would react or handle specific situations, testing their decision-making skills.
Whilst not as common, some school interviews may include academic questions or current world events to see if the child is a good match academically and socially with the school.
What Questions Are Asked at an 11+ Interview?
An 11+ interview would typically include a variety of questions designed to assess a candidate’s academic abilities, personal qualities, and fit for the school. Common questions in these interviews can range from straightforward inquiries about the student’s interests to more reflective questions about experiences and aspirations of students.
Understanding the types of questions asked and possible answers to them can greatly help a child’s confidence and make a great impression.
Tell Me About Yourself
This is often the opening question used in interviews (and not just in school interviews). With this question alone, an interviewer can learn more about the child beyond one’s academic achievements.
While there is no right or wrong answer to this question, how a child would respond to this can set the tone for the interview’s first impressions. The key here is for students to provide a balanced answer that highlights both academic interests and personal hobbies. In effect, the interviewer can also formulate more questions based on the answers given.
Begin by briefly introducing yourself, and mentioning your name and age. Follow this with a discussion of your favourite subjects and why you enjoy them. It is also beneficial for the child to include extracurricular interests and activities that they do in their spare time on a Saturday afternoon, such as sports, music, or clubs, to demonstrate a well-rounded personality.
A child can also mention one’s passions like fighting against climate change, current affairs they are interested in, their favourite author, and more. One can also even talk about a favourite personal item of theirs and link it to their personality. The goal here is to show your enthusiasm and individuality.
With this single question, a child can open up a wide array of topics with the interviewer and allow them to have more talk points. More importantly, a child can show one’s unique personality during this interview portion, which is why it’s typically a favourite piece of question that interviews like to ask students in interviews.
Why Are You Interested in This Current School?
This is one of the interview questions that aim to gauge if a child is fit for said school and if one’s motivations are truly genuine. Whether you want your child to apply to grammar schools or independent schools, expect that this is one of the first academic questions that will be thrown at an 11+ interview.
To answer effectively, it is crucial for you and your child to research the school’s ethos, values, and unique offerings beforehand. The response should express genuine interest in the school, mentioning specific aspects that appeal, such as its academic reputation or particular programmes.
For instance, if the school is known for its strong science department and the candidate has a keen interest in science, highlighting this connection would be beneficial. Additionally, explaining how said schools can help achieve academic and personal goals can strengthen the answer.
With this, it’s crucial for you and your child to also know the difference between a grammar school and an independent school in case you plan on applying to both. While the two types of schools are different, the independent school interviews may be more or less the same as grammar school interviews. Nonetheless, it’s pivotal for you and your child to know the school’s history, values, and differences.
Why Have You Chosen Independent Schools and/or Grammar Schools Over Other Types of Schools?
In connection with the previous question, this question assesses the candidate’s understanding of different educational environments and their reasons for preferring a specific type of school.
To answer effectively, start by explaining the unique benefits of independent or grammar schools that align with your personal and academic goals. For instance, you might mention the rigorous academic standards, specialised programmes, or smaller class sizes that allow for more personalised attention. Discuss how these features cater to your learning style and ambitions.
Additionally, highlight any specific opportunities available at the school, such as advanced courses, extracurricular activities, or a strong sense of community, that particularly appeal to you. This shows that you have thoughtfully considered your choice and understand how the school can support your development.
As stated a while ago, independent school interview questions may be similar to those of a grammar school. More or less, grammar school or independent school interview questions will also gauge the critical thinking, social skills, motivations, and abilities of a child.
What will help in the selection process though is how well a child knows about the new school one’s applying to. Simply put, it shows that the child genuinely wants to be there.
What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?
This is one of the few 11+ interview questions that will assess the self-awareness and honesty of students. In this interview section, children can talk about their favourite subject as well as their least favourite subject but in a way that can still highlight their disposition.
When discussing strengths, it is important to choose qualities relevant to both academic and personal contexts, such as a strong work ethic or excellent organisational skills, and provide concrete examples. When addressing weaknesses, selecting an area where improvement has been shown or is actively being worked on is advisable. Framing the answer positively, by showing a commitment to personal growth, helps to present a balanced view.
Additionally, a child can talk about one’s personal achievement based on the strengths and weaknesses discussed. What’s important here is how a child frames one’s answers. The point of this interview question is for an interviewer to gauge the skills of a student but also one’s humility. It will also give the interviewer a glimpse of what areas the student may need to spend time on in terms of improvement.
Describe a Challenge You Have Faced and How You Overcame It
Interviewers use this question to evaluate problem-solving abilities and resilience. The response should briefly describe a meaningful challenge and focus on the actions taken to address the problem. Highlighting the skills and qualities used, such as perseverance or teamwork, and explaining the outcome and what was learned from the experience demonstrates the ability to navigate difficulties effectively.
In this question alone, children can establish how their greatest achievement stemmed from a challenge that they were able to solve and rise above. This is a million pounds worth 11+ interview question that can easily impress the interviewers if one’s answers are well-prepared and of course, honest.
What Are Your Future Aspirations?
This question is designed to gauge ambition and long-term thinking. Responses should include both academic and personal aspirations, mentioning specific goals, such as pursuing a particular career or achieving excellence in a subject of interest.
It is important to show that the candidate has thought about their future and how the school can play a role in helping achieve these dreams, conveying a sense of purpose and direction.
For this question, it would be great for one’s answers to be somewhat relevant to a current event and link it to future aspirations. This way, the students can showcase how grounded yet ambitious they are.
How Do You Handle Stress or Pressure?
This question explores the coping mechanisms and emotional intelligence of children. Acknowledging that stress and pressure are natural parts of life, the answers should describe specific strategies used to manage stress, such as staying organised or practising mindfulness.
Providing an example of a time when stress was successfully managed, detailing the steps taken and the positive outcome, illustrates the ability to remain calm and effective under pressure.
Additionally, this question will provide the interviewer with some insight into how well this student can handle the school’s curriculum. We all know that there will be an influx of exam papers come the testing season, graded recitations, and more than a child should be able to handle.
Depending on the school you are applying your child in, the grammar or independent school interview can even specify questions that are special to the school’s stressors and curriculum.
Do You Prefer Working Alone or in a Team?
Interviewers ask this question to understand the student’s work style and adaptability. Explaining that both working alone and in a team have their merits, and providing examples of successful experiences in both contexts, can showcase flexibility. Emphasising the ability to adapt to different working environments is key.
As in any school setting, there will always be individual and group activity sessions. Thus, the interviewers must be able to gauge based on the answers and social skills of the student if one can handle such a dynamic setting.
What Do You Do in Your Free Time?
This question provides insight into the candidate’s interests and how they balance academics with leisure. Honest and enthusiastic discussion of hobbies and interests, such as playing a musical instrument, participating in a sport, reading a book from one’s favourite author, or volunteering, helps to demonstrate a well-rounded individual with diverse interests. Said question goes hand-in-hand with the first one we stated above.
How Do You Deal with Failure?
This question assesses resilience and the ability to learn from setbacks. Acknowledging that failure is a part of life and an opportunity for growth, answers should share an example of facing failure, focusing on the response and the lessons learned. This demonstrates the ability to turn negative experiences into positive learning opportunities.
How Do You See Yourself Contributing to Our School Community?
This question aims to understand how a candidate envisions their role within the school’s broader environment. What will this child contribute to the school? How can they contribute, and will it be of benefit to other students?
When responding, it is beneficial to focus on both academic and extracurricular contributions. Begin by discussing how you would participate in class, highlighting your enthusiasm for collaborative projects and a willingness to help classmates. Then, shift to extracurricular activities by mentioning specific clubs, sports teams, or events you would like to join or initiate.
For example, if you have a passion for drama, you might express interest in participating in school plays or helping to organise them. Emphasising qualities such as teamwork, leadership, and a positive attitude can further demonstrate your potential impact on the school community.
Do not feel embarrassed when answering this question. It helps if you have your child think of themselves as their own role model.
Why Should We Choose You?
This concluding question allows the candidate to summarise strengths and make a final impression. Highlighting qualities and achievements that make the candidate a strong fit, reiterating enthusiasm for the school, and discussing how they can contribute to the school community, helps to leave a lasting positive impression.
Preparation Tips Before the 11 Plus Interview
Preparing for the 11+ interviews for grammar and independent schools requires thoughtful strategies as you would in preparing for the exam. Here are some effective tips to help your child shine during the 11+ interview:
Research the School
Before the interviews, take the time to research the school’s history, values, and ethos. Understand what makes the school unique and how your child can align their interests and values with the school. This knowledge will demonstrate a genuine interest in the school and its community. Discuss all this with your child prior to the interview.
Practice Mock Interviews
We strongly recommend practising mock interviews with parents, teachers, or peers as an interviewer to simulate real interview scenarios. Use sample interview questions and focus on articulating your child’s thoughts clearly and confidently. Refine their answers based on feedback.
Develop Communication Skills
Work on improving both verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Practice speaking clearly and fluently, and pay attention to posture, facial expressions, and gestures. Maintaining good eye contact shows that a child is attentive and engaged, which are essential for a successful interview.
Cultivate Critical Thinking
Engage your child in activities that stimulate critical thinking, such as solving puzzles, analysing literature, or discussing current affairs. Develop the ability to think analytically and express ideas coherently. This will help your child respond thoughtfully to interview questions and showcase their intellectual curiosity.
Also, be mindful of your child’s health. Eat healthy foods and have a good night’s sleep before the big day.
Dos and Don’ts During School Interviews
Now, let’s outline essential dos and don’ts to keep in mind during the 11+ interview, ensuring your child presents themself in the best possible light.
Dos
Show Enthusiasm and Interest
Demonstrate enthusiasm for learning and genuine interest in the school and its programs. Express eagerness to contribute to the school community and maximise its opportunities. Stay calm, positive, and interested throughout the interview session.
Be Honest and Authentic
Be genuine in your responses and avoid exaggerating or fabricating information. Answer questions in detail and share experiences and achievements that reflect your true interests and values. Authenticity resonates with interviewers and creates a good impression.
Maintain Good Posture and Eye Contact
Sit upright and maintain good posture throughout the interview. Make eye contact with the interviewer to convey confidence and sincerity. Active listening and attentive body language show respect and engagement.
Don’ts
Avoid Memorised Responses
Whilst preparing for common interview questions is essential, avoid memorising scripted responses. Authenticity is key, and rote memorisation can come across as rehearsed and insincere.
Don’t Rush Through Answers
Take your time to formulate responses thoughtfully and articulate them clearly. Pause briefly before answering questions to gather your thoughts and ensure your answers are well-structured and coherent.
Refrain From Negative Body Language
Avoid negative gestures such as fidgeting, crossing arms, or avoiding eye contact with your interviewer. These gestures can convey nervousness or disinterest and detract the child from their overall presentation.
Summary
By understanding and preparing for these potential 11 Plus interview questions, candidates can approach their interviews with confidence, showcasing both their academic abilities and personal qualities in alignment with the school’s values and culture.
For the 11+ interview preparation, we suggest that parents conduct mock interviews with the child. You can do so by conducting these yourself, enrolling them in workshops, or simply asking a friend’s parent to throw example questions with your child. That way, your child’s answers can be more formal and they can view the interview preparation more seriously.
Make sure that they also maintain proper body language and good eye contact throughout the interview. These are immediate indications of how confident a child is.
We also suggest that you throw in a few brain teaser questions during your 11+ interview prep with your child. It’s not all the time that such questions will be thrown during an interview but there are those who would just like to gauge the creativity and cleverness of a child based on their answers here.
Lastly, make sure to give your child a good night’s sleep before the actual 11+ interview. Having a clear and well-rested mind is pivotal in nailing an interview!
