The 11 plus/13 Plus Guide to Group Interviews

How to approach group interviews

There are a huge number of resources listing the most common school interview questions.

All tutors are familiar with these, and often they have specific knowledge of what questions are favoured by specific schools.

Tutors encourage tutees to practise responses to these questions, and often we use them as openers to our lessons, encouraging our tutees to talk about themselves.

Obviously, questions vary based on age. This article has been written with an 11+/13+ focus.

Some Example 1:1 Questions 

• Tell me about … your school/your family/your best day ever/what you are reading/a time you helped someone/a challenge you overcame and so on
• What subjects do you enjoy? And why?
• Describe a typical weekend. 
• How would your parents/teachers/friends describe you? 
• What do you think is the most important thing to learn in school?

I help tutees understand the purposes of these school interview questions: 

• to learn more about the student 
• to learn about student strengths and motives 
• to identify student interests
• to give the student an opportunity to talk and share.

A good school interview should feel like a conversation rather than a test. We practice and discuss these questions to enable tutees to feel confident presenting themselves. We don’t advise students to learn answers – the interviewer will be noticing how confident and genuine the student comes across. 

Some schools, such as Sevenoaks, prefer group interviews. These can feel even more daunting, but often students report that they really enjoyed the experience. 

It is helpful to consider what additional information schools think they can gain from a group interview. The most obvious is peer interaction and social skills, such as turn-taking. When groups are posed with a problem, schools can also observe how individuals respond:

• Do they immediately take on a role e.g. leader or observer? 
• How do they share their opinion? 
• Can they listen to others’ ideas? 
• Are they willing to adopt others’ ideas, or discuss variations to these, or their own ideas? 
• Can they stay focused on the challenge posed? 

At the most basic level, a group interview might focus on some of the 1:1 tell-me-type questions with a round-robin approach. However, most schools that choose to use group interviews prefer to set up a discussion, or a challenge to be resolved. This is a similar idea to workplace challenges that might be set in a job interview assessment centre. 

Some Example Group Interview Discussions

• Should homework be banned? 
• Should we start secondary school later, since teenagers have been proven to be more alert later in the day?
• Should we knock down music practice rooms, in order to create a sports field?
• How can schools make sure that books in the library represent diverse opinions and experiences?
• The school needs to cut its budget to pay for the increased energy bills. Areas where savings can be made include sports, music, events and trips. How should the school make the decision where to make savings?
• How can schools make sure that students have a voice?
• What are the most important things for schools to do to protect the environment?

How to Prepare for Group Interviews 

There is not a right answer, or a right approach, though a student who dominates and doesn’t listen to others is less likely to be successful than one who endeavours to collaborate, or one who listens, and says less.

Not dominating can be challenging for some students, who fuelled with adrenaline, and desperate to share everything about themselves, rather forget others.

Conversely, if students are very shy and feel unable to contribute, it is hard for schools to assess them.

Finding ways to include others who are not contributing shows a high degree of awareness, and emotional intelligence e.g. ‘Alisha, what do you think?’ As always, practice helps students prepare.  

Tutors can discuss debate-style questions like those above, and practise discussion and real-life problem solving, with tutees, encouraging them to consider multiple perspectives. We can help students identify words and phrases that help the discussion. But it can be tricky for 1:1 tutors to give tutees a real experience of group interviews. That’s where families can really help. Give your child an opportunity to debate issues with you, and their friends/siblings. These could be bigger topics like those above or fun, simple topics such as:

• Cats are better than dogs. 
• Every family should have a pet. 
• Trees are more important than buildings.
• The Harry Potter films are better than the books. 

The game, ‘Would you rather?’, can also be a fun way to prompt family discussions e.g. would you rather be rich with no friends, or have no money and lots of friends?

Practise using the words and phrases below. Encourage students to demonstrate active listening, and to use words and ideas that others have contributed in their responses. Practise using ‘I’ messages instead of the pronoun you, which can sound critical e.g. consider the different impact of:

• I disagree …
• You are wrong …

Help them sum up their ideas, or the conversation. 

Active listening means listening with your whole body: upright, open body language, still hands and feet, eye contact, minimising interruptions, and focused brain. I have always liked this mnemonic to help remember these skills: legs, lap, lips, look, listen.

Words and Phrases That Help Discussion

• To give your opinion: I think …, I believe …, I feel …, in my opinion …, from my experience …, I prefer …, I disagree …
• To show you have heard someone else’s idea or opinion: I acknowledge that …, I appreciate that …, although it is true that …
• To counter someone else’s argument: on the other hand …, despite…, however…, even so…, conversely …
• To sum up: In summary …, all in all …, to conclude …, ultimately …

You can also help your child identify real-life opportunities for debate, discussion and problem solving. For example, experience on a school council, or debating team, can help hone listening and discussion skills.