PGCE Secondary (all subjects) interview information and tasks

September 2025 Entry

Congratulations on gaining an interview!

We are delighted to be able to invite you to an interview for our Secondary PGCE Programme – Congratulations! 

This webpage will provide you with all the information you need about your interview. Please read it carefully.

Why study with us

At LJMU, we care deeply about educating the next generation of teachers. We our proud of our programme and the support we can offer you, partnership with schools across Greater Merseyside and the Northwest.

You will be taught by experienced and supportive tutors who will prepare you to be inclusive, reflective and resilient teachers who can make a real difference in schools.

Our 2023 OFSTED inspection highlighted that LJMU student teachers achieve highly, are well prepared for their teaching careers, and are valued by schools.

These are some of the comments from former student teachers:

"I have thoroughly enjoyed the sense of community that has been encouraged throughout the course. I feel that I and many other student teachers have greatly benefitted by being able to regularly share ideas and discuss difficulties with one another. I have never felt alone on this course or that I have had nobody to turn to as all students have been encouraged to be supportive to one another."

"Throughout the year I have felt fully supported personally and professionally during both of my placement experiences by both my school mentor and my LJMU Liaison Tutor."

I want to wish you all the best for your interview.

If you have any questions about the interview process or studying at LJMU, please don’t hesitate to contact the Admissions Team – applicantsupport@ljmu.ac.uk

Best wishes,
Daniel Dennis
Head of Secondary Initial Teacher Education Programmes

Your interview day

Please read this webpage very carefully. It explains our entry procedures, gives you a good idea of what to expect and confirms the tasks to prepare in advance, in order to give you the best chance of succeeding on the day.
Although our selection process is rigorous, please do not be anxious; we are a friendly and welcoming community who genuinely want you to succeed.

Important: Interviews will be conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams.
Your booking confirmation will include a Microsoft Teams link to join the interview at the time chosen.

Please ensure you have a form of photo identification at your interview e.g. passport or driving license (a provisional is also acceptable) and that you have a device you are confident that you can access Microsoft Teams on. Your name must be visible, and your camera must be turned on and we must be able to hear you. You must also have your photo identification available for the start of your interview.

Please check that your Microsoft Teams settings show your full name and ensure you join the Teams link 5 minutes before your allocated interview time. Your interview is with a member of the LJMU Secondary team and is expected to last 20-30 minutes.

If you are successful at the interview stage, a condition of your offer will be to provide clear and legible copies / pictures of your GCSE English Language and Mathematics certificates (or equivalent), two references (guidance for references) and your honours degree, if you have already completed. You will be emailed information with a link detailing how to upload/send these to us once your offer has been processed.

If you believe you hold an equivalent qualification, please ensure you contact the LJMU Admissions Team prior to your Interview Day to ensure that we accept it. It is vital we confirm that your qualification is equivalent.

What happens during your interview

During the interview, you will be assessed on communication, leadership, resilience, interaction and empathy; as well as the content of your responses and potential to engage learners.

You will be asked a series of questions about your experiences and motivations in becoming a teacher.

You will are also asked to prepare a 5 minute presentation addressing how you would teach an introductory lesson to Year 7 pupils about a topic related to your subject. The topic you must focus on is listed in Appendix 1.

In total, your interview should las 30 minutes.

You may also be asked to complete subject-specific tasks, depending on your subject area. Applicants to the following subject areas must complete a subject-specific task that is detailed in Appendix 3:

  • Art and Design
  • Design and Technology
  • Performing Arts: Music
  • Modern Languages

What happens after your interview

Following your interview, we will make a decision as soon as possible as to whether we can offer you a place. Our overall decision on your application is based on all elements of the assessment process. We are looking for a balance of knowledge, skills, experience and commitment, which will give us the confidence that you have the potential to complete the course and progress to a successful career in teaching.

We will notify DfE Apply of our decision. DfE Apply/LJMU will generate a notification to you, letting you know the University’s decision. We will make a decision in as timely fashion as possible after interview.

Offers are always conditional based on a satisfactory DBS check and Medical Clearance being obtained by LJMU and evidence of your certificates (GCSEs and degree).

Other conditions may apply, based on your achievement of our specified entry requirements.

If you are successful after interview, please ensure you read your conditions of offer carefully and subsequent deadlines included for completion. All conditions have to be evidenced prior to enrolment onto the programme.

Offer conditions

Any offer is usually conditional on your achievement of specified entry requirements. Your offer will include:

  • Achieving a 2:2 or above in your honours degree (or equivalent as confirmed by ECCTIS formerly NARIC for overseas qualifications).
    If you have already achieved your degree, we will require a copy of this.
  • Copies of your GCSE English Language, Mathematics and Science certificates or equivalent (you must check any equivalence with us as not all are acceptable for teacher training courses).
  • Two references (Guidance for references)
  • Obtaining a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
    LJMU will contact you separately once you have made LJMU your Firm choice usually from May 2025 onwards. If you are part of the DBS Update Service and have a DBS Enhanced certificate working with children, we can accept this if you send us a copy to verify and you must remain on the DBS Update Service for the duration of the course.
  • Successful completion of Medical Clearance process (LJMU will contact you separately once you have made LJMU your Firm choice usually from April 2025 onwards).

Please note:
You will be contacted following any offer being made with how and when this information will be required for completion and how to send this information to LJMU.

All conditions have to be evidenced prior to enrolment onto the programme.

Once you make your decision

Some conditions can only be moved forward once you have made your firm decision to study at LJMU. In addition, once you have made us your firm choice, we view you as an LJMU student. We will provide pre course tasks for you to work on in advance so that you are fully prepared to start your PGCE usually sent from April 2025 onwards.

DBS Check and “Fitness to Train to Teach”

If you are successful at gaining a place on one of our teacher training courses, the receipt of an Enhanced DBS (formerly CRB) will be a condition of offer for your course. The DBS Check will be undertaken by the University and will be sent to you from May 2025 onwards.

Please note:
This is a multi-stage process that can take several weeks/months, so we advise you to engage with this process as soon as you receive the invite to complete the DBS to ensure that you can enroll and start on the programme.
All applicants for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) programmes must satisfy the Government requirements regarding ‘Fitness to Teach’. You will need to complete a Health questionnaire, which we will send to you. The LJMU Occupational Health Unit will process your form and is responsible for confirming that you are cleared for practice. On occasion this may involve an appointment with the Occupational Health Unit, which you would be required to attend.

Visit LJMU in person

There will be opportunities to book onto a LJMU Campus Tour to see the LJMU facilities at any stage of your application and information on how to book on will be available via your LJMU Applicant hub.

Appendix 1
Prepared task - Subject-specific requirements

How would you teach an introductory lesson to Year 7 pupils about:

  • Art and Design: An aspect of drawing
  • Biology: Particle theory
  • Chemistry: Particle theory
  • Computing: Computational thinking
  • Dance: The 5 basic actions in dance.
  • Design and Technology: Identifying the needs and wants of potential users of a product
  • Drama: Characterisation when devising a piece of drama
  • English: The difference between imply and infer
  • Geography: Interpreting an Ordnance Survey (OS) map using GIS
  • History: Interpreting source evidence
  • Mathematics: Rotational symmetry
  • Modern Languages: An appropriate aspect of grammar for beginners, of your choice, in your main language (for example French, German or Spanish)
  • Music: Rhythm
  • Physical Education: An overhead smash shot in badminton. Choose an appropriate teaching model and incorporate outcomes across different learning domains.
  • Physics: Particle theory
  • Religious Education: Introductory lesson on signs and symbols

In your response, please explain why you chose your approach and consider misconceptions or concepts that young learners may find difficult. Remember that your response to this question should be kept to a maximum of 5 minutes.

Responses will be verbal explanations, but you should support these with a resource or teaching aid etc. Please see assessment criteria for the task on the following page.

You may wish to access the National Curriculum programmes of study to help you prepare.

Please note:
There are no programmes of study for dance, drama or religious education.

Appendix 2
Assessment Criteria

Prepared Task Assessment Criteria:

Excellent

  • Uses an effective learning resource that they have designed themselves or made significant improvements to.
  • Understands the complexity of the pedagogical approach(es) suggested.
  • Plans for the age and potential range of abilities, with support and challenge.

Good

  • Uses an appropriate learning resource that they have designed themselves or made improvements to.
  • Some understanding of the chosen pedagogical approach(es).
  • Considers the age and potential range of abilities, with evidence of inclusion.

Satisfactory

  • Uses an appropriate ‘off the shelf’ learning resource with no obvious improvements.
  • Limited or vague understanding of the chosen pedagogical approach(es).
  • Considers the age of the class.

Unsatisfactory

  • Uses an inappropriate, irrelevant, poorly designed or no learning resource.
  • No understanding of appropriate pedagogical approach(es).
  • Limited or no consideration of the age of the class.
  • Limited or no evidence of preparation for the question.

Appendix 3
Subject-specific tasks

These tasks are designed to elicit important information about applicants, which is difficult to determine through the three parts of the selection process outlined above.

Please note:
Not all subjects have a subject-specific task.

Art and Design, and Design and Technology portfolios

Please send a portfolio of your work / practice in advance of your interview to applicantsupport@ljmu.ac.uk.

Please include:

  • your full name
  • the programme you have applied for
  • your application number
  • the date of your interview

Your portfolio should be a maximum of 12 slides (on a PowerPoint presentation or similar) selected with consideration how your work supports the teaching of the key stage 3 national curriculum programme of study in your subject area. The selection should demonstrate a range of relevant skills and techniques, for example drawing for art and design candidates, or designing and making for design and technology candidates. This will be shared with the interviewer and discussed with you as part of your interview.

Excellent

A very strong selection of work demonstrating a wide range of effective skills and expertise, strong links to a range of curriculum areas.

Good

A strong selection of work showing a range of skills appropriate to the curriculum areas key stage 3.

Satisfactory

An appropriate selection to demonstrate competency/skills. Some awareness of work linking to the key stage 3 curriculum.

Unsatisfactory

Limited selection of skills/knowledge. Limited links to the curriculum areas for key stage 3.

Modern languages written and spoken tasks

You will undertake a short piece of writing in the target language (for example French, German or Spanish) outside the formal, individual interview and this will be a condition of offer. For Modern languages individual interviews will also include a brief discussion in the target language(s).

Excellent

Highly articulate and technically accurate communication in the target language.

Good

Articulate and accurate communication in the target language.

Satisfactory

Clear and confident communication in the target language.

Unsatisfactory

Limited and inaccurate communication in the target language.

Performing arts: Music performance

During your interview, you will give a 3 – 5 minute live performance on your instrument / voice.

Excellent

  • Demonstrates exceptional self-assurance and stage presence.
  • Engages the audience effectively with clear and expressive communication.
  • Excellent level of accuracy with minimal errors and displays a high level of technical skill.
  • Could provide clear, insightful demonstrations that inspire and guide students effectively.

Good

  • Shows strong confidence and engages well with the audience.
  • Communicates musical ideas clearly, with some expressive elements.
  • Minor errors present, but overall performance is solid and well-executed.
  • Could use skills to demonstrate adequately and offer useful examples that help students understand concepts.

Satisfactory

  • Adequate level of confidence and some engagement with the audience but may appear nervous.
  • Communicates basic musical ideas, lacks some expressiveness.
  • Some noticeable inaccuracies, but the overall performance meets basic expectations.
  • Could provide basic demonstrations but may not effectively engage or clarify concepts for students.

Unsatisfactory

  • Lacks confidence; struggles to engage the audience.
  • Unable to communicate effectively.
  • Frequent errors that detract from the overall performance quality.
  • Could not provide effective demonstrations or model concepts clearly for students.

Interview checklist

Please make sure that:

  • any equivalent qualifications are checked prior to you attending interview by emailing a copy of them to applicantsupport@ljmu.ac.uk quoting the course you have applied for and your application number
  • you have access to Microsoft Teams and it is set-up on your device, with your full name visible
  • you are in a quiet, suitable space and will not be disturbed
  • your device is charged and power supply is available on the day
  • you have your photographic identification ready
  • you have prepared any pre-interview tasks
  • If you have applied for Art or Design and Technology you have emailed your “portfolio” presentation in advance to applicantsupport@ljmu.ac.uk

Useful contact details

LJMU Admissions Team

If you have any questions, please contact us:

Accommodation

If you require accommodation during your time with LJMU (once an offer is made and you have accepted it), please contact our Accommodation Office:

Student Advice Team

LJMU employs staff that can offer advice and support to students and prospective students on a range of issues such as student funding and support for students with a disability, this includes any support you may need as part of the interview process.

Disability

Funding and Money Advice