Preparing a young child for a private school interview

What schools are looking for

For younger children the interview is usually a friendly conversation and some play-based tasks. Assessors are watching whether a child can listen, take a turn, answer in more than one word, and stay engaged with an unfamiliar adult.

For older children there is usually more reading aloud, some discussion of a book or an interest, and a few open questions with no right answer.

Rehearse the shape, not the script

Over-coached answers are obvious and count against a child. What genuinely helps is practising the shape of a good answer: say something, then add a reason or an example.

Try a two-minute conversation at dinner where every answer has to have a 'because' in it. It is a small habit that transfers directly.

Questions worth practising

Use these as conversation prompts over a few weeks rather than a drill the night before.

• Tell me about a book you have read recently. What happened in it?
• What do you like doing when you are not at school, and why?
• Tell me about something you found hard and kept trying at.
• If you could change one thing about your school day, what would it be?

Reading aloud

Many assessments include reading a short unseen passage. Practise reading aloud with expression, pausing at full stops, and — crucially — carrying on calmly after a mistake. Recovering well from a stumble reads as confidence.

The day itself

Sleep, breakfast, arrive early, and keep the car conversation light. Tell your child the school is trying to get to know them, not test them. Children who feel examined shrink; children who feel met open up.

Structured help

Our interview preparation programme runs mock conversations with feedback so a child has practised the experience, not memorised the answers. Details are on the programmes section of the homepage.