Report by Miss Lauren Bayliss Fuller, Head of Futures and Head of Community and Alumni.
Over the last two weeks, Year 13 pupils have been put through their paces with mock interviews, helping them develop valuable skills and confidence for real-life university, apprenticeship, and job interviews.
On Friday 24 November alumnus Luke Andrews (Collingwood, 2004) supported our Oxbridge candidates via Teams with mock interviews. Luke, a University of Cambridge alumnus, offered these pupils a simulated interview experience, perfect for helping them prepare for the real thing. Having been through the process himself and being experienced in coaching and mentoring, Luke was able to really support our pupils in a way that offered constructive feedback and practical experience.
Over three days, from 27 to 29 November, all of our year 13 pupils had the opportunity to experience a mock interview. 17 parents joined us to facilitate the interviews and brought a host of professional skills and experience from sectors as diverse as medicine to HR and marketing to banking.
In preparation for their interview, pupils completed an application form based on competency questioning, and the mock interviews provided pupils with an opportunity to practice articulating their thoughts and ideas clearly and concisely using the STAR model.
Pupils were individually given valuable and constructive feedback on both their application form and the interview itself, from how to present themselves professionally, including body language, eye contact, and overall demeanour, to demonstrating good listening skills, responding thoughtfully to interview questions and being able to talk about their skills and experiences with confidence in a professional way.
These interviews act as an opportunity to build confidence, with repeated practice in a simulated environment helping pupils become more comfortable with the interview process. We are so grateful to the parents who joined us; their insights, guidance, and real-world experience have provided an invaluable learning opportunity to our pupils, helping them gain valuable skills and confidence as they navigate the transition from RHS to the professional world.
