How do I prepare for an early years apprenticeship interview?

Prepare for an early years apprenticeship interview by researching the nursery, practising your responses, preparing questions and organising everything you need. Show what you can offer and why investing in you and your apprenticeship would benefit the nursery.

Research the nursery

Researching the nursery will help you tailor your interview answers and show that you understand the setting. Before the interview:

• Visit the nursery’s website and learn about its mission and values. Consider how your answers align with its ethos.
• Find out which curriculum, programmes or approaches it follows. For example, check whether it is a forest school or uses the Montessori approach.
• Learn about the demographic and cultural background of the children and the local community. Use this knowledge to show that you are ready to work within that context.

Review common interview questions

Review common early years apprenticeship interview questions and plan how you would answer them. Practising in advance can help you give clear and relevant responses.

Prepare questions to ask the interviewer

Prepare thoughtful questions to demonstrate your interest in the apprenticeship and the setting. You could ask:

• What professional development opportunities are available?
• Can you tell me more about the team I will be working with?
• How do you support new apprentices?

Gather the documents you may need

Organise the documents you need to take to the interview. These may include:

• An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, if you have one.
• Two forms of photo identification.
• Your Best Practice CV. [VERIFY: explain what the Best Practice CV is and how the applicant obtains it]
• Your references.

Choose what to wear

Choose professional clothing that is comfortable and appropriate for an educational setting. Make sure it is clean and neatly pressed.

You may complete a work trial in the room, so choose clothing that will also be comfortable for this.

Practise your responses

Arrange a mock interview with friends, family members or colleagues. Practise answering questions and ask them to give you feedback.

Reflect on your experience and goals

Think about any experience you have of working with or looking after children. Use examples from this experience when planning your answers, and be ready to discuss your career goals.

Confirm the interview arrangements

If Best Practice Network is arranging the interview, it will confirm the date, time and location. Where possible, it will also tell you the names and positions of the interviewers.

If you are arranging the interview yourself, make sure you have all the details you need from the nursery.

Plan your journey and final preparations

• Plan your route and allow extra travel time so that you arrive early.
• Take a notebook and pen in case you need to make notes during the interview.

Interview questions to Prepare for Early Years Apprenticeship

Suitability for the role Key questions 

• Why would you like to work in the early years industry?
• What experience do you have working with early years children?
• What experience can you bring to the setting?
• What are your strengths?
• Tell us about something you have done recently that you are
• proud of.
• What are your weaknesses?
• If you overheard some colleagues talking about you, what
• would they say?
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
• Have you experience of planning and observations? If so, please
• talk me through what you have done?
• What do you enjoy most about working with children?

Knowledge:

• Can you tell me the areas of the EYFS (Early Years Framework) and
• why they are important?
• Can you give me an example of an activity that you would do with
• the pre-school/babies or toddlers children and what areas of the
• EYFs it would cover?
• Why are you interested in working with our company?

Safeguarding:

• Can you discuss your understanding of safeguarding?
• What would you do if a child told you they had been hit at home?
• What can you tell me about safeguarding?
• If a parent approached you in public and began talking about
• another child, what would you do?
• What would you do if you suspected a safeguarding issue?

Best Practice Network are the training provider so we cannot guarantee these will be the questions you are asked, but they are common for Early Year interviews. Also consider that you may be asked to attend a work trial which would involve some thought and preparation.

Additional Tips:

Practice answering these questions and consider your responses carefully. Be ready to provide specific examples from your experiences. 

Please use these links to refresh your knowledge in the EYFS and safeguarding area: the EYFS (Early Years Framework) 

You can find out more here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64e6002a20ae890014f26c bc/DfE_Development_Matters_Report_Sep2023.pdf  

Safeguarding: https://ndna.org.uk/safeguarding-and-child-protection-in-nurseries