Attending an interview can be a daunting experience, however if you prepare yourself the process can be a lot less stressful and give you a higher chance of success. Below are some examples of questions you may get asked during an interview.  There are questions for both Practitoner level and Managerial roles.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Nursery Practitioner

• Please talk through your work history/experience with children
• Have you experience of planning and observations? If so, please talk me through what you have done?
• Have you been a keyworker and if so how many children and what age group. If not already answered, please explain what the role of a keyworker involves.?
• What are you Key Skills/competencies
• What do you enjoy most about working with children?
• what skills would you like to develop?
• What are your career aspirations?
• Can you discuss your understanding of safeguarding and welfare requirements?
• Explain what you think equal opportunities means?
• Do you know anything about policies and regulations that govern how the nursery is run and The Children Act?
• How would you ensure you keep children safe within your room?
• How would you deal with a child who keeps biting?
• Can you tell me the areas of the EYFS and why they are important?
• How would you ensure that you keep in touch with new thinking and developments in Early Years?
• How would you manage a situation where a child was displaying behaviour that was out of character?
• 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?

Nursery Manager

• Please talk through your work history over the last few years
• What are you Key Skills/competencies
• What have been your major achievements
• What skills would you like to develop?
• What are your career aspirations
• What was the outcome on your settings last Ofsted report whilst you were managing – what steps have you to taken to improve or sustain this rating?
• How would you describe your Management style
• Can you give me an example of how you have dealt with situation of conflict with staff members
• Can you tell me how you have supported staff with their understanding of The EYFS and planning, activities and observations?
• If you were asked to set up a new room for the toddler room explain how it would look and how it would enhance children’s learning and enjoyment
• Give me an example of a training session you have delivered for your staff team and how it was successful?
• How would you promote Equal Opportunities and Diversity in a new nursery, give examples of past practice?
• How would you ensure you met all the individual needs of the children in your care?
• How would you promote team work when you first started in a new position?
• What things have you done to promote parent partnerships and were these successful, what thigs would you do in a new setting?
• Have you had to deal with any safeguarding issues, if so how did you manage the situation?
• How would you ensure all staff had a good understanding of the Safeguarding policies within a setting? How would you deal with an issue where a member of staff alerted you to a child that had unexplained bruises
• How do you keep up to date with Early Years Developments?
• What would you prioritise in your first 3 months in a new managerial role?                                                                 

Please note we cannot guarantee these will be the questions you are asked, however reading and thinking of responses will hold you in good stead. Also consider that you may be asked to attend a work trial which would involve some thought and preparation. 

Looking for a new opportunity we have roles throughout the UK at all levels , please send us an email enquiries@bambooresourcing.co.uk or call 08448225727