UK Private School Interview Questions: A Complete 11+, 13+ and 16+ Guide
A UK private-school interview is normally designed to discover how a child thinks, communicates and might contribute to the school—not to reward memorised speeches. Candidates should prepare by researching the school, reflecting on genuine interests, discussing books and subjects, practising unfamiliar questions and learning to explain their thinking clearly.
The strongest candidate is rarely the child with the most polished script. Schools are looking for curiosity, teachability, self-awareness, appropriate confidence and an authentic interest in joining their community.
This guide explains common 11+, 13+ and 16+ interview questions, what interviewers may be assessing and how families in the UK, Hong Kong, mainland China, the UAE and the USA can prepare without over-coaching.
Why do UK private schools interview applicants?
Written examinations can assess English, Mathematics and reasoning, but they reveal less about a child’s personality, conversation skills and response to unfamiliar ideas.
An interview can help a school explore:
The child’s academic interests
Curiosity and willingness to learn
Communication and listening
Independence and self-awareness
Resilience when an answer is not immediately obvious
Interests beyond the classroom
Readiness for boarding, where relevant
Whether the school and pupil are likely to suit each other
The interview should therefore be viewed as part of a wider admissions process. Schools may also consider entrance-test results, the current school’s reference, academic reports, written work and participation in an assessment day.
A strong examination result does not make the interview irrelevant. Equally, an interview is not normally expected to compensate for a substantial academic gap at a highly selective school.
Are 11+, 13+ and 16+ interviews different?
Yes. The expected depth and independence increase with the candidate’s age.
11+ interviews
At 11+, the interview is usually conversational. Questions are likely to focus on school, reading, hobbies, achievements, friendships and how the child responds to challenges.
Interviewers do not expect an eleven-year-old to sound like an adult. They are more interested in whether the child listens, engages naturally and can develop an answer beyond one sentence.
13+ interviews
A 13+ interview may include more demanding academic or reasoning questions. Applicants might be asked to interpret an image, discuss an unfamiliar idea, solve a problem aloud or defend an opinion.
For boarding schools, questions may also cover independence, communal living and the child’s understanding of life away from home.
16+ interviews
At 16+, interviews are often more academic. Candidates may meet teachers from their intended A-level subjects and should be able to explain:
Why they have selected those subjects
Which topics interest them
What they have explored beyond school
How the subjects connect with future university or career plans
How they respond to a challenging academic question
A Sixth Form applicant who says they want to study Economics, for example, should be able to discuss a recent economic issue or an idea they have encountered, not merely say that Economics is “interesting.”
How do interview formats vary between schools?
There is no universal private-school interview.
The process may involve:
A conversation with a teacher, Head or Housemaster
Academic questions
Discussion of a book, picture, object or written passage
Mental Mathematics or problem solving
A group activity
A lesson or seminar
Separate subject interviews at 16+
A parent meeting
An online interview for some overseas candidates
Harrow states that its assessment includes an interview with a Housemaster, a computerised assessment and a classroom-based group activity. Westminster’s 13+ process includes further English and Mathematics tests followed by a separate interview. St Paul’s requires successful candidates to meet senior staff, while some overseas candidates must travel to London for the interview.
Families must therefore read the current admissions information for every chosen school. Do not assume that an online test means the later interview will also be online.
The most common private-school interview questions
Schools rarely publish a fixed script, and questions can change. Nevertheless, several themes appear consistently because they reveal useful information about the candidate.
1. Tell me about yourself
This is not an invitation to recite a list of facts. A good answer gives the interviewer two or three genuine areas to explore.
A candidate might briefly mention a favourite subject, a meaningful activity and a current interest:
“I particularly enjoy Mathematics because I like finding different ways to solve a problem. Outside school, I play the violin and recently joined an orchestra, which has taught me to listen carefully to other people. I have also become interested in architecture after visiting…”
The answer should create a conversation, not close one down.
2. Why do you want to join this school?
This is among the most important and most frequently mishandled questions.
Weak answers include:
“It is a very good school.”
“It gets excellent results.”
“My parents chose it.”
“It will help me enter a top university.”
A stronger response identifies two or three specific features that genuinely suit the child. These might include a particular academic programme, sport, orchestra, society, boarding structure, teaching approach or school value.
The candidate should then explain the connection:
“I was interested in the school’s engineering society because I have been building simple electronic projects at home. I would like the opportunity to work with other students and attempt larger projects that I could not complete alone.”
Research should lead to personal meaning, not a recital of the school website.
3. What is your favourite subject and why?
The interviewer wants more than the subject’s name.
A useful answer might explain:
Which aspect of the subject is interesting
A topic or problem the child particularly enjoyed
Why it was intellectually satisfying
What the child would like to explore next
For instance, a candidate might enjoy History because conflicting sources show how the same event can be interpreted differently, not simply because the teacher is nice.
Applicants should also be ready for a follow-up academic question. A child who names Mathematics may be given a problem; one who chooses English may be asked about a book or character.
4. Tell me about a book you have read recently
Children should choose a book they have genuinely read and can discuss. A simple book explored thoughtfully is more persuasive than an impressive title barely understood.
They should be able to explain:
What the book is about, without retelling the entire plot
Which character or idea interested them
Whether their opinion changed while reading
What they liked or disliked
Whether the book connects with another text, event or issue
There is no requirement to praise the book. A thoughtful disagreement can produce an excellent discussion.
5. What do you do outside school?
Schools want pupils who will participate in the wider community, but the answer does not need to contain an extraordinary list of achievements. A candidate should choose activities that are genuine and explain what they enjoy, how they have improved or what they contribute.
For example:
“I enjoy football because I like the tactical side as well as playing. I usually play in defence, so I have learned to communicate clearly and stay focused even when I am not directly involved in the ball.”
This is more revealing than simply listing football, swimming, piano and chess.
6. Tell me about something you found difficult
The purpose is not to expose failure. Interviewers may be looking for reflection, resilience and willingness to seek help.
A helpful structure is:
Challenge → response → result → learning
The child should select a genuine but age-appropriate example. The answer should acknowledge difficulty without blaming other people and show what changed afterwards.
A candidate might describe struggling with a musical performance, initially avoiding a difficult Mathematics topic or managing disagreement during a group project.
7. What achievement are you most proud of?
The answer does not need to involve winning a major prize.
A meaningful achievement could be:
Improving in a subject that was previously difficult
Completing a demanding project
Performing publicly after overcoming nerves
Helping a team
Learning a new skill
Supporting another person
The important part is explaining why the achievement matters. This reveals the child’s values as well as the outcome.
8. What would you contribute to our school?
A good answer connects established evidence with a realistic future contribution.
Instead of claiming, “I would be a leader,” the student might explain:
“I would like to contribute to the school orchestra. I have played in an ensemble for two years and enjoy helping less experienced players rehearse difficult passages.”
The contribution might be academic, musical, sporting, creative, pastoral or community-based. It should be specific but not boastful.
9. What would you do if you disagreed with a friend?
Situational questions assess judgement rather than searching for one perfect answer.
The candidate should think aloud, identify relevant information and explain a proportionate response. A sensible answer might involve listening to the other person, explaining their own view calmly, finding a compromise and seeking adult help if the issue is serious.
Avoid unrealistic claims such as “I never disagree with anyone.”
10. What is happening in the news that interests you?
This question is more likely at 13+ and 16+. Students do not need encyclopaedic knowledge, but they should follow a few suitable current issues and be able to explain:
What happened
Why it matters
Which groups may be affected
Their current view
What information might change that view
An Economics applicant might discuss inflation, interest rates or artificial intelligence and employment. The interviewer may challenge the initial opinion, so the aim is reasoned flexibility rather than certainty.
11. How do you feel about boarding?
Boarding applicants should be honest. Schools understand that a child may feel both excited and nervous.
They may ask:
Why do you want to board?
What might you miss about home?
How would you manage homesickness?
Have you stayed away from your family before?
How would you resolve a disagreement with a roommate?
How would you organise homework, activities and personal belongings?
The school wants evidence that the child understands communal living and has begun developing independence. A rehearsed claim that nothing will be difficult may be less convincing than a balanced answer.
12. Do you have any questions for us?
Candidates should prepare one or two genuine questions whose answers are not immediately available on the homepage.
Examples include:
“How can younger pupils become involved in the engineering society?”
“How are new boarders helped during their first few weeks?”
“Can pupils start a club if several students share an interest?”
“How often do Sixth Form students attend subject lectures outside school?”
A question should arise from genuine interest. It should not be asked merely to appear impressive.
How should a child answer an unexpected question?
Some interviewers deliberately introduce questions with no obvious correct answer.
Examples might include:
Is it ever acceptable to break a rule?
Which invention would you remove from history?
Would you rather explore the ocean or space?
Can a machine be creative?
What would happen if nobody needed money?
The quality of reasoning matters more than the conclusion.
A practical method is:
Pause and define the issue.
State an initial view.
Give a reason or example.
Consider an alternative.
Reach a provisional conclusion.
It is acceptable to say, “I have not considered that before, but my first thought is…” This demonstrates honest thinking.
Advice for international applicants
International pupils may face three additional challenges: speaking spontaneously in English, explaining experiences unfamiliar to a British interviewer and understanding the culture of conversational interviews.
Hong Kong and mainland China
Students should practise giving developed answers rather than very short, examination-style responses. They should also become comfortable expressing a respectful personal opinion when no model answer exists.
An accent is not a problem. Clarity, listening and the ability to explain ideas are more important.
UAE
Applicants from British-curriculum schools may know the academic system well, but should still research the individual school’s boarding structure, activities and values.
Avoid giving an answer that could be used for every British boarding school.
USA
American candidates may be accustomed to discussing extracurricular achievements. UK interviews can place greater emphasis on subject thinking and teachability, particularly at 16+.
The applicant should be ready to explore an idea interactively rather than present a polished personal “pitch.”
Online interview preparation
Where a school permits an online interview:
Test the camera, microphone and internet connection
Use a quiet, well-lit room
Position the camera approximately at eye level
Remove distracting virtual backgrounds
Keep the child’s face clearly visible
Join early
Close notifications and unrelated applications
Ensure parents do not prompt answers off-camera
The candidate can keep a glass of water nearby, but should not read from prepared notes. Interviewers can usually identify scripted answers quickly.
Common interview mistakes
The most frequent weaknesses are:
Memorising complete scripts
Giving answers that sound written by an adult
Naming activities without explaining them
Pretending to have read a difficult book
Using the same generic answer for every school
Interrupting or failing to listen to follow-up questions
Treating every question as though it has one correct response
Speaking negatively about the current school
Claiming to have no weaknesses or worries
Allowing parents to over-direct online answers
Preparation should make the child more reflective and comfortable, not less authentic.What should parents do after receiving the report?
A practical preparation plan
Two to four weeks before
Research the school and identify genuine reasons for applying. Discuss recent books, school subjects, hobbies, achievements and challenges. Begin following one or two suitable news topics.
One to two weeks before
Practise short interview conversations. Use follow-up questions so the child learns to develop and defend an answer rather than repeat a script.
For boarding applications, discuss independence, shared living and homesickness honestly.
Final few days
Review key ideas without introducing a bank of new model answers. Confirm travel or technology arrangements, clothing and required materials.
On the day
The child should listen carefully, pause when necessary and treat the interview as an academic conversation. If they do not understand a question, they should politely ask for clarification.
When can interview preparation help?
Individual preparation can be useful when a child:
Gives very short answers despite having strong ideas
Sounds over-rehearsed
Is applying from a different education system
Needs practice thinking aloud
Finds unfamiliar adults intimidating
Has an upcoming subject interview
Needs to connect genuine experiences with the chosen school
Good preparation should preserve the child’s own language and personality. The role of a tutor is to ask challenging follow-up questions, identify undeveloped answers and build confidence through realistic conversation.
Families can read more about DW Tutoring’s entrance-exam and interview preparation, review student admissions outcomes and testimonials, or contact DW Tutoring to discuss a forthcoming 11+, 13+ or 16+ interview.
Frequently asked questions
What questions are asked in UK private-school interviews?
Common themes include the child’s favourite subjects, recent reading, hobbies, achievements, challenges, reasons for choosing the school and potential contribution. Boarding applicants may also be asked about independence and communal living.
How long does a private-school interview last?
The length varies by school and entry point. A conversation may last approximately 15–30 minutes, while an assessment day can include additional tests, lessons or group activities.
Should children memorise interview answers?
No. Memorised scripts often sound unnatural and make follow-up questions harder. Children should prepare ideas and examples, then practise expressing them flexibly.
What should a child wear to a private-school interview?
Follow the school’s instructions. School uniform is often appropriate where requested; otherwise, choose smart, comfortable clothing that allows the child to concentrate.
Can overseas candidates interview online?
Some schools permit online interviews, but many selective schools or entry points require attendance in Britain. Families must confirm the current policy directly with each school.
How should a child answer “Why this school?”
The answer should identify specific features of the school and explain why they connect with the child’s genuine interests, needs or intended contribution.
What if the child does not know an answer?
They should remain calm, explain what they do know and think aloud. Asking for clarification is preferable to guessing what the interviewer wants to hear.
How early should interview preparation begin?
Two to four weeks of regular, conversational preparation is sufficient for many pupils. Older applicants preparing for academic subject interviews may benefit from beginning earlier.
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