Complete Guide to 11+ Interview Preparation 2026: What Schools Ask and How to Help Your Child

After months of exam preparation, your child has passed the 11+ entrance exams. Brilliant. But then comes the interview, and suddenly the goalposts shift. Now they need to actually talk to strangers about themselves, and do it well.

I've coached hundreds of pupils through 11+ interviews at SHLC, and I can tell you this: the interview isn't testing whether your child can pass exams. The school already knows they can. They're testing something completely different.

What Schools Actually Look for in Interviews

When a school invites your child for an interview, they're asking themselves one simple question: do we want to teach this child for the next five to seven years?

Independent school interviewers consider whether students will be interested in learning, able to work well with others, and enthusiastic about participating in school activities. They're picturing your child in their classrooms, their sports teams, their drama productions, and their lunch halls.

The interview tests five core things:

Fit: Does this child share the school's values? Will they thrive here?

Curiosity: Do they ask questions? Do they think about the world?

Confidence: Can they express themselves clearly without arrogance?

Kindness: How do they treat others? How do they handle disagreements?

Communication: Can they explain their thinking? Can they hold a conversation?

Notice what's missing from that list: perfect answers, rehearsed speeches, and impressive vocabulary. Schools can spot a coached child instantly, and it rarely goes well.

The Most Common Interview Question Categories

Every independent school has its own style, but certain question types appear again and again. Here's what your child should be ready to discuss.

About Themselves

• Tell me about yourself
• What are you most proud of?
• What are you good at, and what do you find difficult?
• What would your teachers say about you?

What interviewers want: Honest self-awareness, not false modesty or boasting. The best answers include specific examples from real life.

School and Learning

• What's your favourite subject and why?
• Tell me about a lesson you really enjoyed
• What's your least favourite subject? How do you cope with it?
• How do you help in class?

What interviewers want: Genuine enthusiasm backed by examples. If a child says they love science, the interviewer will ask what they've actually done in science. Be ready with real stories from lessons, not generic statements.

Why This School

• Why do you want to come here?
• What do you know about our school?
• What are you most looking forward to?
• Have you applied to other schools?

What interviewers want: Specific reasons, not platitudes. Schools expect pupils to identify particular facilities or opportunities that align with their interests. Generic answers like "it has good academics" fall completely flat. Better: "I saw the robotics club on your website and I've been building Arduino projects at home, so I'd love to join."

Reading and Curiosity

• What are you reading at the moment?
• What's your favourite book and why?
• Have you read or heard anything interesting recently?
• What subject would you like to learn more about?

What interviewers want: Rather than summarising plot, interviewers look for students to analyse what they liked or disliked about a book and explain why. If your child hasn't read anything lately, sort that out now. Magazines like The Week Junior work brilliantly for current affairs discussions.

Hobbies and Interests

• What do you do after school?
• Do you play any sports or musical instruments?
• What hobby would you never give up?
• Have you taken part in any clubs or competitions?

What interviewers want: Evidence of genuine interests beyond schoolwork. The specific hobby matters less than the enthusiasm and commitment your child shows.

Character and Behaviour

• Tell me about a time you worked in a team
• Describe a time you showed leadership
• What would you do if someone was being left out?
• How do you deal with disagreements?

What interviewers want: Real examples that show your child's values in action. These questions reveal character far better than abstract discussions about being "a good person."

Thinking Questions

Some schools throw in quirky questions to see how children think:

• If you found £50 on the floor, what would you do?
• If you were invisible for a day, what would you do?
• What would you change about your school?
• What makes a good friend?

What interviewers want: Thoughtful responses, not immediate perfect answers. It's fine to pause, think aloud, and work through the question.

Academic Discussion Questions

Some schools include a mini academic component:

• Explain how you would solve this maths problem
• What do you think this poem is about?
• Can you read this short passage and tell me what interests you?

What interviewers want: To see how your child thinks, not just what they know. The best approach is thinking aloud, explaining reasoning, and being willing to try different approaches.

Stories Beat Scripts Every Single Time

Here's the biggest mistake parents make: drilling their child to memorise perfect answers.

Never, ever prepare scripts. Here's why:

1. Scripted children sound robotic and uncomfortable
2. When the question changes slightly (and it will), they panic
3. Interviewers can spot rehearsed answers immediately
4. The follow-up questions expose the script

Instead, prepare stories and examples. Build a mental library of real experiences your child can draw from.

For instance, don't teach your child to say "My favourite subject is science because I enjoy experiments." That's bland and forgettable.

Instead, help them remember: "Last week in science, we tested different acids on chalk and I correctly predicted which would react fastest. I liked working out the pattern and checking whether I was right."

See the difference? The second answer is specific, memorable, and natural. It gives the interviewer something to ask about next.

How to Answer Any Question Well

Train your child to use this simple structure for every answer:

Answer → Reason → Example

Not: "Maths."

Not even: "I like maths."

Instead: "I like maths because I enjoy problem solving. Last week we worked on fractions and I liked finding different ways to solve the same question."

This structure stops one-word answers, gives substance to responses, and keeps the conversation flowing naturally.

Group Interview Tactics That Actually Work

Many schools now include group activities or discussions as part of the interview process. Candidates who perform well in initial assessments may be invited back for interviews and group activities. These reveal social skills that individual interviews can't capture.

Schools watch for specific behaviours during group tasks:

Do: Let others speak, invite quieter children to share their ideas, disagree politely, admit when someone else has a better suggestion.

Don't: Dominate the conversation, talk over others, refuse to compromise, or sit silently.

The golden line to teach: "I agree with what [name] said about X, but I think we could also consider..."

This shows you're listening, building on others' ideas, and contributing constructively. Schools notice this behaviour immediately.

Online Interview Essentials

Virtual interviews became common during the pandemic and many schools have kept them. Creating a quiet, distraction-free space is crucial for online interviews, as background noise can disrupt the process. Here's how to handle them:

Technical setup:

• Plain background
• Camera at eye level (pile books under the laptop if needed)
• Look at the camera lens, not the screen
• Test everything 30 minutes before

Dress properly: Not just smart on top. Wear full smart clothes. Children move, lean back, stand up. Shorts and smart shirt looks ridiculous.

One subtle advantage: You can place visual prompts nearby. A sticky note with "pause before answering" near the camera. A list of hobbies beside the screen. A book your child recently read on the desk behind the laptop. These aren't cheat sheets, they're memory joggers for nervous children.

The Right Amount of Thinking Time

Most children rush answers because they think pausing looks bad. It doesn't.

Teach your child three safe phrases:

• "Could you repeat that, please?"
• "Can I have a moment to think?"
• "I'm not sure, but I think..."

Clarifying questions demonstrates thoughtfulness rather than embarrassment. These phrases buy thinking time and show maturity. They're vastly better than blurting out the first thing that comes to mind.

Academic Questions: Think Aloud

If your child faces an academic task during their interview (reading a poem, solving a maths problem, discussing a short text), the key is simple: think aloud.

The interviewer wants to see the thinking process, not just the final answer. Being wrong matters far less than showing clear reasoning.

For example: "I think this poem is about loneliness because the poet mentions empty rooms. The word 'echo' suggests... actually, wait. Maybe it's about memories instead, because echoes come from the past. Yes, I think it's about remembering someone who isn't there anymore."

That response shows thinking, self-correction, and reasoning. It's excellent, even if the "answer" isn't quite right.

Questions Your Child Should Ask

Most interviews end with "Do you have any questions for us?"

Never, ever say "no." That suggests your child isn't genuinely interested.

But don't ask anything that's answered on the website. That's worse.

Good questions show real interest:

• "How often does the hockey team train in Year 7?"
• "How many clubs can pupils join in their first year?"
• "What's your favourite thing about teaching at this school?"
• "Do Year 7 pupils get to use the science labs?"

These are specific, thoughtful, and impossible to Google.

Parent Guidance: Your Role Before the Interview

Your job is to prepare your child, not to coach them to be someone they're not.

Do this:

Help them remember specific examples from their life (lessons they enjoyed, books they've read, challenges they've faced, teams they've been in).

Practice having conversations, not rehearsing speeches. Ask them questions at dinner. Discuss the news together. Talk about their day and get them used to explaining their thinking.

Visit the school's website together. Note three things they genuinely find interesting about the school.

Make sure they know it's fine to pause, to say "I don't know," or to ask for clarification.

Don't do this:

Write speeches for them to memorise. If they sound like a politician giving a press conference, you've gone too far.

Coach them on what you think the interviewer wants to hear. Authenticity beats polish every time.

Turn it into a high-pressure situation. Yes, it matters. But one awkward moment won't ruin everything.

Compare them to siblings, friends, or other children. Every child is different and schools know that.

Mock Interview Practice

Conducting practice interviews with teachers, mentors, or other adults helps students prepare more effectively than practicing solely with parents. Children often take mock interviews more seriously when someone slightly removed from the family is involved.

At SHLC Tutors, we include interview coaching as part of our comprehensive 11+ preparation. We run realistic mock interviews, provide specific feedback on areas like eye contact and answer structure, and help children feel genuinely comfortable talking about themselves.

If you're arranging mock interviews yourself, ask a family friend, a teacher from outside school, or another parent to help. Record it if possible so your child can see what worked well and what didn't.

Focus the feedback on:

• Speaking clearly and at a good pace
• Making eye contact
• Using examples in answers
• Not saying "um" or "like" excessively
• Sitting still (no fidgeting, leg-bouncing, or hair-twirling)

What to Do on Interview Day

Arrival: Get there with time to spare. Let your child walk around outside for a few minutes. Fresh air helps.

Dress code: School uniform is usually perfect. If not, smart casual (no jeans, no trainers). Hair tidy, shirts tucked in, shoes clean.

Just before: Close your eyes. Remember a time you felt confident and happy. Hold that feeling. Open your eyes. Go in.

During the interview: Shake hands if offered (firm but not crushing). Make eye contact. Sit upright with feet flat on the floor. Smile. Listen to the whole question before starting your answer.

One technical point: Look at the interviewer when they're asking questions, not down at your lap or around the room. It's a conversation, not an interrogation.

Common Red Flags to Avoid

These behaviours concern interviewers:

Arrogance or showing off: Confidence is excellent. Arrogance isn't. There's a massive difference between "I'm good at maths and I enjoy it" and "I'm the best in my year at maths."

Rudeness or poor manners: Basic politeness matters. Say please and thank you. Don't interrupt. Don't check your watch or phone.

One-word answers: If the interviewer has to drag information out of your child, that's a problem. Even "yes" and "no" questions deserve a sentence or two.

Obviously lying: If your child says they love reading but can't name a single book they've enjoyed recently, that's a massive red flag. Be honest. Always.

Badmouthing their current school: Even if your child is desperate to leave their current school, never criticise it in an interview. It looks ungrateful and negative.

The Truth About "Perfect" Interviews

Let me be completely honest: there is no such thing as a perfect interview.

Your child will probably stumble on a question. They might forget something they meant to mention. They could go blank on what they've been reading lately. That's fine. That's normal. One awkward moment doesn't matter.

What matters is:

Did they come across as genuine?

Could they explain their thinking?

Did they show kindness and good manners?

Did they seem like someone the school would enjoy teaching?

If the answer to those questions is yes, the interview went well. Even if they forgot to mention their piano grade or couldn't remember who wrote that book they liked.

Your Child's Success Mindset

Before they go into that interview room, your child should be thinking:

"I'm going to be myself. I'm going to explain my thinking clearly. I'm going to be polite and interested. Whatever happens, I'll handle it."

Not: "I need to be perfect. I need to remember everything. I can't make mistakes."

The first mindset gets good results. The second creates anxiety and stilted performances.

When Interview Results Arrive

Some schools make offers quickly, others take weeks. The waiting is horrible, but it's the same for everyone.

If your child gets an offer: brilliant. They clearly came across well and the school can picture them there.

If they don't: it's not a reflection on your child's worth or intelligence. Sometimes schools are looking for specific qualities to balance their cohort. Sometimes there are simply too many strong candidates. Schools make acceptance decisions based on a combination of exam results, interviews, school reports, and extracurricular involvement. The interview is just one factor.

What you should never do is ask your child what went wrong or make them feel they've failed. The interview was good practice regardless of outcome. They've learned how to handle formal situations, think on their feet, and present themselves clearly.

Final Thoughts: Be Yourself Is Actually Good Advice

"Just be yourself" sounds like meaningless parent-speak, but it's genuinely the best interview advice.

Schools have interviewed hundreds of eleven-year-olds. They can tell instantly when a child is being themselves versus performing a carefully rehearsed character. The authentic child, even if slightly nervous or imperfect, always comes across better.

Your job as a parent is to help your child remember why they're genuinely interested in the school, prepare some real examples from their life, and walk into that room feeling reasonably confident.

Everything else takes care of itself.

If you want help preparing your child for 11+ interviews, we provide comprehensive coaching at SHLC Tutors. We run realistic mock interviews, give actionable feedback, and help children feel genuinely comfortable talking about themselves. You can also check out our Complete Guide to 11+ Maths Preparation and our guide on How to Find the Right Tutor for Your Child.

Good luck. They'll do brilliantly.

— Aadam, SHLC Tutors