Year 11 Practice Interviews with Leicestershire Cares - January 2022

Leicestershire Cares runs a highly successful programme of interview techniques for KS4 students. Business volunteers deliver mock interviews with students in order to develop their confidence and the key skills needed to succeed at future interviews. We have been enthusiastic partners with Leicestershire Cares for many years and so we know first-hand how much these experiences help our students to grow their confidence for facing the wider world beyond school.  In the current year, as we are still impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, we have run these interviews remotely.

The mock interviews contribute to our wider careers strategy, through which we are aiming to ensure that our students move on from Beaumont Leys School as successful and confident young adults.  Our careers strategy links to our school values:

“All students understand that they are responsible for their own destiny.  They develop and display independence, resilience, leadership, positive attitude and self-management skills that allow them to thrive as engaged citizens and take opportunities to make a positive difference, both now, in school and in the community, as well as in their future lives at work and in the world.  They have rich memories of school life.”

 Feedback from volunteers:

“There were such a wide range of students who were all very focussed and keen.  I found them to be academic and practically minded.  They had clear plans and ideas about Post 16.  They had great interview techniques and were well prepared”.

“They were better than 15 year professionals who I work with – if they were looking for something in my field I would snap them up!”

“The quality of the interviews was great and I was really impressed.  They had focussed responses and confidence was evident”.

“Some of the student undersold themselves – I spoke to Teon who said he liked music – then told me he had been on the television due to his love of music – rapping wasn’t it?”.

“What great kids – eloquent and engaging”.

“My 25 year old son would learn something about how to perform in an interview from listening to your students”.

“I was aware that some of the students I spoke to are not privileged, but the school has done a fantastic job in ensuring students are reflective and achieve”.

“Students had varied pathways but all had a back-up plan and great levels of knowledge”.

Feedback from students:

“It was much better than my last practice interview.  This time I knew what to expect and what sort of question they might ask”.

“I felt it went well – the lady who interviewed me was really kind”.

“I was told that I should relax and expand on the questions which I answered – good advice”.

“I would tell anyone else about to undergo the mock interview to try their best and not to worry – the business people are used to helping the students”.