interview workshops - sixth form
Sixth form is a time when interviews come thick and fast, whether that be for university places, apprenticeships, in-school prefect roles, or for employment. In a recent school we visited, the head of sixth form asked the group who has got an interview coming up or has had one recently, and 90% of the hands went up.
Our interview workshops are specifically designed to
develop student speaking confidence
overcome awkwardness about advocating for themselves
Give students authentic practise in speaking on the spot and coming across as a unique, independent human being, rather than a drilled robot!
“It was such a great start to the term. We could do stuff internally but it won't have the buzz and the vibe that you bring and we want to keep that."
Elizabeth Aherne, Head of Sixth Form, Mayfield School
“I just wanted to say a huge thank you for your sessions with our Year 12s earlier this week. It was exactly what we were looking for in terms of building skills, and getting them to think on the spot.
In particular, those of our students who will face interviews for competitive Uni courses / degree apprenticeships will have found it beneficial in terms of having to justify their reasoning and respond to counter-arguments. We are looking to re-book next year.”
Katy Powis-Holt, Head of Year 12, Eltham College
“Our event was very well-paced, building in opportunities for reflection and consolidation that were really authentic and meaningful. All of the Hidden Leaders’ facilitators were both professional and respectful at all times — they are experts in their field, which makes a tremendous difference to the quality of the provision on offer. I can’t recommend Hidden Leaders enough!”
Mercedes Davis, Head of Sixth Form, Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School
Develop confident, authentic speakers
Through our special “Interview Wheel” format, students get crucial experience of being both the interviewer and the interviewee, and so get given plenty of opportunities to practise and develop their answers in a low-stakes, supportive environment of their peers.
Highly interactive and practical
Students take away:
Proven strategies for getting unstuck
The 123 method for practising and perfecting an answer
Self-coaching techniques to extend and develop their answers
A pocketbook of strategies refer back to after the session.
Delivered by experts
Each session is led by our expert facilitators, Tom and Alex, who have spent the last 15 years helping young people find their voice through simple, effective strategies
We have been fortunate to work with the Hidden Leaders team over the last two years as part of our annual enrichment programme. Each year, they have delivered highly interactive and engaging sessions that combine challenge, collaboration, and reflection.
For our Fourth Year pupils, the focus has been on developing critical thinking and oracy skills. One pupil reflected that “the activities were engaging and fun; they enhanced our communication skills.” These activities not only stretched their thinking but also built their confidence in speaking and listening.
What shines through in all the feedback is the impact on relationships and group cohesion. As one pupil noted, “It helped us bond well with our tutor groups and build our communication as well as teamwork skills.” Students also highlighted how supportive and approachable the facilitators were: “The staff were very nice and supportive during the games.”
The staff from Hidden Leaders are consistently enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and professional. Their careful organisation and attention to detail mean that our school staff can step back to observe, participate, or simply enjoy watching the pupils flourish. The blend of enriching content, expert facilitation, and memorable activities has left a lasting impact on our students, and we are already looking forward to welcoming Hidden Leaders back. I would not hesitate to recommend them to any school seeking to provide high-quality, purposeful enrichment experiences for their pupils.
Samantha Webster, Deputy Head (Innovation), Caterham School
FAQs
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Every Interview Wheel day we do is different, so there are no off-the-shelf timings, but we generally work with a group of up to 30 at a time, and deliver a session between 60-90 minutes.
We also suggest finding time for a morning briefing with everyone, so we can set the tone for the day and give more of a “Keynote” address to kick things off.
Of course, if you are a really small 6 form, or if you are asking us to work with just a small intervention group, then we can extend this to be a half day with each group.
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Once a date has been agreed and the day has been booked, there's relatively little for you to do besides organising the schedule and the spaces for the day, and also providing us with any SEND or medical information that would be relevant for us.
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We run each session, and we are highly experienced teachers and educators, so we don't tend to need any help with discipline or classroom management!
We would love to welcome as many school staff as possible to the day to observe the sessions for their own CPD. However, we understand that releasing staff from their busy teaching timetables is difficult. For safeguarding reasons there will always need to be a member of school staff on hand to support on more pastoral matters.
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Yes, we travel all over the UK, Europe, and the world, so if you're in the UK, you are relatively local to us!
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Just contact us via the contact form below to start a conversation, and we'll get back to you within a day. We usually suggest a phone call so we can learn more about your school and your pupils, so we can suggest a schedule that will suit you the best.
The leaders were skilful and engaging, the activities were well-crafted, and the organisation and communication were excellent. The staff thought it was very well-run and engaging, and the students really enjoyed it. It was superb for helping students get to know each other, work well together and think critically. Thank you and we’d love to have you back next year!
Sarah Elliot, Assistant Head (Teaching & Learning and Staff Development), Streatham and Clapham High School
Interested in this day?
Send us a message and we’ll get back to you within a day.
Alternatively, call us:
01245 830123
Or schedule a 15-minute call with Tom, our Co-Founder and Co-Director!