Moonfish

Hi,
Have applied for my children to enrol at a school in Perth. We are stll here in Nsw,so the school has said we can have a phone interview, as they are filling their spaces now for 2013. They will want to talk to my son,as much as they want to talk to me.
Omg, its a scary thought. My son, 10, doesnt much care for the phone at the best of times. He talks very quickly and quietly, and Im worried the headmaster wll struggle to understand him.Also he isnt really into sports, but prefers to mess around on the computer, (at which he is very good).
At least if we were able to go for an interview in person I could give him some visual clues, ie when he starts talking really quickly giv him a look,tho I guess I can still do that when hes on the phonetoo
Does anyone now what they usually ask the chldren (he would be joning at yr 7 in 2013), at least I can prepare him a bit with what they might ask. I am going to look at the school website with him, so if he has any questions he can ask them then. Is this "interview" just a formality, or do you have to get it right to get in?
Thanks for any reples

gobbyjock

Is it a private school or a state school? If state will you be living in the catchment area? If so then they have to take your son.

jad n rich

Gawd, thats harsh for a 10 year old.

My youngest couldnt give a stuff about sports, all the schools asked about sport, so he just said he loves swimming/rollerblading, just mention some thing he can do as a positive.

Usually ask what subjects they like, make sure he has an answer.

Future ambitions, if hes into computers, lost of careers you could name for him

Is it a church school, if so they may well ask a bit about religion. Tricky if you just want him in there for the cheap fees

Just tell him to listen carefully, talk clearly, answer in a polite way.

Moonfish

It is an anglican school. Peter Moyes. We also put their names down for Alkimos, tho luckily they arent interviewing till next yr, and we will be there in person so a bit less stressful all round.
He loves fishing,not sure weather thats classed as a sport tho ..

Moonfish

Good idea to get him thinking about what he could do in the future, given hs love of the computer . My biggest fear is that he will keep sayng "I dont know" to everything, like I say, hes usually in a real hurry to get off the phone, even when hes talking to hs nan and grandad. I feel a bribe of money coming on,

northernbird

I wouldn't worry too much, it isn't a top private school so the interview process isn't as stringent. My daughter goes to a different Anglican school and they weren't all that interested in what we had to say, more in what she said. They asked about favourite subjects, musical instruments, what she did in her spare time, sports and what she was interested in doing when she got older. They wanted to hear that she spoke well and looked them in the eye when talking. Polite and respectful. Obviously the looking in the eye thing won't come across on the phone.

moneypenny20

Make sure the phone is on conference/loud speaker so you can still give him visual hints about slowing down etc. If he's not interested in sports then I don't see an issue of him saying so but then my kids have never been asked that question I think it's a bit tough for a 10 year old but I'm sure they're totally aware that 10 year olds aren't the most forthcoming people in the world. No school really expects a 10 year old to know what they want to do, do they? There must be some very strange schools about, glad I've never been near one, they'd have given up on all of us, I'm xx and I still haven't got a clue what I want to do.

I'm sure it'll be just a general chat about what he likes/dislikes blah blah blah.

Moonfish

Thank you very much for that .That gives me some good guidlines to go over him with. Im lucky, both the kids are very polite, so hopefully half way there. It prob sounds nuts that I am nervous, but you know what its lke sometimes, when someone asks you something you havent thought about, even as an adult, its hard not to go "Ummmmm"
He tells us he would like to be a vet when he grows up, ether that or own a cafe.., will tell him to keep that bit to himself , and stick with vet

moneypenny20

Why? I think he should say whatever his current 'wish' is. Who's to say that the school will approve more of a 10 year old wanting to be a vet or a cafe owner? Don't whatever you do pass on your nerves to him, just forget about it until the time comes.

Moonfish

yes I suppose this is true, I just thought vet sounds a bit better but I do understand what you mean. I will encourage him to say what he wants .
I have played it down to him, just told hm the headmaster would just lke to have a chat with him, lke he does wth all the children who go to his school. We have another week or so to go, and noone has mentioned anything more about it. I dont want it to be on his mind.


Thanks everyone for your reples, do feel much less anxious.. Now I can get back to stresing about finding a rental there .

jad n rich

I reckon cafe owner sounds like he has thought about it and has a entrepreneurial spirit

Vet, footy player, ballerina.... can sound a little 'coached'.

moneypenny20

He'll want to be a racing driver by the time of the interview anyway.

Moonfish

You know, I really hadnt thought of it like that before, and you are spot on. . Hes not one to run with the crowd, likes to do his own thing.

quoll

Also bear in mind that the people interviewing him are experts with kids, they wont be expecting adult responses, they will be expecting 10 year old responses. They should also be quite good at putting a kid at their ease and getting the most out of them - they know that 10 year olds have quite a different set of rules and expectations and that many of them go quiet when faced with authority.

They will just want to talk about his life, what he enjoys, how he spends his time, what he is good at and what he finds difficult, whether he has friends and whether he likes books or computers or telly. They will probably want to know what he likes best about his current school and what was his best holiday experience.

They will basically be looking to see that he can string two words together, isnt an outrageous behaviour problem who is going to be using the f word instead of every adjective, who has some interest in life and who is reasonably happy. They will get the academic stuff from his current school if they want it - and they will also get a bit of a behaviour profile if they want one as well.

It isnt a job interview. He'll be fine, just tell him you have confidence that he can talk to grownups really well and that it isnt going to be anything to worry about.

Moonfish

Lovely post, Thank you