Application Process

Your interview at Rodillian Sixth Form is a short meeting with either the Head of Sixth Form, Head of Year 12 or Year 13. The purpose of the interview is to give us a chance to find out more about you, your aspirations and gives you the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about your intended courses.

A successful interview will result in you officially being offered a place at Rodillian Sixth Form to complete your A-Levels or vocational qualifications.

Remember, the interview isn’t just for us to establish whether you’ll be a motivated and community minded student, but also a chance for you to make sure we are the right fit for you.

At Rodillian Sixth Form our ethos is Aspire, Prepare, Succeed – you might want to consider what this means to you.

What should you wear to a Sixth Form interview?

If you are invited to attend interview during the school day your uniform is more than adequate. It is important to make a good first impression, dressing smartly will do this.

What questions can you expect during your interview with Rodillian Sixth Form?

Remember that the interview is an ideal opportunity to benefit from the expertise and experience of our Sixth Form staff in helping students narrow down their options to create the best study plan. We are here to help you. It might be helpful to think of the interview as an individual study consultation rather than a performance.

The questions you are asked at your interview will of course vary according to the interviewer. These are common interview questions that you can expect to encounter at this stage. It is important that you try to relax and be yourself, listen carefully to the questions and ask if you don’t understand.

1. Why are you interested in attending Rodillian Sixth Form?

We would like to know why you have applied to Rodillian Sixth Form. Is there a particular feature of the Sixth Form that interests you? Can you explain to us why you want to come to Rodillian Sixth Form and what you want to achieve from the experience? We want to see that you have done your research and have given thought to the suitability of what we can offer to help you succeed at our Sixth Form.

2. What subjects are you interested in studying and why?

This is about you showing that you have researched your subject choices and made informed decisions. What we want to establish is your motives; these can be enjoyment of a subject or your choice of future career. What we want to know is that you are aware of the course and its requirements.

3. What are your post-18 goals?

We are looking to see that you have considered your ultimate goals when choosing your courses.  This also helps the Sixth Form Team and our dedicated Careers Advisor give any extra guidance with course choices for post 16 and beyond.

4. How would your teachers / friends / parents describe you?

Whilst honesty is of course always important, this type of question gives you an ideal opportunity to highlight your best traits.  Example answers could be that you are determined, extremely motivated, a good team player, punctual, excellent at meeting deadlines and good at working in a team. Make sure that you are able to give examples of when you showed these traits.

It also give you the opportunity to identify areas where you might like develop. We are not expecting you to know and be able to do everything.

5. What can you bring to our Sixth Form?

We have lots of opportunities for academic enrichment, including student-led initiatives such as community events and charity fundraising. We like all our students to feel a sense of worth, no matter what their specific skills or interests. These types of activities not only provide enjoyment but also hone important transferrable skills that can be useful to highlight in UCAS applications. Therefore, those who are willing to get involved are very attractive as prospective students.

6. What do you enjoy doing outside of school?

This is your opportunity to tell us a little bit more about yourself. This helps us see what enrichment possibilities might be suitable for you as well as what evidence there is for any future applications to apprenticeships or universities. This is particularly important in some areas such as medicine. Explaining more about your pursuits outside of school will also give the Sixth Form Team an idea of how you are likely to balance work and social time.

7. What is your biggest achievement to date? What are you most proud of?

This question allows you to tell us about something you are proud of that you have achieved. This can be academic or something you have done outside of school. This question gives us the opportunity to understand you a little more as a person.

8. Do you have any questions you would like to ask?

This is your opportunity to find out more about us! Prepare for this question; what might you need to ask or is there anything you didn’t find out at open evening?  If you are worried you might forget, write these down. This makes you look organised which is a feature we want in our Sixth Form students.

Remember:

If you ASPIRE to come to Rodillian…

PREPARE for your interview beforehand…

Help us to help you SUCCEED