In the independent school sector, the senior school admissions process at 11+and 13+ is often about far more than academic ability. At the interview stage, schools are looking beyond exam results, to understand more about a prospective student, to get an understanding about who they are, how they think and whether they will thrive within their community.
At Economasters, we provide specialist 11+ and 13+ interview preparation, designed to help students approach admissions interviews with confidence and authenticity.
Our 11+ and 13+ interview preparation is particularly suitable for students who are:
Preparing for 11+ or 13+ independent senior school interviews
Applying to UK day or boarding schools
Feeling nervous, or needing a boost in confidence ahead of the interview
Lacking in interview experience
International students applying from overseas who are unfamiliar with the UK admissions process and interview expectations
Our aim isn’t to teach rehearsed answers, it is to help every student to project their best, authentic selves during the interview to secure their place at the school.
So why Economasters? Having interviewed over 1,000 applicants for competitive independent school places ourselves, we understand exactly what schools are looking for and just as importantly, what can undermine an otherwise strong candidate.
We find that many students fall into one of two categories.
The strongest interviews feel organic, like natural conversations, as such our sessions are devised to help students communicate confidently, think clearly under pressure and allow their personality to come across in an engaging and genuine way.
We begin with a short, complementary initial consultation with the student’s parent or guardian to understand:
Which schools your child is applying to
Their previous experience with a formal interview process, if any
Their current level of confidence
Any preparation they have currently received
Particular concerns or areas you’d like us to focus on
We keep this process straightforward, allowing us to be reactive and responsive to often impending interview dates.
We start with the student, by conducting a realistic mock interview that is tailored to their age and experience, covering a broad range of interview skills, such as:
Traditional interview questions
Discussion based conversations
Academic questioning (where appropriate)
Current affairs (where relevant)
Problem solving exercises
Conversations around interests, hobbies and achievements
How to build rapport with the interviewer
Confidence and communication skills
Our sessions are designed to reflect upon the style and also cover the breadth of topics that could be covered in genuine independent school interviews, rather than relying on generic questions.
Feedback is one of the most valuable parts of the process.
During the session, we provide supportive, age-appropriate guidance that helps students immediately improve, without affecting their confidence.
Following the session, we also share detailed written feedback with parents or guardians that covers overall performance, strengths, areas for improvement, confidence and communication, body language and presentation and other practical recommendations before interview day.
Many interview coaches have experience preparing students, but very few have extensive experience of selecting them as interviewers in top UK independent schools.
Our team has interviewed more than 1,000 applicants for competitive independent school admissions.
This firsthand experience gives us insight into how interviewers assess candidates, what distinguishes a memorable applicant, common mistakes students make and why authenticity is often more important than perfect answers.
We don’t teach a script, we equip students with the skills to understand and approach unfamiliar questions calmly and confidently.
If your child is preparing for an 11+ or 13+ admissions interview, we can help with expert guidance and practical advice based on genuine real-world experience.
Arrange a consultation to discuss how we can help prepare your child for their 11+ or 13+ admissions interview.
Contact Us or fill in the form below.
There is no fixed list of interview questions. Every independent school has its own admission process and every interviewer has their own style.
Some interviews are conversational, while others may include academic discussion.
Rather than teaching set answers, our sessions are designed to prepare students to think clearly, communicate naturally and respond confidently to whatever questions arise.
In many cases, only one or two sessions are required as we believe there is very little value in excessive interview coaching once students begin sounding over-prepared or over-rehearsed.
Absolutely.
We regularly work with families based outside the UK who are applying to British independent schools and can deliver our 11+ and 13+ admissions interview preparation sessions online at a time that accommodates different time zones where required,
We can also help international families better understand the UK independent school admissions process, what schools are typically looking for and what to expect throughout the interview stage.
Most of our sessions take place virtually, but face-to-face sessions may be available in London by prior arrangement.
We usually begin by speaking with parents / guardians to understand a little more about their child via a complementary initial consultation.
During the mock interview itself, we generally recommend that parents are not actively involved. This allows students to engage naturally and helps recreate the conditions expected of a real interview.
We can help students present themselves with greater confidence, communicate more effectively and avoid common mistakes that can prevent interviewers at their respective schools from seeing their true potential.
We can offer this service as we ourselves are experienced interviewers and as such can provide practical, real-world advice based on what admissions teams actually look for.
We cannot however, ethically guarantee that your child will receive an offer from their chosen school
Where possible, we recommend booking one to three weeks before the interview, which provides enough time to practice and reflect on feedback.
However we appreciate that owing to each school’s admissions cycle, this may not always be possible, with some families contacting us days before the interview is due to take place.
We have the flexibility to be reactive to impending deadlines and can accommodate sessions at a time that suits you.
Yes, we also offer interview preparation sessions for Sixth Form admissions.
For more information, please see Sixth Form Interview Preparation.