What is a selection event?

It's a process to assess whether you're suitable for a place on the course. It's a chance to show us your knowledge about the subject, your Design and Technology experience and skills and your enthusiasm for the career.

Being invited to a selection event doesn't mean you're guaranteed a place on the course - the point of the day is to help us come to a mutual decision. We need to decide whether to make you an offer and you need to decide whether you like the course and the university.

To find out what will happen on the day, see the subject-specific information below.

The timings listed may be approximate, so please keep your plans flexible.

When and where is my selection event?

All interviews are conducted in person at our campus.

If you are invited to interview, you will receive an email telling you when it is and providing you with the online

If for any reason you cannot attend or you have difficulties accessing the meeting please contact contact the course leader Tony Cowell -  t.cowell@shu.ac.uk.

What happens at the interview?

The Design and Technology interview consists of four elements:

1. We will share a short presentation about the course.
2. A discussion about your own creative design and manufacturing work, and your technical knowledge to assess how your skills and knowledge are relevant to secondary Design and Technology teaching. We would like to view your portfolio of work either in person during the interview, with us or via other digital means. We don’t expect applicants to be proficient in all aspects of the Design and Technology curriculum, but your work needs to show a high standard of work and potential to present confidently to the classes you will be teaching.
3. A discussion about your D&T background, the role of creative and manufacturing subjects within the curriculum and why you want to be a teacher. We will explore why you think Design, and Technology, are important for young people along with wider issues within education, teaching and learning. You will have the opportunity to show you have the potential to be an excellent teacher.
4. Written task: You will be asked to respond to a written task in relation to an educational article.  The purpose of this written task is to assess your ability to communicate in the written form.  This will be emailed prior to the selection day for your consideration. You do not need to bring a copy of the written article with you to the selection event.

The selection event will last approximately 2.5 – 3 hours.

Do I need to prepare anything in advance?

Selection event preparation

A portfolio of relevant Design, Manufacturing, and Technical work to present. This can be a physical or an electronic portfolio presented to the panel on the day of the interview – you do not need to send this in advance.

Read and consider the written article you have been sent in advance of the selection event. You do not need to bring a copy of the written article with you to the selection event.

You will be asked to reflect further on the experience you have gained prior to completing your application. As such, we advise you to prepare your thoughts on this in preparation for the selection event.

Suitability Declaration

You will be sent a link to the online Suitability Declaration form with your Admissions letter, the form must be completed prior to the selection event. Your Suitability Declaration will be matched against your Disclosure and Barring Service check (formerly CRB).

Please note that this declaration is not part of the interview process and will not be discussed at the interview. However, an offer will not be made until this has been received. Please also bring some form of photographic ID with you, either a passport or driving licence. You are also required to bring originals and photocopies of your GCSE Maths and English or equivalent qualifications to the selection event. Failure to provide proof of these qualifications will prevent you from joining the course.

What do I need to bring with me?

For the interview you should have the following.

1) Identification

You must bring photographic identification (photo ID). If possible please bring a passport or photo driving license. If you do not own either of these, other forms of photographic identification will be sufficient for the selection event but should you be offered a place on the course you will be required to present further official identification documentation to complete the professional requirements referred to above. Full details of the ID evidence you will require can be found here. 

What are we looking for?

At this stage we assess your

• ability to communicate clearly, both orally and on paper
• knowledge of the area of education you are interested in
• interest in, and commitment to, a career in teaching
• potential to work effectively with children in an educational setting

Who is on the selection event panel?

You will be assessed by a range of staff from across the Initial Teacher Education Partnership.

What should I wear?

Dress reasonably smartly, but you don't need to wear a suit. Smart but casual clothing will allow you to feel confident and at ease.

How do I find you?

Download a campus map. Please allow plenty of time for travelling as parking is limited on all campuses. Please read signs carefully when parking as there are restrictions in place. We strongly recommend that you use public transport where possible.

Disability support

If you have a disability (this includes sensory and physical disabilities, dyslexia, mental health conditions and medical conditions) and you feel that you will need some support during the selection event process (for example, a sign language interpreter, note taker, materials provided in different format), please inform the tutor upon receipt of your invitation to the selection event.

Disability advice whilst studying at the University

You may or may not have indicated that you have a disability on your application form. In either case, the Disabled Student Support Team is keen to hear from you. If you would like to meet or talk to an advisor to discuss, in confidence, possible support whilst studying, please ring +44 (0)114 225 3813 or email disability-support@shu.ac.uk

Please note that any offer of a place is subject to acceptance by you of the University's terms and conditions. If you require a printed version, please contact Admissions on 0114 225 5555. You must read these terms and conditions before accepting any offer.

What happens after my selection event?

We cannot tell you our decision on the day of the selection event. After the selection event our decision will be communicated via email, so please check your inbox regularly.

You will receive one of the following decisions.

Conditional offer for the course that you have applied for – you must fulfil certain criteria (usually based on the qualifications you are currently taking) before you can be accepted on the course. If the requirements are met, the offer becomes unconditional.

Unconditional offer for the course that you have applied for – usually made when you have already completed your qualifications and met the academic requirements we are asking for.

Unsuccessful – unfortunately we are not able to offer you a place on the course. We do not feel that you have the necessary skills or experience to be successful on one of our courses. However, this does not prevent you from applying in the future, should you undertake further study to develop your skills and experience.

Important accommodation information for Initial Teacher Education students

As you have chosen to apply for an initial teacher education course with us, the start of your course will be earlier than the standard term dates. This means that some of the accommodation on offer by the University may not be suitable for you. You will need to refer to the accommodation services website when making your accommodation choices. Once you have accepted your offer of a place, you can submit your online application directly to accommodation services.

What can I choose?

To help you in choosing suitable accommodation, filter from the halls on the website those which are available for early arrivals. You must also specify that you need an early start date in the notes section of your application.

The first few weeks

We know that not all courses start at the same time and we also know which courses start early. This means that your halls won't be full when you first arrive, but we will try and make sure you're not on your own for long so that you don't get lonely and you feel safe.