Teaching Assistant Interview Questions UK: 8 Real Questions and What Interviewers Want

If you are going for a Teaching Assistant role in the UK, it helps to know what you will actually be asked. This list comes from the 25 questions in our Teaching Assistant question bank, which we wrote for UK employers.

For each question below, we have also noted what the interviewer is really trying to find out. That second part is what most candidates miss.

Eight Teaching Assistant interview questions, and what the interviewer is thinking

1. Why do you want to be a Teaching Assistant, and what does a typical day involve?

Why they ask: Schools want realistic motivation and an understanding of what the job involves.

2. What would you do if a child told you something that worried you about their safety or welfare?

Why they ask: Safeguarding is the first area every school tests for TAs.

3. How would you support a group of children during a guided reading or phonics session?

Why they ask: Early reading is central to primary school and TAs deliver a lot of it.

4. The teacher is called away and you are left with the class for a few minutes. What do you do?

Why they ask: It checks common sense, calm authority and understanding of what a TA may and may not do.

5. How do you support children's behaviour in line with a school's behaviour policy?

Why they ask: Consistency in behaviour management is essential, and TAs are often the first to deal with it.

6. How do you help children who are finding maths difficult?

Why they ask: Maths intervention is a major part of the TA role in primary schools.

7. You see two children fighting in the playground during lunchtime. What do you do?

Why they ask: It tests safe, calm decision-making in a supervised setting.

8. How would you support a child with additional needs such as autism or ADHD in your class?

Why they ask: Most TAs support children with SEND, so schools need baseline knowledge.

A sample answer to question 1

Why do you want to be a Teaching Assistant, and what does a typical day involve?

I want to be a TA because I love being part of the moment a child gets something for the first time. A typical day starts with a chat with the class teacher about the plan, who needs extra support and any changes. During lessons, I might support a group on guided reading or maths, work with individual pupils who need extra help, and prepare resources. I would hear readers, run interventions such as phonics or a number programme, and monitor behaviour. At break and lunchtime, I might do playground duty, and I help with displays, registers and getting pupils ready to go home. I also build relationships with children and parents at the gate. It is busy, varied and rewarding, and I am happy to turn my hand to anything that helps the class.

Getting the rest

You can read the full model answers, key points and common mistakes for all 25 questions on the Teaching Assistant interview questions page. The first five are free, no sign-up needed.