Mrs Hems, Head of the Aldenham Foundation, came to talk to the Form 6 children at St Hilda's. She talked about the interview process for the 11+. Mrs Hems explained how an interview is not just about answering a bunch of questions, but how it is about being engaged in a conversation. Usually an interviewer will know if you are reading lines from a script or speaking from your heart. When an interviewer asks you a question, there is no right or wrong answer. The interviewer looks for how you answer the question. The main word you need to answer with is 'because' as it is the quality of your response over the quantity of questions you answer.

Top tips:

• speak from the heart
• use the word 'because'
• think about why you do something, does it challenge you or make you feel a certain way
• do not be afraid to take your time when answering a question, say 'That is a good question, please can I have some time to think about it'
• the interviewer is on your side, let yourself shine through your answers

Sophia, Sienna and Emma, Year 6