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 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 are approximate, so please keep your plans for travelling home flexible.

When and where is my selection event?

If you're invited to a selection event you'll receive an email telling you when it is and where to go. All interviews are conducted in person at our campus.

It's important to be on time. You should arrive 30 minutes before the start time so you can register. If you're delayed on the way to the event call 0114 225 5555 and ask for Admissions.

What happens on a selection event?

Interview Process

You will be assessed by both University tutors and staff from partnership schools or settings. The interview will last approximately three hours and will include:

• an introductory talk about the course
• a written task
• a maths task
• an individual interview
• a teaching task (to last no longer than 5 minutes)

You will teach a small group (5/6) of your peers something which would be useful for early years teaching. This could be, for example, about a children’s book; a game you have played; a place to visit with young children or an artefact you could use. Bring any resources you will need.

You will not be using Powerpoint or any other electronic display media. You should not bring a script to read from but you may bring notes on a postcard.

The interviewing procedures are designed to enable you to show the extent to which you have the potential to meet the Teachers' Standards (Early Years) in terms of:

• your ability to engage and enthuse young children as learners.
• your knowledge about early years education and care
• your interest in and commitment to a career in teaching.
• your ability to communicate clearly and accurately using standard English.
• your competence and confidence in mathematics up to Level 2.

What else can I experience on the day?

Visiting the university

We run student led tours of our campuses and accommodation at 11am and 2pm every Wednesday.

If you wish to join a tour during your visit, book your place here.

Do I need to prepare anything in advance?

You will be posted a suitability declaration which must be completed, sealed inside the enclosed envelope and handed in at the selection event. Your Suitability Declaration will be matched against your Disclosure and Barring Service check (formerly CRB).

Please note that this declaration will not be discussed at the selection event. 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, English and Science 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 bring the following. For further details of other professional requirements that need to be met before enrolment on the course please see the 'What happens after my selection event? section

1) Suitability Declaration

Completed suitability declaration form, sealed in an envelope and handed in at your interview. 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.

2) 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.

3) Qualifications

You must bring your original certificates plus photocopies of each of these documents to the event

• GCSE English Language, minimum grade C (or approved equivalent)
• GCSE Mathematics, minimum grade C (or approved equivalent)
• GCSE Science, minimum grade C (or approved equivalent)
• Degree award (if complete)

If you do not have the original certificates for your GCSEs at the time of interview you must obtain replacements from the awarding body as you will be required to present these at the enrolment session in September. Please note that you must allow sufficient time for these to be replaced.

You must show the original certificates for all your qualifications by enrolment in September to allow you to enrol on the course

Professional body requirements for entry to initial teacher education

The course for which you have applied has a number of entry requirements. The University is required to ensure that you meet all requirements prior to enrolment on the course.

(1) Suitability declaration

A Suitability Declaration must be completed and handed in when you attend for interview.

It is imperative that you declare any convictions, bindings over, formal warning, cautions or reprimands recorded against you irrespective of how long ago they took place, since your Suitability Declaration will be matched against your Disclosure and Barring Service check (formerly CRB). Failure to declare any offences could result in your offer of a place at Sheffield Hallam University being withdrawn and may be referred to the Teaching Agency for consideration. You must also report any investigations or disciplinary sanction.

The University will consider any positive declarations and you may be required to attend an interview to consider your initial suitability for Teacher Training. The University cannot guarantee that placement providers will accept trainees with positive disclosures.

(2) Disclosure and Barring Service check (formerly CRB)

If you accept an offer of a place on the course you will be invited to attend the University to undertake a DBS check prior to enrolment.

You will not be allowed to enrol on the course unless you have undertaken a check and you will not be allowed to attend placement unless a DBS disclosure has been issued. Please ensure you keep your DBS disclosure safe throughout the duration of your course.

The University cannot guarantee that your DBS disclosure will be issued prior to commencement of your placement. This could result in the length of your course being extended or your place being deferred to the following academic year. This may also have funding implications. Therefore, you are strongly advised to attend a DBS check as early as possible.

If you are have lived overseas during the past five years you are required to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct from the country you lived in. If you are unable to provide this, it may be possible to contact the local Embassy in the UK to obtain one. If the country you lived in is not listed on the DBS website please contact David Kyffin (0114 225 5530).

If you are an overseas student, please access the DBS web page for more information

You are required to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct and references from the country you live in. You will also be required to undertake a DBS check once you have arrived in the UK and have a confirmed UK address. You will receive DBS instructions and advice once you have received an offer of a place on the course.

You are required to keep the University informed of any convictions, bindings over, formal warnings, cautions, reprimands recorded against you immediately. This information must be disclosed to your Course Administrator.

(3) Declaration of health

A Declaration of Health must be completed and handed in when you attend for interview. Sheffield Hallam wishes to make sure that all students have an equal and fair opportunity to achieve their potential and succeed in their studies. In order to do this we recognise that we may need to make adjustments or provide support to students.

You are required to keep the University informed of any condition affecting your ability to undertake the course and practice in the profession during completion of the award. Occupational Health screening can be arranged if issues of concern arise during your period of study with us.

(4) Identity check

You must bring some form of photographic ID with you to your interview.

(5) References

You must provide a suitable academic reference. This can be from someone who can comment in detail on your academic ability and suitability for teaching. If you left university within the last five years an academic reference from a tutor is normally expected otherwise an employer or ex-employer for example would be possible.

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 early years education and care (0-5) you are interested in
• interest in, and commitment to, a career in teaching
• ability to work effectively with young children in an early years setting (you will need to bring the reference from the early years setting where you have gained experience)

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 to find us

Download a campus map. Student ambassadors will be available to greet you on your arrival. 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

Disability Support at your selection event

If you have a sensory or physical disability, dyslexia, a mental health or medical condition, please let us know if you need some support during the selection process. We recommend you contact Admissions on 0114 225 5555 within three days of receiving your selection event invite so we can arrange anything you might need such extra time in order to complete reading or written tasks, a sign language interpreter, a notetaker, materials in a different format or wheelchair access. We will try to accommodate your requests so that you can fully participate in the selection event without any disadvantage.

Disabled support whilst studying

If you are disabled (this includes Dyslexia, mental health conditions and medical conditions) you may or may not have indicated this on your application form. In either case, the Disabled Student Support Team are keen to hear from you. If you would like to meet or talk to an adviser to discuss in confidence, possible support whilst studying, please ring +44 (0)114 225 3964 (voice/minicom) or e-mail to 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?

What offer can we make you after a selection event?

We cannot tell you our decision on the day of the selection event. We will write to you directly from the University when we have made our decision.

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. If you are offered a place on the course, you will receive an accommodation guide. You need to submit your online application directly to accommodation services once you have accepted your offer. You will also need to refer to the accommodation services website when making your choices.

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.

Professional requirements

This course has a number of entry requirements. The University is required to ensure that you meet all requirements prior to enrolment on the course. For further details of other professional requirements that need to be met before enrolment on the course please see the 'What do I need to bring with me?' section.

1) Disclosure and Barring Service Check

If you accept an offer of a place on the course you will be invited to attend the University to undertake a DBS check, at a later date, prior to enrolment.

You will not be allowed to enrol on the course unless you have undertaken a check and you will not be allowed to attend placement unless a DBS disclosure has been issued. Please ensure you keep your DBS disclosure safe throughout the duration of your course.

The University cannot guarantee that your DBS disclosure will be issued prior to commencement of your placement. This could result in the length of your course being extended or your place being deferred to the following academic year. This may also have funding implications. Therefore, you are strongly advised to attend a DBS check as early as possible.

If you are have lived overseas during the past 5 years you are required to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct from the country you lived in. If you are unable to provide this, it may be possible to contact the local Embassy in the UK to obtain one. If the country you lived in is not listed on the DBS website please contact the TED Student Services team at tedss@shu.ac.uk.

If you are an overseas student, please access the DBS site for more information.

You are required to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct and references from the country you live in. You will also be required to undertake a DBS check once you have arrived in the UK and have a confirmed UK address. You will receive DBS instructions and advice once you have received an offer of a place on the course.

You are required to keep the University informed of any convictions, bindings over, formal warnings, cautions, reprimands recorded against you immediately. This information must be disclosed to your Course Administrator.

2) Declaration of Health

Should you be made an offer of a place you will be asked to complete a health questionnaire at a later date. Sheffield Hallam wishes to make sure that all students have an equal and fair opportunity to achieve their potential and succeed in their studies. In order to do this we recognise that we may need to make adjustments or provide support to students.

You are required to keep the University informed of any condition affecting your ability to undertake the course and practice in the profession during completion of the award. Occupational Health screening can be arranged if issues of concern arise during your period of study with us.