Explore Learning Interview Questions & Answers

The full recruitment process involves answering numerous application questions, attending a centre interview, and then attending a full assessment day at the Head Office in Guildford. The centre interview involves being shown around one of your selected centres, and then being interviewed by two current directors. The interview is quite long and involves scenario questions, as well as competency questions. You are then observed tutoring the children for around 20-30 minutes. If you are successful, you are invited to their Head Office. This is a full day of assessments with around 13 other candidates, including a marketing presentation, a role play, a maths/english assessment, an interview, lunch at Zizzi's with the interviewers, and a group task with a presentation.

We were given scenario questions and asked what we would do in certain situations, many of which we may not have encountered before.

Ensure that you are very interactive with the children during your centre interview - don't be afraid to get stuck in as if you are their tutor. The key is to build a rapport with the children in the zones you are assigned to. Be enthusiastic and make sure you know a lot about the company, and are prepared to think on your feet on be creative on the assessment day.

Aside from interviews, we also had tasks that required confidence and thinking on our feet. One of these was all having to write a word on a piece of paper, putting them all into a bowl, and then picking one of the pieces of paper and immediately talking non-stop about that word for a minute in front of the group and assessors. We also had a group task to agree on an order of importance for specific items and then presenting our ideas to the assessors, whilst answering their questions about our decisions.

The interview had several stages first a one to one interview at a centre. This was competency based but also about the company and scanario based situations for example how would you deal with one of the staff if they were racist. Following, this you had to teach the children for 15 minutes.

Why do do you prefer law above teaching?
Do you think Explore learning is expensive?

Slow down responses and think before speak. Also brush up on commercial awarness

The assessment centre was attended by 12 people. It was made up of a competency interview which lasted 15 minutes. This was followed by a pre-prepared presentation about your idea for a community event. Next there was a role play to tell a teacher about the services Explore Learning offers. In addition, there there a numerical test including fractions with questions asking how you would explain the answer to children. Then there was a literacy test which assessed your ability to find grammatical errors. Next, they took us out for lunch at Zizzi. After a lunch we had to write random words on pieces of paper. Then draw out the words and talk about the word for 2 minutes in front of the group. Finally, we had to group task about increasing membership at a gym which we then had to present to a panel who asked questions.

First off there was a phone interview, which was basically just a brief chat about expectations of the role and past work experience. Once I made it through this stage, I was invited to an interview at one of the Explore Learning centres near my home.

This interview was two hours long, and was divided into two halves. The first half was comprised of a more detailed discussion about the role of an Assistant Director, a role play exercise and more questions about my past work experience and how I may handle difficult situations at work. An awareness of marketing strategies is also helpful during this part of the interview. The second part of the interview was an hour working with the children while they were being tutored, which was fun!

After this, I was put through to an Assessment Centre day at Guildford, which lasted from 9 till 4.30. The day involved a short presentation, a one on one interview, two written assessments and a group task. We were also given a presentation about the company, and taken out to lunch half way through the day.

The most difficult questions were those that involved unfamiliar scenarios to myself, such as having to chose one task to prioritise over another, or being asked how I would deal with doubts from parents about my age (21) or relative lack of experience.

Prepare! Make sure you familiarise yourself with the website and what will be expected of you as an Assistant Director. An awareness of marketing strategies is also helpful, as is previous job experience of any kind that demonstrates you can work in a team and take responsibility for your actions.

It is also important to not be too formal, something that was picked up on in my first face to face interview - they like your personality to come through as it is a very friendly company.

The first task was a presentation about a marketing strategy I would adopt with the goal of signing up potential members to free trials. It lasted 5 minutes and was followed by a few questions.

The second was a one to one interview with two senior management staff, which was more informal and involved scenario questions and probes into why I applied for the role.

The written tasks were to test literary and maths competence

For the final group task we were split into two teams, and had to work together to select items off a list that we would want with us if we found ourselves lost at sea. We had to decide together which ones we would prioritise and then present the final list to all of the interviewers.

I initially applied online through an application form which asked about my experience in relation to areas of the job- different questions on sales and marketing, leading a team and working with children for example. This took around 2-3 hours so be prepared to give full detailed responses and to sell yourself well. After a few days, I was invited to a centre interview which was with two managers of that particular branch. This interview lasted two hours and was split into a tour of the centre, a competency and cv interview, a sales roleplay exercise and a child observation.

The next stage was an assessment centre in Guildford which lasted the whole day. It was split into an individual interview, a marketing presentation, lunch and a written task.

"A parent comes to the gate whilst you're in the middle of sorting out some figures for the head of Finance. He needs them urgently for a conference later that day. The parent looks very interested in our service and how we can benefit her children. What do you do?"

Research the company well and make sure you understand their vision and values and the job spec. A lot of the job is about performance, sales and marketing so be prepared to talk about relevant experience in that field and how you would make a difference to your centre's performance. Ensure you understand the hours as this makes a huge impact on the longevity of the job- they are long and unsociable so be prepared for that!
The most important thing is just to be yourself and let your personality and passion for children shine through as this is what they mainly recruit on- lots of energy, positivism and smiles!

We had to prepare a marketing presentation in advance which we then presented to the assessor. We could use notes and powerpoint if we liked. We then had to do a school roleplay and sell the benefits of the workshops to the teacher.

In addition, there was an individual interview, focussing on cv, competency and scenario questions. Prepare for these in advance as best you can.

There was a written task asking how you would tutor certain fraction and subtraction problems.

We were taken to zizzi for lunch as well- just be yourselves!

Finally, there was a group activity where you had to choose the five most important items that would help save you from drowning in the ocean when your ship crashes. Don't be alarmed if the assessors are mean to you- they do that on purpose!

The Interview at the Explore learning center in Woking was wonderful. I was able to learn more information about the company and really got to see how things worked. The center was active whilst the interview was taking place so you were really able to understand how the tutoring worked, and got to talk to some of the children and see what systems they were using. The actual interview consisted of a sales role play which was quite daunting, but they gave me lots of feedback and the opportunity to do the role play again. There was then a few scenario questions based on interacting with parents and children. I was a very fun interview, serious but being in the environment allowed you to relax more. The interview lasted around 2 hours, of which about 45 minutes consisted of talking to the children and helping them out with their work. This consisted of being introduced to one or two children and then left to your own devices, especially as the center was very busy.

The most difficult questions were the ones that asked you how you would deal with children that aren't concentrating and how you would approach situations where the parents wish to take their children out of the program, as customer retention is a big part of the company's policy.

They really like to see personality, so just be yourself. And they are reliant on sales techniques and so I would recommend brushing up on the hard sell in order to push through the sales in the Role Plays.

The assessment center involved a lot of sitting around. There were 12 of us there, and after the initial introduction film and presentation, we were given timetables that told us the times that we would have the two different interviews and the personal task which was a numeracy and literacy sheet. The interviews consisted of a talk about my CV and what skills I had that I could bring to the company and what skills I needed to work on. Whilst the other consisted of a Role Play of talking to a teacher in a school. Again they gave wonderful feedback for the Role Play, which is brilliant information to take further on to other interviews. We then had lunch and got to know the interviewers a bit more, as well as getting to know more about the company and each other. It is not a competitive interview, so the relaxed atmosphere means that some of the pressure is lifted off. Then we were tasked with a group presentation where we were in groups of 6 and had to come up with a 5 point plan to get more members into the gym by the end of the month. This was the only bit of the assessment day that I felt could have been organised or worded differently, as we were given 20 minutes to come up with our plan but when we presented to the interviewers it became clear that they just wanted us to have come to the idea of half price joining fee or the first month half price.

I had an initial telephone interview, which was with their recruitment team and lasted about 15 mins and was just about my experience and CV. Then I was invited to an interview in one of their centres. It was two interviewees, with basic questions about my experience and also scenario based questions like what I would do if someone complained of a colleague being racist or what I would do if the director was away and the teams performance started slipping. I also had to do a role play selling a gym membership, which they email information about previous to your interview. They then give you feedback and then you repeat the role play. Be sure to take their feedback on board for the second role play. Then I was just asked to chat with some children and they watched from a distance- this was the nicest part. Overall lasted about two hours. Was called the next day to be told I was through to the assessment centre round.

The role play was the most nerve racking

Also the question about the performance of the team slipping whilst the director is on holiday and how I would combat it

Definitely do you research and prepare because you need to be able to sell the product assertively in the role plays. Put across your assertive manner and confidence because that is what they are looking for, you need to show you also love the product. I'd say this is more a marketing role than teaching so be sure you know this before going in.

Again I was sent an email prior to the assessment day saying I had to prepare a presentation about marketing the explore product , and a role play with a primary school teacher who is interested in partnering with her school. This was done with two people watching. There was also another interview, one to one and maths and English tests which was pretty easy. There was then a lunch at Zizzi's in which they were definitely still assessing us! Finally there was a group session, one where we had to put items in priority from a shipwreck and where we all put words into a hat and had to talk about it for a minute.

I had no phone interview but went straight to a centre interview. This took the format of a tour of the centre and description of the role with the centre director. This was a bit annoying, especially the information on the role, as I'd thoroughly researched the job and the company and wanted to show that I knew all this, rather than being told! This was followed by some questions about my application and cv along with some scenario questions with both the centre director and one of the assistant directors, which lasted about half an hour. Then there was the role play, from which I was given useful feedback and then repeated. After that was some interaction with the kids, with one of the tutors which went on for about 15 minutes.

Scenario questions such as 'what would you do if the centre director was away for a while and performance among the staff started to drop?'

Do your research, especially on marketing and sales techniques. Look through information provided carefully by the company and listen to centre interview feedback before the assessment centre. Relax in both interviews, everyone seems very nice and they really want to just get to know you.

The day started with a talk from the operations director which lasted about half an hour on the company overall. This was followed by an interview with one of the graduate recruitment managers on my application and some management scenario questions. Then came the marketing presentation which lasted 5 minutes followed by some questions with another of the graduate recruitment managers followed by the role play. Then was the literacy and numeracy task which we could do in our own time. In the afternoon was the group task which involved choosing a selection of objects to keep on a sinking ship and having to present our findings within a small timeframe.

The first stage of the AD position was the application form online, consisting of about 8 questions. Provide as much detail as possible and give good examples of your experiences.
The second stage of the process, was an interview held at one of the centres. I was interviewed by the Centre Director, and there was an Assistant Director on hand as well who took notes throughout. The whole session lasted about 2 hours. I was shown around the centre, and given the logistics about how it worked. I would advise to do plenty of research before you arrive so that you have plenty of questions to ask about the centre - show your enthusiasm for the centre and let your personality shine.
I was then sat down and asked about my experiences and skills. I was given a few scenarios to deal with for example, if the CD was away and there was an urgent issue, what I do?
The final stage was a role play exercise. I had to pretend to stop someone in the street and promote a gym membership. The goal was to sign the person up for a free trial. Just make sure you use your communication skills effectively and ask questions to engage the client. There is also a chance to repeat the role play too.

The scenario questions were perhaps the most difficult part of the day, but just use your common sense. If they question your answer, explain the problems that you would have and maintain a positive attitude throughout. This will show your confidence in problematic situations. And keep smiling! We are not all perfect, and they are just looking for someone who is willing to learn and take on the challenges that will be involved in the job.

Explore are really looking for passionate and enthusiastic people who are confident to take on the challenges that the role can bring. Really demonstrate how your experiences will aid you in the role and be positive throughout the day. Ask questions, be engaged, and enjoy it. If you get things wrong, don't worry. Recognise your mistakes and turn it into a positive - show that you can learn quickly. It is a fantastic company to work for and if you show that you want to work for them, your chances of being given the role are a lot higher.

The day started with a welcome presentation. A schedule had been created for each person of when they would do their verbal/numerical reasoning test (which wasn't difficult), marketing presentation, and another for the one-on-one interview. There is a fair bit of waiting around at this part of the day, but everyone was so lovely and it wasn't one of those uncomfortable assessment days where you feel you are in competition with everyone. Yes there is an element of competition, but the other candidates were all lovely and we all chatted about our experiences.
The marketing presentation (task given before assessment day itself): my task was to create a sales event or marketing initiative and present it to one of the interviewers. Be clear, concise and confident. I typed up my presentation, but maintain eye contact and be positive about your idea.
The one-on-one interview: this was more about your experiences and skills and gives you the opportunity to really sell yourself. Be confident throughout and ask questions; show your interest and passion to work for Explore. There were a few more scenario questions at this point too.
We were then taken to Zizzi's for lunch; the most stressful part of the day was over so it was nice to just relax and chat with the other candidates and managerial staff.
The afternoon consisted of a group activity. We started by going around the room and picking words out of a hat. We then had to talk about that word for 1 minute. Be imaginative and funny if you can! We were then split into 2 groups and given a survival scenario; rating objects in order of importance.
The day then ended, and we were told we would find out within 3 working days if we were successful.

The interview process was very relaxed and definitely not something that you should be worried about; they are just looking for you to be yourself. I was nervous about the gym membership role-play but the interviewer got into character very well making it easier. Meeting the children was really enjoyable, you almost forget that you're in an interview. Just be sure to chat to them, ask them what they're learning etc.
Overall a great experience!

Which of the Visions and Values do you think is most important?

Just be yourself. They are looking for friendly, confident and approachable people. If you make sure you are well prepared for the interview and the assessment day you'll do absolutely fine. Also try to make sure you have some questions planned in advance to ask them to exemplify your interest in their company/the role.

The assessment centre was a very enjoyable day, totally relaxed but obviously still important. The other candidates were all very friendly, and it definitely helped to know that I wasn't in competition with any of them. We had our individual presentations at different times so there was a fair bit of waiting around and chatting! The maths and English tests were very basic, all below GCSE level. Near the end of the day we were told to write a random word on a piece of paper to give to another candidate who then had to speak about the word for a minute. This was probably the hardest part of the day! Finally, there was a group activity about saving people on a shipwreck. I really enjoyed my day, particularily the lunch at Zizzi's getting to know everybody.

First, I had a telephone interview just to go over my application form and CV. They told me straight away that I had made it to the next stage.

For the interview stage, I was interview by the Director and one of the Assistant Directors at the centre. I was given a tour of the centre first. I had to prepare a 5 minute role play to promote a gym to someone in a supermarket. This went really well, and they let you do it again. You must keep asking them questions and getting to know them - they like that! For the rest of the interview they asked me competency and scenario questions. I got to spend a short time with the children, but there were only 3 there due to it being the holidays. I got to talk to them and the tutor they were with.

Overall, they were really friendly and made you feel at ease during the interview.

The questions weren't overly difficult, as I had prepared a lot for most of them. I guess the scenario questions were the hardest as you never quite know what they'll ask.

Unfortunately, I didn't make it to the Assessment Day stage. The feedback they gave me was that my managerial style wasn't assertive enough, so this may be a hint to what they want! Make sure you make a real effort when you get to speak to the children. I wish I was able to have more time with them and that there were more of them there so I could've have shown them more of my ability.

5 minute role play.