Midday Supervisor interview questions

Lunchtime supervision in the dining hall and playground, keeping children safe and settled.

1
Motivation
What do you think a midday supervisor's job actually involves?
Show you know it is more than watching. It is keeping children safe in the hall and outside, supervising eating, helping the younger ones with lids and cutlery, encouraging play and including children who are on their own, managing behaviour to the school's policy, and handing over to teachers. Say why you want it, and add that lunchtime sets up the whole afternoon.
2
Scenario
Two children start fighting in the playground. What do you do?
Get help and get the other children away first. Use a firm, calm voice from a safe distance and do not step between them physically unless you are trained and it is the last resort. Once separated, keep them apart, check for injuries, and get first aid if needed. Then listen to each child separately, avoid deciding who is to blame on the spot, and report it to the class teacher and record it in line with the behaviour policy.
3
Practice
A child sits alone every lunchtime and will not join in. How would you help?
Start gently rather than marching them into a game. Talk to them, find out what they like, and check whether they simply prefer quiet. Offer a way in such as a job to do, a small game you set up, or a buddy or friendship bench. Watch over a few days for a pattern, and pass it to the class teacher or the pastoral lead if it looks like loneliness, bullying or something at home.
4
Safeguarding
A child tells you they are being bullied. What do you do?
Listen properly, tell them they were right to tell you, and do not promise to keep it secret. Do not confront the other children yourself or try to sort it out on the playground. Write down what was said as soon as you can, in the child's own words, and pass it to the class teacher and the Designated Safeguarding Lead the same day, following the school's anti-bullying and safeguarding policies. Then keep an eye out at the next lunchtime.
5
Safety
A child with a food allergy is offered food by a friend at the table. What do you do?
Step in immediately and calmly, before anything is eaten, and explain to both children why we never share food. Know who has allergies before service starts, from the allergy list or photo board, and know where their care plan and any adrenaline auto-injector such as an EpiPen is kept. Say that if a child showed signs of a reaction you would call for help and the first aider at once and follow their plan, and that 999 comes first if breathing is affected.
6
Behaviour
How would you encourage good behaviour in a noisy dining hall without shouting?
Name the techniques schools actually use: the school's own signal such as a raised hand, a chime or a countdown, praising the tables that are doing it right, moving towards a table rather than calling across the room, and giving clear short instructions. Use the school's rewards, such as stickers or house points, and follow its behaviour policy for sanctions. Say you would stay consistent and calm because children copy the adult's tone.
7
Scenario
A child falls and hurts their arm in the playground. Talk me through what you do.
Do not move them if the injury looks serious. Reassure them, send another adult or a sensible child for the first aider, and keep other children back. Let the trained first aider assess and decide about calling parents or an ambulance. Then record it in the accident book, make sure the class teacher knows, and follow the school's procedure for head injuries, which always means informing parents.
8
Teamwork
How do you hand over to the class teacher at the end of lunchtime?
Show you know the teacher needs to know before the afternoon starts. Keep it short and factual: who was involved in an incident, who was upset or did not eat, anything you have already logged, and anything you are worried about. Say you would do it out of earshot of the children and put anything safeguarding related straight to the Designated Safeguarding Lead rather than only mentioning it in passing.

Now try answering them out loud

A mock interview asks you these one at a time, marks every answer and shows you a stronger way to say it.

What do you think a midday supervisor's job actually involves?

Show you know it is more than watching. It is keeping children safe in the hall and outside, supervising eating, helping the younger ones with lids and cutlery, encouraging play and including children who are on their own, managing behaviour to the school's policy, and handing over to teachers. Say why you want it, and add that lunchtime sets up the whole afternoon.

Two children start fighting in the playground. What do you do?

Get help and get the other children away first. Use a firm, calm voice from a safe distance and do not step between them physically unless you are trained and it is the last resort. Once separated, keep them apart, check for injuries, and get first aid if needed. Then listen to each child separately, avoid deciding who is to blame on the spot, and report it to the class teacher and record it in line with the behaviour policy.

A child sits alone every lunchtime and will not join in. How would you help?

Start gently rather than marching them into a game. Talk to them, find out what they like, and check whether they simply prefer quiet. Offer a way in such as a job to do, a small game you set up, or a buddy or friendship bench. Watch over a few days for a pattern, and pass it to the class teacher or the pastoral lead if it looks like loneliness, bullying or something at home.

A child tells you they are being bullied. What do you do?

Listen properly, tell them they were right to tell you, and do not promise to keep it secret. Do not confront the other children yourself or try to sort it out on the playground. Write down what was said as soon as you can, in the child's own words, and pass it to the class teacher and the Designated Safeguarding Lead the same day, following the school's anti-bullying and safeguarding policies. Then keep an eye out at the next lunchtime.

A child with a food allergy is offered food by a friend at the table. What do you do?

Step in immediately and calmly, before anything is eaten, and explain to both children why we never share food. Know who has allergies before service starts, from the allergy list or photo board, and know where their care plan and any adrenaline auto-injector such as an EpiPen is kept. Say that if a child showed signs of a reaction you would call for help and the first aider at once and follow their plan, and that 999 comes first if breathing is affected.

How would you encourage good behaviour in a noisy dining hall without shouting?

Name the techniques schools actually use: the school's own signal such as a raised hand, a chime or a countdown, praising the tables that are doing it right, moving towards a table rather than calling across the room, and giving clear short instructions. Use the school's rewards, such as stickers or house points, and follow its behaviour policy for sanctions. Say you would stay consistent and calm because children copy the adult's tone.

A child falls and hurts their arm in the playground. Talk me through what you do.

Do not move them if the injury looks serious. Reassure them, send another adult or a sensible child for the first aider, and keep other children back. Let the trained first aider assess and decide about calling parents or an ambulance. Then record it in the accident book, make sure the class teacher knows, and follow the school's procedure for head injuries, which always means informing parents.

How do you hand over to the class teacher at the end of lunchtime?

Show you know the teacher needs to know before the afternoon starts. Keep it short and factual: who was involved in an incident, who was upset or did not eat, anything you have already logged, and anything you are worried about. Say you would do it out of earshot of the children and put anything safeguarding related straight to the Designated Safeguarding Lead rather than only mentioning it in passing.