How LAMDA Helps With 11+ Interviews!
Academic success gets you through the first round of 11+ applications—but it’s often the interview that determines whether your child lands a place on the A list, or slips quietly onto the B list.
And while many students prepare for the tests, far fewer prepare for the moment they’re asked:
“Why do you want to come to this school?”
That’s where LAMDA can make all the difference. Through performance, speech, and communication training, LAMDA helps students build the key skills they need to shine under pressure—whether that’s in front of an examiner or across the table from a headteacher.
Here are just a few of the ways LAMDA gives learners the upper hand in interview situations:
1️⃣ Conversation Skills
Grades 1–5 of the Speaking in Public syllabus all include a conversation element. In LAMDA exams, students practise:
Answering questions clearly and concisely
Structuring thoughts on the spot
Expanding ideas with examples or reasoning
Asking thoughtful follow-up questions to keep the dialogue flowing
This means learners don’t just answer questions—they create a warm, engaging two-way exchange. And when a child learns to speak confidently about a topic they don’t know much about? That’s interview gold.
2️⃣ Body Language & Facial Expression
Crossed arms. Blank stares. Slouching in the chair. These are all subtle signals that can undermine even the best verbal answers.
LAMDA helps students become more aware of how their body language and facial expressions can:
Communicate confidence and enthusiasm
Reflect the tone of what they’re saying
Help them come across as open, relaxed, and engaged
A confident communicator doesn’t just know what to say—they know how to look like they mean it.
3️⃣ Vocal Skills
Interviewers often mention students who mumble, rush, or sound rehearsed. Through LAMDA, learners develop:
Articulation – clear speech, even when nervous
Vocal modulation – using pitch, tone, pace, and volume to bring energy and expression to their voice
Pacing – learning when to slow down and let an idea land
The result? A young speaker who’s dynamic, listenable, and memorable.
4️⃣ Thinking on Your Feet
One of the most valuable parts of the LAMDA Speaking in Public syllabus is impromptu speech. This trains learners to:
Think quickly
Organise their thoughts
Speak confidently, even without a script
Sound familiar? It’s exactly what’s needed when the interviewer throws a curveball like,
“If you could invite anyone in history to dinner, who would it be and why?”
5️⃣ Empathy & Perspective
When students explore a character’s motivation or a poet’s intention, they begin to think beyond their own experiences. This builds empathy—a powerful trait to bring into an interview.
It allows a child to respond with more depth, for example:
“Lots of people mention the school’s exam results, but for me, it’s the way students seem genuinely happy here. That really matters to me—it makes it easier to enjoy learning.”
Thoughtful. Considered. Memorable.
What’s the Result?
A child who:
✔️ Comes across as articulate and authentic
✔️ Connects easily with adults
✔️ Communicates not just answers, but ideas
✔️ Leaves the room having made an impression
The 11+ interview is more than just a box to tick—it’s a chance for schools to get a sense of who your child really is. Beyond academic results, they’re looking for young people who can communicate clearly, listen thoughtfully, and speak with confidence and authenticity.
That’s exactly what LAMDA helps to nurture.
By developing communication skills in a structured, supportive, and creative environment, LAMDA gives learners the tools they need to walk into an interview with their head high, their ideas ordered, and their personality shining through.
Whether your child is preparing for a top London day school or a selective boarding school, LAMDA can help them not just pass the interview—but truly stand out.
🎤 Want to know if LAMDA can help with your child’s 11+?
