Teach First Assessment: The Strengths Tests & How to Practice
The Teach First assessment explained — the Cappfinity strengths and competency exercises, the development centre, what they measure, and the cognitive skills you can rehearse beforehand.
TL;DR: Teach First screens applicants for its Training Programme with a Cappfinity-style strengths and competency assessment, followed by a development centre with a taught lesson and interview. Strengths tests reward being authentically you, not a rehearsed answer — but the timed cognitive elements sample speed, attention and memory you can genuinely warm up. Prepare those, know the competencies, and be yourself.
If you've applied to the Teach First Training Programme, you'll move from your online application into an assessment stage delivered by email invitation. Teach First uses Cappfinity (formerly Capp) for a strengths-based online assessment — the philosophy being that people perform best doing what energises them, so the exercises probe your natural strengths against the qualities great teachers need rather than testing subject knowledge. As of 2026 this typically precedes a development centre. The exact format and order vary by cohort and route, so trust your invitation email over any guide, this one included.
What the assessment looks like
A Cappfinity strengths assessment blends short situational and self-report exercises with some timed tasks. Be honest with yourself about what that means: the strengths and competency portion isn't a cognitive game — it's designed to surface how you naturally think and behave, mapped to Teach First's competencies (things like resilience, humility, leadership and interaction). You can't and shouldn't try to fake a strengths profile; the best preparation is knowing the competencies and answering authentically. GamePrep does not train strengths or situational judgement. Where it helps is the timed cognitive side — some Cappfinity assessments include quick attention, reasoning and numerical exercises against a clock, and those reward warmed-up speed, focus and working memory so your real ability comes through.
The skills you can train
Processing speed. Timed exercises reward fast, clean responses to a cue. Get your reactions sharp with the reaction time test.
Attention control. Ignoring distractors and responding only to the relevant signal is exactly the composure a timed screen rewards. Train it with the flanker arrows test.
Mental arithmetic. Any numerical element rewards quick, confident calculation without a calculator. Warm it up with the mental math test.
Working memory. Holding and recalling a short sequence accurately underpins following multi-step instructions under pressure. Build it with the digit span memory test.
The Teach First process & timeline
A representative Teach First route runs: online application, then the online strengths/competency assessment (Cappfinity), then — for those who progress — a development centre that typically includes a short taught lesson or activity, a competency interview, and group and written tasks. Cohorts and subject routes differ, so read your invite. For how strengths assessments work in more depth, our Cappfinity assessment guide is the best companion, and the pillar HireVue game-based assessments complete guide maps how video and game-style stages fit together across employers.
How to prepare in 3 days
Divide your time by honesty. Day one, read Teach First's competencies and reflect on real classroom-relevant examples from your life — that's the work that moves the strengths assessment, and no game replaces it. Then spend a short evening block on the cognitive games above, taking a cold run first to find your two weakest and drilling only those. Day two, repeat the drilling in two short spaced sessions. Day three, one relaxed pass, then stop and rest — speed and memory tasks reward a fresh mind, not a crammed one. Set up well: a laptop with a real keyboard, a quiet room, and a stable connection. Read each exercise's instructions twice, since the rules shift between them.
FAQ
Can I practise the strengths assessment on GamePrep? No — strengths and competency exercises aren't cognitive games and shouldn't be gamed anyway. Prepare by knowing Teach First's competencies and answering authentically. GamePrep trains the timed cognitive side.
Should I try to give the "right" strengths answers? No. Strengths assessments are built to detect inconsistency, and a forced profile tends to unravel at the development centre. Answer honestly and let your genuine fit show.
Do all Teach First routes use the same assessment? No. The mix depends on your cohort and subject route, and the process changes between cycles. Your invitation email is the only reliable guide to your specific application.
GamePrep is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with Teach First or Cappfinity. We provide practice only — no leaked questions or answers. Hiring processes change — verify against your invitation.