failed to get on pgce course

i posted this before, but no replies!? just wanted to hear from people who failed to get on the course & why they think this was. Just because im not really sure what my chances are atm for various reason (lack of experience and innappropriate degree) so not sure theres any point applying. So just wondered where failed applicants thought they had gone wrong,

Reply 1

cherbearbunnykins

8

You are not going to get anywhere if you think you're going to fail........sorry to be blunt but if you really want something, you go out there and you get as much experience as you can. You MAKE your degree revelant. Mine is in Journalism and I have applied for an Early Years PGCE. To get on the course is something I desparately want, you need to stop focusing on what you don't have and more on what you DO.

Reply 2

KJS1988

cherbearbunnykins

You are not going to get anywhere if you think you're going to fail........sorry to be blunt but if you really want something, you go out there and you get as much experience as you can. You MAKE your degree revelant. Mine is in Journalism and I have applied for an Early Years PGCE. To get on the course is something I desparately want, you need to stop focusing on what you don't have and more on what you DO.

Agree 100% :smile:

You need to have passion for teaching! WANT to do it. 'I don't think I'm going to be able to be a teacher because I may fail' is not a good starting point. Think positive! :biggrin:

Reply 3

lauh88

1

i did a psychology degree and applied to a biology pgce, i didn't get on the course as i didn't have enough subject knowledge (i.e. there wasn't more than 50% biology in my course). i was advised at interview to re-apply for a ske year and a pgce in either physics or chemistry (i just rang gttr and said i wanted to change my 2nd choice, they were really helpful).
i didn't even know ske years existed until then, so it's not the end of the world if you don't get on the exact course you want, you can apply for another course within the same subject area.

Reply 4

polka_dott

14

Aren't PGCE Primarys the most competitive? I'm sorry to hear you did not get onto the course.. I would imagine work experience is very important in this case as it reflects your suitability for the course and that you are sure you want to work with children.

Reply 5

brak3n

13

On my primary PGCE course there are a lot of people who didn't get in first time, went and got more experience, then got in second time around. You've just got to go for it and if you get in great, if you don't improve yourself and come back and try again. Simple :p:

One word - clearing.

OP

lauh88

i did a psychology degree and applied to a biology pgce, i didn't get on the course as i didn't have enough subject knowledge (i.e. there wasn't more than 50% biology in my course). i was advised at interview to re-apply for a ske year and a pgce in either physics or chemistry (i just rang gttr and said i wanted to change my 2nd choice, they were really helpful).
i didn't even know ske years existed until then, so it's not the end of the world if you don't get on the exact course you want, you can apply for another course within the same subject area.

i was thinking of applying for science, but dont think psychologys good enough. So you apply for ske courses instead then? Wasn't really sure what the whole ske thing was- so its basically an extra year building subject knowledge then?

Reply 8

dobbs

17

KayleeLand

One word - clearing.

Sorry I've not been in this forum for long but you've mentioned clearing as the only point in your post a few times now in a few threads. Why is this? I think telling potential applicants that clearing is so amazing isn't really the best way to go about things, since really many courses will not have places through clearing and it will limit your choice on a number of levels.

And to those saying "You should know what you want blah blah", I think the OP is saying this - should they bother applying or should they try to get the experience, the knowledge first. I don't think their enthusiasm to be a teacher is really a question here, they are simply wanting to know that IF anyone applied and didn't get through, what were the reasons - what do people fall down on.

So on topic, I applied back in June for a 2009 PGCE. Because I applied so late I didn't manage to get any teaching observation. I've worked in schools on engineering fairs, I've done a huge amount of work with children on summer camps, through rowing coaching, and on various school schemes, but I was not successful on getting onto the PGCE course simply because I'd had no actual teaching observation experience.

So I've just spent the last few days in a school doing observation, with the view to doing a bit more over the year and applying again for a PGCE for 2010. This time hopefully successful.

Reply 9

KayleeLand

16

dobbs

Sorry I've not been in this forum for long but you've mentioned clearing as the only point in your post a few times now in a few threads. Why is this? I think telling potential applicants that clearing is so amazing isn't really the best way to go about things, since really many courses will not have places through clearing and it will limit your choice on a number of levels.

Well as far a I see it - you don't get on a PGCE if you're not suitable (ready) to be a teacher yet. Even lots of people who do get on aren't suitable and drop out during the year anyway.

For those with the relevant experience and who are flexible to go anywhere for their course (basically those who really want to be a teacher), clearing works very well. There are courses that don't fill up & there will be places.

Clearing is one last option for applicants. If you've not got what is needed then of course it won't help. I never said it was amazing - it's the applicant who should be.

edit: with regards to your own PGCE application I'd work on your other weaknesses too as offers can still be made conditional on students gaining the required experience first. Especially in your case as you do seem to have considerable exp working with children. This makes me think that it was not the only reason you were rejected.

Reply 10

dobbs

17

KayleeLand

edit: with regards to your own PGCE application I'd work on your other weaknesses too as offers can still be made conditional on students gaining the required experience first. Especially in your case as you do seem to have considerable exp working with children. This makes me think that it was not the only reason you were rejected.

Thanks for your advice, but I spoke to the Geography admissions tutor who interviewed me and he said that I had everything that was needed, I just needed some observation.

Considerable experience working with children is not the only thing that is required, because in my work having worked with a group of kids for a maximum of 2 weeks before they leave and I never see them again, it's not the same as being a teacher where you can just think "Just deal with it for 2 more days and they'll be gone". Plus there is a lot about teaching that people don't realise until they've done observation.

They then sent a letter out detailing why I hadn't got on the course, and again the sole reason was that I needed teaching observation experience. My geographical knowledge and my enthusiasm for wanting to teach were both praised.

You say offers can be made conditional. I applied last minute, which meant that my interview was in July. Therefore I would not have been able to get observation before the course started in early September, as schools would not have returned. Also as I have a full time job the tutor accepted that I would have needed a month's notice if they were to offer me a place on the course at the last minute.

Reply 11

lauh88

1

emma t

i was thinking of applying for science, but dont think psychologys good enough. So you apply for ske courses instead then? Wasn't really sure what the whole ske thing was- so its basically an extra year building subject knowledge then?

Yep at the moment we're doing Chemistry and Physics refresher stuff, and can choose to specialise in our favourite for the PGCE next year.

Reply 12

KayleeLand

16

dobbs

Thanks for your advice, but I spoke to the Geography admissions tutor who interviewed me and he said that I had everything that was needed, I just needed some observation.

Considerable experience working with children is not the only thing that is required, because in my work having worked with a group of kids for a maximum of 2 weeks before they leave and I never see them again, it's not the same as being a teacher where you can just think "Just deal with it for 2 more days and they'll be gone". Plus there is a lot about teaching that people don't realise until they've done observation.

I'm afraid I don't agree. You learn diddly squat on observation. It's not obs you need for the PGCE - it's actually being in the classroom situation. I was a volunteer teacher at uni and never had any obs. That was more than enough. Anyone who's actually done a PGCE will tell you that doing obs is frustrating, in the sense that you just want to get up there and teach. More so if the teachers rubbish.

They then sent a letter out detailing why I hadn't got on the course, and again the sole reason was that I needed teaching observation experience. My geographical knowledge and my enthusiasm for wanting to teach were both praised.

You say offers can be made conditional. I applied last minute, which meant that my interview was in July. Therefore I would not have been able to get observation before the course started in early September, as schools would not have returned. Also as I have a full time job the tutor accepted that I would have needed a month's notice if they were to offer me a place on the course at the last minute.

Fair enough if you applied through clearing.

Reply 13

dobbs

17

KayleeLand

I'm afraid I don't agree. You learn diddly squat on observation. It's not obs you need for the PGCE - it's actually being in the classroom situation. I was a volunteer teacher at uni and never had any obs. That was more than enough. Anyone who's actually done a PGCE will tell you that doing obs is frustrating, in the sense that you just want to get up there and teach. More so if the teachers rubbish.

Fair enough if you applied through clearing.

I've been doing observation for a week and I've learned more than "diddly squat". Fair enough I haven't learned loads more than I already knew, but still a few things.

And whilst you may say that doing observation is pointless, well clearly a large number of universities disagree with you since they all ask for observation or classroom experience before they really consider a PGCE applicant.

I didn't apply through clearing. I applied late, but not through clearing. Once it got to clearing I wouldn't have had a chance as there were no Secondary Geography courses left, hence why my earlier comments saying that it isn't great to suggest just going for clearing. Apply early to have more choice and more time to plan if things go wrong.

Reply 14

emma t

OP

1

only just looked at the thread, thanks for some of the responses, ill apply as got nothing to loose but not got much experience as teaching is a very recent decision, so just have to hope! think kaylee needs to calm down slightly!

Reply 15

pgceprimaryaamf

I understand your disappointment. I got refused on year because of lack of qualifications, fixed that applied the next year got refused because lack of experience, went away got experience and got knocked back again this year. What more can you do?!

My friend got rejected the first time she applied, she was interviewed but had very little experience. She worked for a year as a teaching assistant before applying again, and got into her first choice :smile:

Reply 17

Jigglypuff

16

~ Mandy

My friend got rejected the first time she applied, she was interviewed but had very little experience. She worked for a year as a teaching assistant before applying again, and got into her first choice :smile:

Out of interest, how much experience did she have first time around, and what subject was it for?

pgceprimaryaamf

I understand your disappointment. I got refused on year because of lack of qualifications, fixed that applied the next year got refused because lack of experience, went away got experience and got knocked back again this year. What more can you do?!

Did you ask why you were rejected this year? If you have the required qualifications and experience now, it was probably your personal statement/interview that let you down. As they are competitive courses, every year you will obviously be up against a different group of applicants, who may just have slightly more experience than you.