PGCE Applicants 2017

Hello everybody!
I am also planning to do a Maths PGCE in London next year and, since I moved in here 3 months ago, deciding on teaching is a really new idea also for me!

My next steps will be:
- send all the papers to NARIC (does anyone know what exactly are we supposed to send and what do they usually recognise?)
- try to get school experience (I have emailed some schools but they didn't answer, maybe cause it's the first week back... I also called the School Experience Program and they told me as well to call them back at the end of September [I wonder how can we manage to get some class experience if we have to send the application mid-October])
- choose the providers (I'm thinking about the King's college, cause I've read their prospectus and it seems interesting, but I expect the success rate will not be so high, especially for an EU-candidate who has no experience of the UK system like me)
- revise my English (sorry for any mistake!!)
- revise my GCSE and A levels maths
- write the personal statement (no idea of how to that: is it always the same kind of letter or does it depend on the school you choose?)

so.. I have things to do for the entire next year and the application must be sent in a month happy to have find this group guys!

Hello! Good luck with your application - given how much Maths teachers are needed I'm sure you'll have a good chance at Kings after you get a bit of experience. I believe you can do it! If you have any questions about how things work here I'm sure everyone on this thread will be happy to help you out

Thanks for staying that about the school experience program though! When I called up I was told to call back in September, so it's good to know they meant the end of Septemeber instead of now. I think the only people who can apply in Ocotober are people who got experience in schools last year. It worries me because I want to send it off straight away incase they run out of places, but I try to remind myself that universities still have places for the courses starting this year now so there's no rush.

We can only wrote one personal statement for UCAS so it will have to work with all your options. For the moment I'm just making a Word document and writing down anything I think of that I could put in. For example, after I helped at a school for A Level results day I wrote a little paragraph about it. That way when I come to write it properly I just have to rearrange some things and make it all fit together (and I won't forget anything!). Maybe you could try that?

Good luck!

Thank you Firefly! So encouraging
Do you or Anna.Karenina know if at the King's they require a minimum number of hours of observation? I didn't found any information about that on the website: you can find a lot about the courses (and the summer readings )but not too much about the interviews and the process of application. I am going to write to them tonight in order to know a bit more and to ask if they are going to do some open events.
Also tomorrow I will email more schools in my area, I hope to have chance and find someone interested...
And for the personal statement, I will try and do as you suggest in order not to postpone too much

I will let you know if I have any news.

Not sure yet ...
I visited St Mary's University (Twickenham) last week. We had the opportunity to discuss with the mentors the process of application: they require at least 2 days of observation for a secondary PGCE but they told me to get in touch if I will have troubles in obtaining answers to schools. They had also some options in case you didn't get a PGCE (and they had still positions open for Sept 2016!!)
So, that can be an option. But I am also looking forward to knowing more about the Goldsmiths and, possibly, a School Direct option.
I know I have to be quick to decide, but I still do not get how to make a choice. Did you pick yours for locations, ratings, someone you know that suggested it... ?

Just starting a thread to find other people thinking of applying to PGCEs for 2017 entry.

I'll be applying for Mandarin and French at the University of Sheffield

I'm thinking of applying for Business! My brother did it in English and loved it!

Do you or Anna.Karenina know if at the King's they require a minimum number of hours of observation? I didn't found any information about that on the website:

I'm getting dark memories from having to write my UG personal statement! I hate them!

Hi. I am hoping to go for French PGCE or in- school training..don't know which yet. I am a (Very) mature student and need a bursary or salary as I'll have to leave my job. Otherwise I can't do the course (not in a position to get a loan). French was a shortage subject in 2016-2017. Has anyone seen anything about funding for shortage subjects for 2017 yet ? Or is it way too early ? Cheers

Hello again! I emailed Kings a few days ago asking a few questions and they told me they like to see around three days of classroom experience, but you don't need this before you make your application (but they would prefer you have it booked, rather than you planning on doing it). Hope this helps!

As SFE cover teacher training, what is the function of bursaries? :-)

As an extra encouragement to get top quality graduates into teaching.*

Personally I'm hoping to use the bursary and savings to fund my PGCE so I don't need a loan

So we get bursaries for teaching?