Any PGDE applicants heard back?

There are very few Scottish applicants on TSR - I was one of the only few last year, didn't really come across anyone else!

Most of the interviews were in the new year last year from Jan to March sort of time.
Aberdeen let me know about a month before the interview, which was in the middle of Jan although this was for primary.

History courses filled up ridiculously quick last year, just so you're aware! I don't know how far you'll get beyond your first choice as last year regardless of the actual PGDE subject it was essentially that if you were rejected from your first choice everywhere else was no longer accepting applications. Unless you want to do Gaelic medium, that is! :smile:

Reply 2

thanks for that. Yes, I had feared it would be the case. I have little hope of getting in this year anyway, but have applied all the same, because you never know (and there have been extenuating circumstances for my lack of experience).

Yeah, hardly seen any PGDE posts, where do they all hide instead? Strathclyde have come out and said they will automatically reject anyone that doesn't put them first choice! Harsh I thought, though maybe it's actually just them being more honest, as you intimated.

Reply 3

Original post by Retro21

Strathclyde have come out and said they will automatically reject anyone that doesn't put them first choice! Harsh I thought, though maybe it's actually just them being more honest, as you intimated.

Its by default rather than them actually having that policy.

If you were rejected by your first choice it is pretty much certain that Strathclyde will have stopped accepting applications by that stage so they will reject you by refusing to accept your application in the first place. They know this meaning they want all of the candidates to put them first as then they get the best pickings, as most other people (regardless of how good they are) just won't get a look in after their first choice meaning Strathclyde (and education generally!) could lose out on a lot of good candidates who had them as their 2nd choice if they don't try and sway applicants into listing them first.

Aye yeah, certainly apply! I didn't mean it in that kind of negative manner, it was more a comment based on my experiences last year. You'll probably find the TES forums more helpful than TSR in terms of the PGDE process, they have a specific Scottish forum area and last year there were threads for each subject/university with a lot more applicants than on TSR :smile:

Reply 4

live4ska

Hi guys!

Nice to find a place to chat about the PGDE!

I found out today that I have an interview for the PGDE Primary at Glasgow! Quite excited about it, but scared about the 5 min lesson I will have to plan!!

Ali

Reply 5

thanks oxy, that's great help.

Nice one ali! Is that with the catholic side course?

Reply 6

Waiting for news from Strathclyde. Waiting to do a PGDE in Computing so its driving me crazy cause I really want it

Reply 7

when did you send off your application anger?

Reply 8

SABoyle89

I am waiting to hear back from my first choice which is Strathclyde and my second choice is Glasgow but I don't want to go there cause I heard bad things about it. Not feeling to confident at the moment. :confused:

Does anyone know what they will do if they don't get in?

Reply 9

be patient and re-apply myself, after some indecision about my future, I realise that teaching is what I want to do. You?

What did you hear about Glasgow? I went there for my normal degree and loved it, though that was thanks to their fantastic history department.

Reply 10

Original post by SABoyle89

Does anyone know what they will do if they don't get in?

If your circumstances permit the move, you can apply in England. There are a lot more places available as there are more universities and the sheer cuts in places haven't affected English universities like in Scotland.

This is what I did and I'm so glad I made the decision. I really didn't want to leave my life/boyfriend but it was a choice of that or waiting a year to see if I got a place in Scotland this year, which could easily not happen. I had no issues getting a place in England, I'd originally contemplated going to England to do the course anyway so had looked at universities then when my Aberdeen rejection came through I just applied to my first choice in England as it was still accepting applications :smile:

The only thing which is hard is that my boyfriend is now 600 miles from me, but we're doing okay :smile:

There are a number of Scots on my course as well as a group from Northern Ireland and another from the Irish Republic as they had the same intense competition for only few places like we did.

Reply 11

paying your own fees though right, how much is that?

Reply 12

SABoyle89

I had a friend ho did a PGDE at Glasgow last year and she said she got half the teaching time that she would have got if she had gone anywhere else she also said they were unhelpful and generally she did not like it. England really isn't a option for me. Paying fees isnt a problem as I currently do that anyway. My other options are a job, social work or community ed but my heart is set on teaching.

Reply 13

well, I am hoping for entry 2012, so I'll be getting a part time job that gives me the freedom to do some teaching experience for the next year and a bit. Trouble is finding the job.

Reply 14

Original post by Retro21

paying your own fees though right, how much is that?

You're eligible for a loan, the fees are £3200.

However, if you train in England you're also eligible for a bursary (in addition to the tuition fee and maintenance loan) of between £4000 and £9000 depending on your subject. This is non repayable and isn't income assessed, everyone gets it. Meaning even though you do have to pay fees, the bursary will cover the cost of them.

SABoyle89 - I don't see how that is possible. There are a set number of days everyone has to spend in school in order to pass the year and given it equates to most of the school year (I am on a 39 week course, 26 weeks of those are spent in school) there isn't really a chance for someone to have "half of the teaching time" that you'd have elsewhere as there aren't enough weeks in the year. Or, on the other hand if you mean time in university, there are only about 10 weeks of uni in the year because you're in school constantly, this is standard where ever you go. Obviously I don't know about your friends situation, but I don't really see how your claim about only having half of the time of other courses is actually possible given how strictly timetabled courses have to be to fit in all of the days at school plus the input sessions at university.

Reply 15

Original post by Retro21

when did you send off your application anger?

The day the applications opened was it the 10th OCt cant remember lol They got back to me a week or so ago wanting to see my modules from my degree sent that off by email and it's gone a bit quiet again lol

I am English myself so i'm having to pay regardless.

I would be careful with the English PGCE's as I heard most Scottish Schools and abroad wont consider them without an additional qualification. This is why my training up in Scotland and the fact the whole university structure for education is awesome :smile:

and that I'm planning to move up to Scotland permanently anyways lol

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 16

Original post by beautifulanger

I would be careful with the English PGCE's as I heard most Scottish Schools and abroad wont consider them without an additional qualification. This is why my training up in Scotland and the fact the whole university structure for education is awesome :smile:

and that I'm planning to move up to Scotland permanently anyways lol

This isn't true.

I'll be moving back to Scotland at some stage and I also plan to work abroad.

If you have a PGCE and QTS in England then you can teach in Scotland providing you register with the Scottish GTC. If you did the GTP or Teach First routes in England then you can't work in Scotland or abroad because they aren't actual teaching qualifications in the same manner as the PGCE/PGDE. The only thing that is different is the actual curriculum you learn/teach on the course, but given all of the educational upheavals this is hardly a problem because you constantly have to learn new government policies of teaching anyway.

Yes, Scottish schools would prefer you to have experience in Scotland as you're familiar with the setting but if you didn't train in Scotland it doesn't mean your qualification isn't recognised. You may have to take a lower position than you had in England at first as you're expected to do a probationer year before you get your full registration, similar to your first real year of teaching, but you can still work. I did A LOT of research into this before I did my application last year as this is something I need to know as I see my life panning between Scotland and England due to my boyfriend's job and other commitments. I think its easier to go from Scotland to England, but the reverse isn't impossible by any means. The main reason its easier is down to jobs, essentially.

The main issue is getting the job in the first place though and this is why I'm so glad I haven't trained in Scotland as if I did, I'm pretty much guaranteed to be unemployed after my probationer year as there just aren't enough jobs to go around, which is why all of the PGDE places were dramatically cut last year. Where I am now though, the job situation is fine for primary NQTs so I'll be staying in London for a few years at least :smile:

In terms of outside of the UK, given a substantial number of international schools operate a British curriculum (primarily meaning English with GCSE and A level rather than Scottish) it would be rather odd if they didn't accept English trained teachers, wouldn't it? There are 6 or 7 training providers in Scotland, in England there must be over 100. Their teachers have to come from somewhere!

Reply 17

SABoyle89

Original post by oxymoronic

You're eligible for a loan, the fees are £3200.

SABoyle89 - I don't see how that is possible. There are a set number of days everyone has to spend in school in order to pass the year and given it equates to most of the school year (I am on a 39 week course, 26 weeks of those are spent in school) there isn't really a chance for someone to have "half of the teaching time" that you'd have elsewhere as there aren't enough weeks in the year. Or, on the other hand if you mean time in university, there are only about 10 weeks of uni in the year because you're in school constantly, this is standard where ever you go. Obviously I don't know about your friends situation, but I don't really see how your claim about only having half of the time of other courses is actually possible given how strictly timetabled courses have to be to fit in all of the days at school plus the input sessions at university.

When I say half the teaching time what I mean is at Strathclyde you are in Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm and at Glasgow she was in one day a week and she didnt feel she was being taught at much if she had gone elsewhere. On the whole Glasgow has a bad reputation for PGDE.

Reply 18

Original post by oxymoronic

This isn't true.

I'll be moving back to Scotland at some stage and I also plan to work abroad.

If you have a PGCE and QTS in England then you can teach in Scotland providing you register ....

I hope your right :smile:

I just got told from a teacher in England that tried to get a job in Scotland and found that to teach she had to have a qualification that took and extra 6 month I cant for the life of me remember what it was... Either way I'm going to take your word for it seen as you have to alot of research :smile:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 19