Primary Education 2012 - Official Thread
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Original post by ashleyp
does doing terribly at the exams they give you at interviews mean you wont get an offer? anyone know from experience?
The exams they give you at the interviews are just to see that you're up to GSCE English and Maths standard. If you can't pass basic arithmetic or have trouble writing, I'm not sure teaching is the right career choice for you..
Otherwise, you shouldn't get too worried about it. For my interview, we had a dozen odd maths questions ( What is the product of 324 and 108? What is the square root of 144? - that sort of thing ), along with a literacy test, in which we had 10 minutes to write about a topic given to us. Nothing to worry about.
Original post by airlife
Sorry, I left my post on the edit screen whilst I went to make a cup of tea and got myself distracted by the telly!
As for CRB checks, as part of your PGCE application process they'll sort that out for you. However, when I volunteered at school, than ran a quick check [can't remember what it was called, but it only took 24 hours and was done completely via computer. Most importantly, it was free. :P] and they let me start the next week.
As for CRB checks, as part of your PGCE application process they'll sort that out for you. However, when I volunteered at school, than ran a quick check [can't remember what it was called, but it only took 24 hours and was done completely via computer. Most importantly, it was free. :P] and they let me start the next week.
Going to contact my old school, my dad has done a lot of favours for them since me leaving, so I think I stand the best chance getting something with them
Thank you so much for you help
Original post by airlife
The exams they give you at the interviews are just to see that you're up to GSCE English and Maths standard. If you can't pass basic arithmetic or have trouble writing, I'm not sure teaching is the right career choice for you..
Otherwise, you shouldn't get too worried about it. For my interview, we had a dozen odd maths questions ( What is the product of 324 and 108? What is the square root of 144? - that sort of thing ), along with a literacy test, in which we had 10 minutes to write about a topic given to us. Nothing to worry about.
Otherwise, you shouldn't get too worried about it. For my interview, we had a dozen odd maths questions ( What is the product of 324 and 108? What is the square root of 144? - that sort of thing ), along with a literacy test, in which we had 10 minutes to write about a topic given to us. Nothing to worry about.
Im hoping it was just nerves, I have an A at GCSE english and maths, and a B at AS english, so fingers crossed that I've either done better than I thought, or they will take my grades into consideration :s
Original post by ilovehobnobs
Sorry to geg on your thread guys.
Has anyone done volunteering in a school? How did you go about it? Write to local schools? Go in and ask them in person??
Did you have CRB checks already??
I am doing an access to teaching course, and just been told today I need work experience.
Those of you have done/doing the access course- was it a requiremen of your course?
Im studying with the distance learning centre.
PLEASE QUOTE me if you reply! Thanks
Has anyone done volunteering in a school? How did you go about it? Write to local schools? Go in and ask them in person??
Did you have CRB checks already??
I am doing an access to teaching course, and just been told today I need work experience.
Those of you have done/doing the access course- was it a requiremen of your course?
Im studying with the distance learning centre.
PLEASE QUOTE me if you reply! Thanks
Hi, I sent a letter to 3 different schools in my area, 1 of which was my old primary school. My old school rang me and said they'd be happy to take me on as a volunteer and the other 2 never replied to me.
In my letter I mentioned that I really wanted to volunteer because I love supporting children in achieveing their best and that I want to teach in the end.
After volunteering there a year I contacted my local council about volunteering with children of other age groups and eventually got in touch with the out of hours learning sessions that go on in my area, so thats where I volunteer now.
Also some areas have services like VA (Voluntary Action) who will set up a volunteering post for you. Just google them
xxxxxxx
Original post by erryberry
Just wondering if anybody has heard anything from leeds trinity? I've not even had an acknowledgement from them and all my other unis have already replied hahaa x
I haven't heard from them yet either! I applied in December. I rang them about 2 weeks ago to check that they had actually recieved my application and they said yep they had and to take it as a good sign that I hadn't yet heard from them because first they find out all the ones that are definitely being rejected!
xxxxxx
Original post by Nataliecm90
Hi! I've got an interview for Sunderland tomorrow and one for Northumbria on the 29th. Do you have any tips for them? Which interview did you prefer, and what did you do at Sunderland?
Sorry for all the questions - any help you could give me would be great, I'm really nervous!
Sorry for all the questions - any help you could give me would be great, I'm really nervous!
I didn't really have a favourite if I'm honest, they both seemed fairly laid back. Sunderland was a lot shorter though! The only main piece of advice I can give you is to look up on educational issues for Sunderland. It was a huge focus during my interview and it let to a lot of people not knowing what to do because we hadn't been directly asked to look them up. If I'm honest, I think I was the only one in my group who actually knew of any!
Original post by Emmywemmy
The interview was not to bad, it is a group one and you all get to talk individually so its not horrible
They ask you about experiences you've had, why you think you'd be good, what qualities you think you need and have.. All that sort of stuff The tests are okay, I'd say revise all basic maths and a tiny bit of basic GCSE maths.
They ask you about experiences you've had, why you think you'd be good, what qualities you think you need and have.. All that sort of stuff
The tests are okay, I'd say revise all basic maths and a tiny bit of basic GCSE maths.Thank you so much for replying! I get so nervous in interviews even when I know what to say haha
and as for Maths, well it's not my strongest subject! I'm quite nervous for that 
How long does the day last for btw? If you can remember!
Original post by abijo
I'm still waiting for an answer as to whether I've been accepted or rejected soo I won't give any advice for the interview because it might not be good advice if I don't get an offer if that makes sense??
But I can tell you how it all goes?
I had to register at 9 - 9.30 and you get a name badge and it has your group number on and what time your interview is at. You also get a pack with an outline of the day in and a map so you know where everything is.
Then you sit down and about 9.45 they do a presentation on what the day is like and student finance.
At about 11.00 there is a speech on admissions etc, then at 11.30 you get sorted into your groups so either going on a campus tour or going for your interview. At 1pm it is lunch, then at around 2pm you switch over so if you went on the tour you have your interview, and if you had your interview you go on the tour. The day ends at about 3.30.
In my interview there were 8 of us (but I think there was supposed to be 9). We sat around in like a U shape, and the two staff who were interviewing our group was the head of primary Ed and one of the members of staff who would be teaching us. They were really nice but obviously it was really scary.
First they went around the group and asked us our names, where we were from, and what object we had brought with us and why.
After that we were split in half and given a poem to read in our groups, and analyse it. We had to decide what the poem meant, then creatively feedback to the other group.
After that we spoke about our experiences with children, what we had done, what we had learnt about children and how they learn, and what we had learnt about ourselves.
Then at the end, we had to hold a debate about current educational issues, so that was when people were trying to jump in and it was hard to find opportunity to talk.
Then we had to fill in a written evaluation of our performance during the interview and if there was anything we didn't get chance to mention.
Then that was it
It was really strange because I didn't know whether to speak to the staff or the candidates, so I tried to do both, but sometimes the staff weren't even looking because they were writing notes down about something or looking at your UCAS notes, but sometimes they didn't write anything :/ :/
Overall they said they were looking for how well you can work in a team and how you can evaluate what you have learnt in practice.
Hope this helps lol!
xxxxxx
But I can tell you how it all goes?
I had to register at 9 - 9.30 and you get a name badge and it has your group number on and what time your interview is at. You also get a pack with an outline of the day in and a map so you know where everything is.
Then you sit down and about 9.45 they do a presentation on what the day is like and student finance.
At about 11.00 there is a speech on admissions etc, then at 11.30 you get sorted into your groups so either going on a campus tour or going for your interview. At 1pm it is lunch, then at around 2pm you switch over so if you went on the tour you have your interview, and if you had your interview you go on the tour. The day ends at about 3.30.
In my interview there were 8 of us (but I think there was supposed to be 9). We sat around in like a U shape, and the two staff who were interviewing our group was the head of primary Ed and one of the members of staff who would be teaching us. They were really nice but obviously it was really scary.
First they went around the group and asked us our names, where we were from, and what object we had brought with us and why.
After that we were split in half and given a poem to read in our groups, and analyse it. We had to decide what the poem meant, then creatively feedback to the other group.
After that we spoke about our experiences with children, what we had done, what we had learnt about children and how they learn, and what we had learnt about ourselves.
Then at the end, we had to hold a debate about current educational issues, so that was when people were trying to jump in and it was hard to find opportunity to talk.
Then we had to fill in a written evaluation of our performance during the interview and if there was anything we didn't get chance to mention.
Then that was it
It was really strange because I didn't know whether to speak to the staff or the candidates, so I tried to do both, but sometimes the staff weren't even looking because they were writing notes down about something or looking at your UCAS notes, but sometimes they didn't write anything :/ :/
Overall they said they were looking for how well you can work in a team and how you can evaluate what you have learnt in practice.
Hope this helps lol!
xxxxxx
Thanks so much for writing all that out! Having that idea of what it's going to be like makes everything a lot less daunting
It seems a lot different to the York interview I went to last year, we had a group interview discussing what lesson we could plan using a certain object and then the rest was individual interviews so that does sound a bit like you're really competing head on with the other people!
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by ilovehobnobs
Sorry to geg on your thread guys.
Has anyone done volunteering in a school? How did you go about it? Write to local schools? Go in and ask them in person??
Did you have CRB checks already??
I am doing an access to teaching course, and just been told today I need work experience.
Those of you have done/doing the access course- was it a requiremen of your course?
Im studying with the distance learning centre.
PLEASE QUOTE me if you reply! Thanks
Has anyone done volunteering in a school? How did you go about it? Write to local schools? Go in and ask them in person??
Did you have CRB checks already??
I am doing an access to teaching course, and just been told today I need work experience.
Those of you have done/doing the access course- was it a requiremen of your course?
Im studying with the distance learning centre.
PLEASE QUOTE me if you reply! Thanks
Bit late replying here but I know a lot of people have replied to you saying about writing letters etc. I just went into the reception and asked if it would be possible to volunteer and they were more than happy for me to help out and did the CRB check for me after I'd filled in the forms. I've done 8 months experience in an infant school and 3 months in a junior school, but then I've also got a job in a kids club that I originally volunteered at for 3 months until they offered me a job there, so try looking at scouts/brownies/kids clubs too if you have the time, it shows extra effort
Got my interview at Nott Trent on Monday. Unbelievably nervous!
Original post by ashleyp
does doing terribly at the exams they give you at interviews mean you wont get an offer? anyone know from experience?
i must have only got around 3 of the spellings right in my ntu interview and i still got a conditional
...but i guess it all depends what sort of tests they give you; because at the end of the day (especially with something like spelling) you can always learn and be taught how to do it if you're not perfect straight away. i'm guessing the uni's just want to know you have basic skills and understanding of maths/english etc..
Original post by ashleyp
does doing terribly at the exams they give you at interviews mean you wont get an offer? anyone know from experience?
depends where tbh. i had an interview at roehampton and got rejected because "the structure of my essay was not logical" and i had 2 spelling mistakes, so it depends what the uni wants. But they look for different things like grammar, spelling or structure i guess, however, i do r.s, psychology and sport for A level all of which have essay questions.. so it's a bit confusing as to what they actually want
Original post by xAbbyElizabeth
Thank you so much for replying! I get so nervous in interviews even when I know what to say haha and as for Maths, well it's not my strongest subject! I'm quite nervous for that How long does the day last for btw? If you can remember!
and as for Maths, well it's not my strongest subject! I'm quite nervous for that How long does the day last for btw? If you can remember!I think its like that for everyone but honestly it's not bad
erm I think I was out for around 3 but every one has different interview times so it varies
Original post by glitterphobia
Got my interview at Nott Trent on Monday. Unbelievably nervous!
Me too
good luck!
Original post by Chloe-MH
Original post by Chloe-MH
i never got an interview at anglia ruskin, just conditional offer.
Hi Chloe
Have you applied for primary ed QTS as an undergraduate, as i applied for that course at ARU, and i received a letter from them last week, saying TDA have not allocated enough funding and are cancelling the course, this is for primary and early years.
ARU was my first choice, so not very impressed
Ashlie
Original post by Jess1234
i must have only got around 3 of the spellings right in my ntu interview and i still got a conditional
...but i guess it all depends what sort of tests they give you; because at the end of the day (especially with something like spelling) you can always learn and be taught how to do it if you're not perfect straight away. i'm guessing the uni's just want to know you have basic skills and understanding of maths/english etc..
...but i guess it all depends what sort of tests they give you; because at the end of the day (especially with something like spelling) you can always learn and be taught how to do it if you're not perfect straight away. i'm guessing the uni's just want to know you have basic skills and understanding of maths/english etc..
ahh this was at ntu so you've made me feel a bit better
hahah the spelling was horrible! whats worse is I had a few of them right, then doubted myself and changed them Original post by Forddyyy
depends where tbh. i had an interview at roehampton and got rejected because "the structure of my essay was not logical" and i had 2 spelling mistakes, so it depends what the uni wants. But they look for different things like grammar, spelling or structure i guess, however, i do r.s, psychology and sport for A level all of which have essay questions.. so it's a bit confusing as to what they actually want
I do literature and english a levels that are essay subjects and yet im still terrible with grammar and spelling :l haaa probably because I dont read enough, I dunno, but with these subjects I should be able to do english tests but for some reason I cant! haha. Where else have you had interviews?
Original post by Jem_x
On nice, we might be waiting for a long time then!
I really liked the place and the people but it's the entry grades that would put me off How about you? x
I really liked the place and the people but it's the entry grades that would put me off
How about you? xyeah i love the uni, but the grades are very high :/ but if i got an offer, i would put it as my firm!
have you got any other offers? xxOriginal post by RomeoSaveMe
I have an interview for primary ed at Edge Hill next week, i'm pretty nervous!
Has anyone had one there yet?
What should I expect?
Is there anything in particular I should research before hand?
Thanks!
Has anyone had one there yet?
What should I expect?
Is there anything in particular I should research before hand?
Thanks!
I also have a interview at Edge Hill next week, what date is yours?
Has anybody had a interview their already? If so what was it like? What sort of things did they ask from you?
Thanks!
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