[mazza143]

Hi,

I graduated last year and I am currently working in an FE college.

I have always wanted to do teaching, but I didn't pass my maths so it was something which always held me back. This year however I enrolled to do GCSE Maths and will be taking the exam in June. I was under the impression that I would have to get my Grade C in August and apply in October.

My first choice would be to do Primary teaching. However my degree is in Law and is not 50% related to the National Curriculum. Also I do not have any experience of working in a Primary School.

I have contacted the University of my choice and they said that they would accept me onto the PCET for this September 2012 [so would not have to wait for October to apply for the following year] and the offer would be confirmed once I had passed my maths but this would apply to the PCET only not Primary.

I have thought about FE lecturing and the fact that QTLS will now be accepted in Seconday Schools has made me think that the PGCE PCET is a good option.

The problem I am facing is whether to do the PGCE PCET Full time or Part time? If I did the PCET part time, I am aware that Tutition Fees will be covered by Student Finance, however it looks as though they will not provide maintenance grants to part time students. If I was to do the PCET part time I would be able to stay on at work.

If I did the PCET Full Time I would be able get all funding available and finish the PCET quicker. However it would also mean leaving my job and risk not having one after PCET is completed.

I was wondering what advice anyone would be able to offer me. I would want to teach Literacy at PCET not Law as vacancies for Law teachers are very limited.

Thanks in advance.

Maz

[abbyheat]

(Original post by mazza143)
Hi,

I graduated last year and I am currently working in an FE college.

I have always wanted to do teaching, but I didn't pass my maths so it was something which always held me back. This year however I enrolled to do GCSE Maths and will be taking the exam in June. I was under the impression that I would have to get my Grade C in August and apply in October.

My first choice would be to do Primary teaching. However my degree is in Law and is not 50% related to the National Curriculum. Also I do not have any experience of working in a Primary School.

I have contacted the University of my choice and they said that they would accept me onto the PCET for this September 2012 [so would not have to wait for October to apply for the following year] and the offer would be confirmed once I had passed my maths but this would apply to the PCET only not Primary.

I have thought about FE lecturing and the fact that QTLS will now be accepted in Seconday Schools has made me think that the PGCE PCET is a good option.

The problem I am facing is whether to do the PGCE PCET Full time or Part time? If I did the PCET part time, I am aware that Tutition Fees will be covered by Student Finance, however it looks as though they will not provide maintenance grants to part time students. If I was to do the PCET part time I would be able to stay on at work.

If I did the PCET Full Time I would be able get all funding available and finish the PCET quicker. However it would also mean leaving my job and risk not having one after PCET is completed.

I was wondering what advice anyone would be able to offer me. I would want to teach Literacy at PCET not Law as vacancies for Law teachers are very limited.

Thanks in advance.

Maz

I have no idea what the PCET is so I can't help you there.

What I can tell you though is that a friend of mine is starting a Primary PGCE in September and she has a Law degree so it's definitely possible.

[evantej]

(Original post by mazza143)
Hi,

I graduated last year and I am currently working in an FE college.

I have always wanted to do teaching, but I didn't pass my maths so it was something which always held me back. This year however I enrolled to do GCSE Maths and will be taking the exam in June. I was under the impression that I would have to get my Grade C in August and apply in October.

My first choice would be to do Primary teaching. However my degree is in Law and is not 50% related to the National Curriculum. Also I do not have any experience of working in a Primary School.

I have contacted the University of my choice and they said that they would accept me onto the PCET for this September 2012 [so would not have to wait for October to apply for the following year] and the offer would be confirmed once I had passed my maths but this would apply to the PCET only not Primary.

I have thought about FE lecturing and the fact that QTLS will now be accepted in Seconday Schools has made me think that the PGCE PCET is a good option.

The problem I am facing is whether to do the PGCE PCET Full time or Part time? If I did the PCET part time, I am aware that Tutition Fees will be covered by Student Finance, however it looks as though they will not provide maintenance grants to part time students. If I was to do the PCET part time I would be able to stay on at work.

If I did the PCET Full Time I would be able get all funding available and finish the PCET quicker. However it would also mean leaving my job and risk not having one after PCET is completed.

I was wondering what advice anyone would be able to offer me. I would want to teach Literacy at PCET not Law as vacancies for Law teachers are very limited.

Thanks in advance.

Maz

It does not sound like you know what you want to do to be honest.

Nevertheless, you can do the PGCE PCET part- or full-time. In practice you will not be able to do the PCET part-time, also known as in service, because you are required to have 150 hours worth of teaching practice within a certain time frame. Unless you are already employed in a teaching position you will never gain this and no training provider will take you on. The part-time inservice route is therefore generally for people who are currently employed as teachers but seeking accreditation; the best example is vocational tutors.

Now, if you decided what your primary aim was then I could advise you. If you want a flexible qualification then do the PGCE PCET full time and specialise in literacy. You will probably struggle to get primary and secondary jobs anyway, but they cannot - in practice - dismiss you out of hand. If you want to teach in FE then there is a part-time route. The PGCE PCET is basically made up of three teaching components; their acronyms being PTTLS, CTTLS and DTTLS. The PTTLS can be studied part-time or full-time around your working schedule. Your local college will run this course multiple times per year. Part-time might be something like six hours per week over ten weeks. Full-time courses might take one week intensively (a bit like CELTA qualifications, if you are familiar with them). If you have a PTTLS qualification there is nothing stopping you teaching in FE right now. If you are employed you will merely be encouraged to complete the CTTLS and DTTLS within a certain time frame (two years), though it will depend upon your contract.