Primary PGCE - Chichester 2012/13
Where prospective and current students can talk about anything related to life at the University of Chichester.
-
- Reputation:
- New Member
- Location: Portsmouth
- Posts: 9
Re: Primary PGCE - Chichester 2012/13Hi Everyone
I have got on to the Primary PGCE at Chichester for 2013/2014 and was just wondering what the preparatory work is like?
According to admissions: 'Reading lists and information relating to your course will be shown on your Admissions Portal in the months leading up to the start of the course, so you will need to access your Admissions Portal on a regular basis'
The problem is, I really wanted to spend August travelling. I finish my degree on 21st May 2013 so I could spend June and July doing the reading before I go away, however it depends on whether the information goes up on the portal that early.
When were you informed of what work you needed to do prior to the course starting? And what was the work like - was it absolutely vital for you to work throughout the whole summer?
Any advice/guidance would be much appreciated!
Thanks
Lisa
x -
- Reputation:
- New Member
- Posts: 17
Re: Primary PGCE - Chichester 2012/13Well done for getting your place
You'll be fine going travelling, enjoy your freedom!
This year the preparation information was available at the start of July, I believe. Mostly just small tasks that don't take long to complete, but they do ask you to catch up on reading a range of children's literature and keep a log, something which you can do over the summer while you're free.
PM me your email address and I can send you last year's preparation document if you like. -
- Reputation:
- New Member
- Location: Portsmouth
- Posts: 9
Re: Primary PGCE - Chichester 2012/13Thank you!
I've actually just noticed that they have put last years preparation document on the portal, so I am assuming that once they put the 2013/2014 document up it will be very similar - thank you though. Doesn't look too bad actually, I've got a couple of months to do it all so I think I can go travelling guilt free x
-
- Reputation:
- Junior Member
- Posts: 35
Re: Primary PGCE - Chichester 2012/13Got my interview here on the 16th January. Feeling a little nervous as I hear it's very competitive to get a place! What was your interview like? I'm quite interested to know what exactly the paired interviews involve? Do you and another both get interviewed at the same time?
-
- Reputation:
- New Member
- Posts: 17
Re: Primary PGCE - Chichester 2012/13Well done for getting an interview date. Going by my experience last year, it is a pretty straightforward process. We had a brief test on numeracy (fractions, percentages...), then a short written task to check spelling and grammar.
The paired interview involved us being taken out in twos (there were several interviewers) and having a reasonably informal chat to a tutor from the university and a head from a partner school. Expect to chat about experiences you've had at school, such as behaviour management and inclusion. We also picked a random item from a bag (I had a slinky) and suggested an idea of how we could use it in a lesson.
Everybody was very friendly and tried to make us feel as relaxed as possible! -
- Reputation:
- Junior Member
- Posts: 35
Re: Primary PGCE - Chichester 2012/13Thanks for the reassurance! I'm still struggling with how to deal with the mystery item. I mean, what do they want you to say? Do they want you to outline a lesson plan? Or just hint at how it could be used? Does it require good knowledge of the curriculum? Sorry for all the questions, just nervous and want to be as prepared as possible!(Original post by adi2pgce)
Well done for getting an interview date. Going by my experience last year, it is a pretty straightforward process. We had a brief test on numeracy (fractions, percentages...), then a short written task to check spelling and grammar.
The paired interview involved us being taken out in twos (there were several interviewers) and having a reasonably informal chat to a tutor from the university and a head from a partner school. Expect to chat about experiences you've had at school, such as behaviour management and inclusion. We also picked a random item from a bag (I had a slinky) and suggested an idea of how we could use it in a lesson.
Everybody was very friendly and tried to make us feel as relaxed as possible! -
- Reputation:
- New Member
- Location: Portsmouth
- Posts: 9
Re: Primary PGCE - Chichester 2012/13Well done for getting an interview and good luck!(Original post by sexwithacentaur)
Got my interview here on the 16th January. Feeling a little nervous as I hear it's very competitive to get a place! What was your interview like? I'm quite interested to know what exactly the paired interviews involve? Do you and another both get interviewed at the same time?
My interview wasn't as scary as I thought - everyone at my interview day was really nice and I didn't actually feel too intimated by the interviewers as they were really friendly.
No idea if it's the same for everyone, but if it helps my day went like this! ...
First we had a presentation about the content of the course and then we did a group 'ice breaker' exercise where we had to rank some pictures in an agreed upon order. They were pictures of PGCE students studying and working with children. We decided to rank ours in order of which involved the most creativity - for example the first picture was of children surrounded by loads of arts and crafts materials, and the last picture was of PGCE students studying at Uni.
We went straight on to watch a video of a teacher teaching a class fractions. Can't remember everything we had to do - but had to work out a question about fractions using the method she had shown. We also had to write about what we thought was good about the lesson and what could be improved. There was also a bit in there where we had to mark a child's work on fractions and decimals, and write a suggestion for what we thought she needed to improve on. It was all basic - don't worry too much about it.
The there was an optional campus tour - I didn't go on this, I just got some lunch and looked through my notes.
You then go back in to the room and get put into groups, and each group is assigned two interviewers who will interview everyone in the group one pair at a time. A lot of people didn't want to go first so I volunteered to do so - I think the more you wait the more you over think things!
In the interview I was with another lady and they would ask a question and each time a different one of you would go first (so that you both get a bit of time to think so it's fair!). Just be yourself, be confident, don't act nervous. Just be enthusiastic. I came out kicking myself not thinking I complemented my personal statement at all, and I honestly still don't think I did even though I'm on the course - but what I did do was keep positive and leave my nervousness outside of the interview room. It will go so quick and you will be annoyed you didn't get to say everything you wanted to. Questions I remember being asked:
- How would you show respect to a child?
- What do you think is a barrier to learning?
- What is useful from your degree to teaching?
- What else would you like to tell us? (At this point I showed them some 'fun' consent forms I had put together for children to complete, as part of my dissertation).
We had to pick a mystery object out of a bag and talk about how we would use it in the classroom. Mine had bubble wrap, a couple of rocks and some dolls. The teacher in my class where I volunteer put loads of emphasis on being creative so try to be creative and enthuastic rather than trying to say the right thing. Really easy to link things to literacy - any one of those objects could be part of a random scenario/story which you could get children to write about and also cross link with other subjects such as science e.g bubblewrap = science, materials.
That's all I can remember really. It went so quick. And also, I was advised by teachers in my school to power dress for Chichester. You can't over dress even if you think you have. I wore a black pencil skirt, heels (but small ones which I could walk normally in), cream blouse and black suit jacket and a smart black bag.
I also took a portfolio of things just in case - e.g. my dissertation stuff and other stuff to do with schools for example lesson ideas I particularly liked (some slide shows on kung fu punctuation). I also took a book which I liked, as on the specification it said they were going to ask me about reading which they actually didn't - but I had some ideas of what I would say about it like how to use it as part of a literacy/PSHE lessons. I think having these things with you and looking smart, even if you dont use them, just make you look keen,
Don't know what else to say and I know it's easier said then done but just relax and be yourself and draw on your experience where you can. I think the whole point is that they want to meet you and get a sense of who you are to go with what you've written on paper.
Hope this helps and good luck
oh - and with the mystery object you only get 60 seconds which feels like about 2! so don't worry about trying to demonstrate detailed knowledge about the curriculum. talk about it generallyLast edited by lrandall7; 05-01-2013 at 17:57. Reason: forgot something! -
- Reputation:
- New Member
- Posts: 14
Re: Primary PGCE - Chichester 2012/13(Original post by adlewis88)
Hey guys,
Im on a pgce course for this year! Its in secondary History.
You guys living near campus or commuting? I'm worried I'm the only PGCE person living in Bognor! Ha
Andy
I hope you're enjoying the course. I have an interview for Secondary History on Thursday, just wondering if you could tell me anything about what the interview might involve? I'm so nervous!! -
- Reputation:
- Junior Member
- Posts: 35
Re: Primary PGCE - Chichester 2012/13Thank you so much! I hope everyone who has an interview at Chichester reads that message, it's definitely put my mind at ease. Seems the things I have been stressing about most are possibly the most insignificant parts of the interview. I really like the fact the interview appears to be quite relaxed, I can't stand having to act overtly formal, I always feel like I come across disingenuous. At least in these types of interviews you can act more like a real human being.(Original post by lrandall7)
Well done for getting an interview and good luck!
My interview wasn't as scary as I thought - everyone at my interview day was really nice and I didn't actually feel too intimated by the interviewers as they were really friendly......
I'm currently preparing a little booklet with photos of the activities I've undertaken with the kids whilst on my work experience, along with a short paragraph underneath. Hopefully I'll get an opportunity to show them this at some point in the interview and score some bonus points!
Another quick question regarding dress code. I was planning on coming dressed semi-formal, so - smart trousers, shirt, tie and a sweater. But you mentioned that you should power dress. Should I consider wearing a suit instead? I wanted to come dressed how I would to a class room/ semi relaxed (mainly for my own comfort).
Was your interview for a primary PGCE? I'm not too sure how I could relate my degree in Criminology to primary teaching. I guess I learnt key skills like time keeping, organising and presentation skills but the actual content of the course isn't too relevant.
Thanks again for your message, really appreciated! -
- Reputation:
- New Member
- Location: Portsmouth
- Posts: 9
Re: Primary PGCE - Chichester 2012/13No worries(Original post by sexwithacentaur)
Thank you so much! I hope everyone who has an interview at Chichester reads that message, it's definitely put my mind at ease. Seems the things I have been stressing about most are possibly the most insignificant parts of the inter.... And the guys at my interview were wearing the kind of thing you described - I don't remember any of them being in suits actually so I think that will be okay! I think it's different for girls really - sometimes just a blouse and trousers can look a bit casual but the difference between smart and not smart seems a bit more clear cut for guys!
And yeah my interview was for primary. I do Sociology for my degree, which isn't really that relevant either. But in the barriers to learning question I brought things up like social class and social mobility. I know a lot of people who do combined sociology and criminology at my uni so perhaps criminology touches on some of the same kinds of themes. In terms of relevance to the curriculum I just mentioned all the reading and essays I have to do which relates to literacy skills. I did already mention that in my statement though so try and think of something you haven't already said - I just got nervous and repeated myself! Again, I don't know how similar criminology is to sociology but one idea I had which I didn't mention was that even though it's not a life science, social science has the principles of scientific inquiry like hypotheses, carrying out research, drawing up results, concluding etc.
The booklet idea sounds cool, if you don't get to show it throughout the interview then you can show them at the end when they ask if you have anything else you want to say
-
- Reputation:
- New Member
- Posts: 3
Re: Primary PGCE - Chichester 2012/13I had my interview a couple of weeks ago and have got an unconditional offer so will be seeing some of you in Sept I guess? I have seen on the tes forums that someone might be going to start a Chichester PGCE 2013/14 group on Facebook so we can all chat and share prep work before Sept?
I look forward to seeing you all in Sept though and good luck with the prep work, it looks like we all have A LOT of reading a head of us.
Ben -
- Reputation:
- New Member
- Posts: 3
Re: Primary PGCE - Chichester 2012/13For anyone who is on the Chichester PGCE 2013/14 there is a Facebook group if you want to join up and chat with a few people who will be there in September as well. http://www.facebook.com/groups/415190405241173/
