The Official Scottish Primary Teaching (PGDE) Thread - 2015 Applicants

OP

I think it's the 15th January. I've no idea if applying earlier improves your chances tbh. I hate the idea of having to wait until around february to find out if I'm getting an interview! Working on my personal statement now.. :frown:

Reply 21

vclark10

I think its January 15th for the deadline. What kind of experience does everyone have, are you in relevant ish jobs to teaching? I'm also wondering what the best reference to go for is, university or employer can't decide?

Reply 22

vclark10

Didn't see your comment there saphire blue. Started on personal statement to...bleurgh.

Reply 23

taguey

Application done and sent :s Its a looong wait now!!

Reply 24

SaphireBlue

OP

Original post by vclark10

I think its January 15th for the deadline. What kind of experience does everyone have, are you in relevant ish jobs to teaching? I'm also wondering what the best reference to go for is, university or employer can't decide?

My background is in law, currently work for a charity and other jobs have been in shops etc so no I have no paid experience even remotely relevant to teaching! I really hope this doesn't go against me. I saw a thread on a different website from a few years back and people were saying they had like 10 years experience as a classroom assistant and got knocked back 3 times! It made me concerned about my own chances...

Does anyone know yet if you're better submitting it earlier or will no one hear back until after 15th January anyway? How is everyone getting on with personal statements?

Reply 25

samkxo

Original post by SaphireBlue

My background is in law, currently work for a charity and other jobs have been in shops etc so no I have no paid experience even remotely relevant to teaching! I really hope this doesn't go against me. I saw a thread on a different website from a few years back and people were saying they had like 10 years experience as a classroom assistant and got knocked back 3 times! It made me concerned about my own chances...

Does anyone know yet if you're better submitting it earlier or will no one hear back until after 15th January anyway? How is everyone getting on with personal statements?

My background is in marketing, with minimal experience (some classroom experience but from around 5 years ago). I'm worried about this too, but I've read that many people who have got in have also had little experience but have obviously impressed with their personal statement/interview.

My plan is to reduce my hours in work to accommodate one day per week in a school for experience until I would stop work to (hopefully) begin the course. I hope to submit my application the first few weeks in December. I'm not sure how when you submit your application affects success rates but I'd hope not much. I'd assume that no one will hear back til after the application deadline. How is your personal statement going? I'm lucky enough to have a few teachers around me, so going to have them look over mine for some feedback.

Reply 26

bordercollies10

Hi all,
I'm going to apply for this type of PGDE too, I was thinking of applying to UWS, Glasgow and Strathclyde, but I have a few questions:
When is the start date, and deadline, for the initial application cycle?
I have approx. 10 days of observation in primary schools, including a day at a SEN school. On top of this, I assist with a primary kids' club for one evening a week (since the start of this academic year) and get paid to work with teenagers for one afternoon per week too. During this summer, I also spent 5 days assisting with a primary kids' holiday club. Is this level of experience sufficient for a PGDE application?
My BSc is in computing, and I already satisfy the maths and English requirements. I'm currently working towards my honours; should I try to aim for a, for instance, 2:1 in my honours year, or is a BSc fine for a PGDE?

If anyone here can help, I'd be eternally grateful :-D

Reply 27

SaphireBlue

OP

Original post by bordercollies10

Hi all,
I'm going to apply for this type of PGDE too, I was thinking of applying to UWS, Glasgow and Strathclyde, but I have a few questions:
When is the start date, and deadline, for the initial application cycle?
I have approx. 10 days of observation in primary schools, including a day at a SEN school. On top of this, I assist with a primary kids' club for one evening a week (since the start of this academic year) and get paid to work with teenagers for one afternoon per week too. During this summer, I also spent 5 days assisting with a primary kids' holiday club. Is this level of experience sufficient for a PGDE application?
My BSc is in computing, and I already satisfy the maths and English requirements. I'm currently working towards my honours; should I try to aim for a, for instance, 2:1 in my honours year, or is a BSc fine for a PGDE?

If anyone here can help, I'd be eternally grateful :-D

I think you'd be better off doing your honours year because the uni websites say that even though an ordinary degree is the minimum requirement, they get loads of apps from people with honours so you might reduce your chance if you don't do honours. Also, a lot of jobs say you need an honours degree so that covers your back if you later decide to switch from teaching to something else.

Reply 28

samkxo

I'm a bit worried about experience. What does everyone else have? I should have between 10-15 days recent classroom observation days (plus a few weeks worth from a few years ago) by the time I apply. I just feel that isn't enough? I'm also trying to find a group that need leaders like brownies or girl guides that need volunteers and I plan on continuing classroom observation until I would (hopefully) start the course.

Reply 29

vclark10

Hey, Are you putting in your statement that you are continuing your classroom observations? I'm planning on doing that too but not sure if I should mention it/ there isn't much room! I'm currently working with young people who have autism/challenging behaviour. I was an art teacher at a summer camp a few years ago and worked as a sledging instructor with young kids last year. However I only got a 2:2 in my degree. I'm not sure if this is what they are looking for or not either! Also wondering about my layout of personal statement... I have put my most recent experience in the classroom first, not sure if I should do it that way or start from my earliest experience... hmm any ideas?

Reply 30

samkxo

Original post by vclark10

Hey, Are you putting in your statement that you are continuing your classroom observations? I'm planning on doing that too but not sure if I should mention it/ there isn't much room! I'm currently working with young people who have autism/challenging behaviour. I was an art teacher at a summer camp a few years ago and worked as a sledging instructor with young kids last year. However I only got a 2:2 in my degree. I'm not sure if this is what they are looking for or not either! Also wondering about my layout of personal statement... I have put my most recent experience in the classroom first, not sure if I should do it that way or start from my earliest experience... hmm any ideas?

I'm just worried that I will have too little experience! I am planning on mentioning that I am going to continue classroom observations as it shows commitment to the course I think. I'd go with most recent first to further most experience, that's how I'm doing it anyway! How many days of classroom observation are you planning before you submit?

Reply 31

vclark10

Cool thanks, yeah I think I will write it in that order too. By the end of next week I'll have done 10 days experience. Hopefully get it sent off then but not sure i keep changing my statement every time I look at it! Have you been been working with a range of ages at school?

Reply 32

Becka132

Does anyone know if it matters what subject your degree is in for Primary? Mine is in Photography! I want to apply to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde. As for experience, I did one afternoon a week in a primary school when I was in 6th year (4 years ago now), 4 years experience with a Rainbow unit (finished 4 years ago too), and I've au paired for the last 14 months in Ireland - as of January (or sooner if I can get it sorted sooner!) I'm going to be going into a Preschool two mornings a week too... Anyone got any idea if this is enough?! I'm already starting to worry I'm just not good enough for it!

Reply 33

puddleduck81

I applied to Glasgow, Strathclyde, Uni West of Scotland and Dundee. Im also going to be applying to Durham, Northumbria and UEA when the English PGCE application portal opened. Im a Brit in Australia at the moment so hoping if i get interviews they will all be close together so i can just fly back the once!
I have about 3 weeks teaching experience in an Australian primary school, i teach religious education as a volunteer to kids in our parish who go to non-faith based schools, and i have 2 weeks in an English primary school 9 years ago. About half the unis i sent enquiries to said they wouldn't even consider my application if i didn't have 2 weeks experience in an English/Scottish school before i applied, and it had to be within the last 2 years. The unis i mentioned above all said the would consider Aussie experience.

Reply 34

Ethic811W

error

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 35

SaphireBlue

OP

That's mine sent in now! Ended up applying for Glasgow and Strathclyde. How is everyone else getting on? Does anyone know if they assess as they're submitted and interviews start before Christmas or will we have to wait 'til January before they even start looking? Delighted to now be free from personal statement hell, but the wait is going to kill me!

Reply 36

kellyanna7

Hi I applied last year and didnt get in, got to interview stage and just froze at interview, cant believe I got that far and blew it. Just hoping I get an interview again this year as its been a long wait :frown:

This waiting is a nightmare i submitted my application 2 weeks ago. Be good to have support this year :wink:

Reply 37

samkxo

I feel so underprepared with everyone submitting now! I wasn't planning to submit until Christmas. Let's hope that the time you submit doesn't affect your chances! :frown:

what month are interviews normally in?

Reply 38

vclark10

I sent my application a couple of weeks ago to a few different uni's, some have only just confirmed they have my application. Glasgow got in touch yesterday and said interviews start from December- February so they are obviously not waiting until the deadline to make decisions x

Reply 39

vclark10

not sure about other universities interview dates though!

The Official Scottish Primary Teaching (PGDE) Thread - 2015 Applicants

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