Anyone had a PGCE interview at Cambridge?

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Good luck with the interview on Friday Rachel I'm sure you will get in!

I have my interview for General Primary tomorrow! Quite excited now, its been such a long time coming I just want it to be here.

I'm going to be reading up on some educational issues and reading the paper that they sent us. So many questions they could ask us about it.

Good luck! I remembered this morning that yours was the day before mine :smile:

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I got sent a paper that I have to read and can annotate which is preparation for a writing task. Guessing the paper is different to yours because mine is an Early Years one. I'm just making sure I know it inside out!
Which educational issues have you covered?

Reply 61

BeeKeeBo

Original post by Rachel-88

Ahh how annoying! Still, at least it was a question on something where you'd have a preference rather than what you think of an issue. I assumed the group activity would be something like a discussion on educational issues but I suppose it could be something entirely different. The individual interview I guessed would be my reasons for teaching and relevance of my degree or something. Guess I'll find out soon! Just worried I'm on the wrong track.

Our group activity was mini-presentations, literally a minute long about a topic of our choice, and we worked on them whilst people were interviewed. We only discussed the white paper because we were waiting for someone to show up, but it's better to be over-prepared! And the interview just goes through your application and picks points about it and lets you chat. I suggest have a reaaaaaally good answer for why the should take you, or why you'd do well there, and why you'd like to be a teacher :smile:

Good luck on friday!

Reply 62

Rachel-88

Original post by BeeKeeBo

Good luck on friday!

Thank you! :smile:

Was yours for Early Years or Primary or Secondary?
I've been told to prepare a two minute presentation already, it hadn't crossed my mind that they might get us to do another one!

Reply 63

jamesjjd100

Got my Cambridge interview coming up soon, getting quite nervous now, my interview is for general primary.

Trying to do some prep, thinking about my answers, reading about education issues etc, all quite daunting!!

Good luck to those with upcoming interviews!!

Reply 64

Rachel-88

Original post by jamesjjd100

Mine is tomorrow for Early Years, eek! Going to get some sleep I reckon! What date is yours? I've been reading the White Paper, looking on the TES website at articles that have come up in response to the White Paper and reading up about views on children with SENs. Hope I've done enough! Not even sure if I'll need any of this for the interview though.

Reply 65

velovelo

Had my interview for General Primary yesterday, and I think it went very well from the parts i remember so fingers crossed. They were very nice and didn't ask any questions to catch you out.

Reply 66

BeeKeeBo

Original post by Rachel-88

Thank you! :smile:

Was yours for Early Years or Primary or Secondary?
I've been told to prepare a two minute presentation already, it hadn't crossed my mind that they might get us to do another one!

Mine was secondary, so it may be a little different. I imagine the presentation you've been told about is the only one, you just have to present it to the group. Hope the interview has gone well :smile:

Reply 67

Rachel-88

Original post by BeeKeeBo

Thank you! :smile:

I'm not sure how it went, I can never tell with these things! We had two group activities in the end and then the presentation after.
Did you get an offer? What's your subject?

Reply 68

jamesjjd100

Original post by Rachel-88

Got mine on the 19th :s-smilie:

yeah sounds similar to the things iv been reading; the white paper etc and iv got a TES article on SEN lined up to read...

Thats my thought as well - hope I've done enough,although people's comments on here do put my mind at rest a bit actually when they say the interviewers are nice and don't try to catch you out etc so fingers crossed everything will go well on the day...

Hope your interview went well!

Reply 69

baie

Original post by velovelo

How did the interview go, have you heard back from them yet?

Reply 70

baie

Original post by jamesjjd100

Good luck to you !, Ive already had my interview and got my place, feel free to PM me with any questions :smile:

Reply 71

Rachel-88

Original post by baie

Good luck to you !, Ive already had my interview and got my place, feel free to PM me with any questions :smile:

How long did you have to wait to hear that you had a place? I only had my interview on Friday and they said two weeks, but I bet I'll keep checking track anyway!

Reply 72

quechua

Original post by Rachel-88

How long did you have to wait to hear that you had a place? I only had my interview on Friday and they said two weeks, but I bet I'll keep checking track anyway!

I had my interview on a Monday and found out I'd got an offer the following Wednesday. Try to limit your track checking... I was so frazzled by the time I found out! Good luck!

Reply 73

Rachel-88

Original post by quechua

I had my interview on a Monday and found out I'd got an offer the following Wednesday. Try to limit your track checking... I was so frazzled by the time I found out! Good luck!

I will hehe :tongue:

. Do you mean the Wednesday of the next week?
Thanks :smile:

and congrats on your place! Which course are you doing?

Reply 74

BeeKeeBo

Original post by quechua

I had my interview on a Monday and found out I'd got an offer the following Wednesday. Try to limit your track checking... I was so frazzled by the time I found out! Good luck!

Should I worry that I had an interview on the 14th Dec and still haven't had a decision from them? Or do you think that's normal cos of xmas? :s-smilie:

Congrats on the place :smile:

Reply 75

Rachel-88

Original post by BeeKeeBo

Should I worry that I had an interview on the 14th Dec and still haven't had a decision from them? Or do you think that's normal cos of xmas? :s-smilie:

Congrats on the place :smile:

What did they say the waiting time was when you had the interview?
I know that all unis have to let GTTR know within 28 days, so if you haven't heard tomorrow you can ring GTTR and they'll chase the decision. Or you could ring the uni direct, when I rang the admissions office for something before submitting my application they were really nice and helpful :smile:

Reply 76

BeeKeeBo

Original post by Rachel-88

They said two weeks, but that it didn't include christmas - just were unclear on when the two weeks waiting time would begin! And I did not know that, that's very reassuring! Thank you :smile:

How did your interview go?

Reply 77

Rachel-88

Original post by BeeKeeBo

They said two weeks, but that it didn't include christmas - just were unclear on when the two weeks waiting time would begin! And I did not know that, that's very reassuring! Thank you :smile:

How did your interview go?

I'd assume you had a week before Christmas and a week after New Year, so I'd have thought you would have heard by Friday. Still, I wouldn't worry about it, they may have been holding off until the funding has been decided which was meant to be January sometime so they know how many people to offer places to. I know some people have heard already but the majority seem to be Primary and you're Secondary aren't you? May just be different departments have different ways of doing it. There are so many Primary applicants they probably had to start making decisions or they'd have got overwhelmed!
My interview was OK i think thanks :smile:

, really hard to tell though! I enjoyed the group activities and the written task and presentation seemed OK, not sure about the individual interview though, they don't give anything away! They were all really nice though and made us feel at ease. Just playing the waiting game now, which isn't much fun as you know!

Reply 78

quechua

Original post by Rachel-88

I will hehe :tongue:

. Do you mean the Wednesday of the next week?
Thanks :smile:

and congrats on your place! Which course are you doing?

Yes, sorry, wednesday of the next week. Thanks :smile:

I'll be doing secondary MFL. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

Reply 79

quechua

Original post by BeeKeeBo

Should I worry that I had an interview on the 14th Dec and still haven't had a decision from them? Or do you think that's normal cos of xmas? :s-smilie:

Congrats on the place :smile:

I would maybe call up or email to ask when you should expect a reply by?? I'm sure they're used to it. Everything has probably just been disrupted by christmas, no news is good news apparently!