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No idea who I'm going to use for my second reference, I don't want to ask the school I did my experience in because they have enough on there plate, I have only had one job and left after four weeks so would feel cheeky asking and I used to volunteer at scouts but haven't done so far 3 years.
I want to apply for 2014 entry.

So far I've volunteered in a school since January 1 day a week, but because of half terms etc it's only totalled about 12 weeks!

I wasn't sure if I wanted to do a PGCE or not, but now I think I definitely do. I really, really miss volunteering in the school since I've finished.

I feel so stupid because I've not arranged any placements for the end of this academic year or anything :frown: So now I'm looking for something in September, to fit around a full time job :/

Was thinking of doing a GCSE in a Modern Foreign Language, just to improve my skills/give me more skills as a teacher.

What else could I do?
Well, after changing my mind about teaching secondary English and opting instead to do a PGCE in primary, I have spent the last week handing out letters to local primary schools begging for a volunteer placement! Today, I had to start going further afield because I had a lot of rejections ("we have too many volunteers", "we don't have space" etc).

I'm happy to say that one school accepted me immediately! I spoke to the principal straight away and she said they were desperate for volunteers so I could start in September! That's 3 full weeks in September plus one day a week from October (when I'll be back at uni). So happy!

I really enjoyed working in secondary, but I do feel that primary is more my thing. I'm glad I've done both so I have realised which is better for me. I think that will be good on my application - that I have tried both so I know for sure where I want to work.

Phew! So glad that's sorted. I'm going to start on my personal statement over summer - anyone else?
Where are you all applying and what are you doing over summer to improve your application?
Anyone going for School Direct as well as the PGCE?

:biggrin:
I'm worried I've not gained enough experience :frown: I have had about 12 days in a Primary School between January and the end of June. Had to stop volunteering unfortunately because my tenancy agreement ran out so had to leave the area.

I'd not arranged anything for before the summer holidays, (because I was going to do a masters instead) and there's nothing I can really do over the summer - would need a new CRB and they take ages. So now I'm kicking myself and so annoyed at myself. So the earliest I'd be able to start anything is September really.

BUT I've got a full-time job so don't know when I'd fit it in! Unless I drop the job and focus on trying to gain experience etc since the job isn't really a job I want career-wise.

I think I have enough experience already (the course requires 10 days). But I'm afraid the uni will think 'Why did she stop volunteering in June?' or 'Why has she not done a block placement' 'Why has she not done anything over the summer etc'.

So I'm hoping to get something like 1 day a week from September onwards just to add to my experience.

I can't really do a block placement say for like a month because I would need a job to have money to live etc so 1 day a week would be my best option.

Would anybody recommend buying my own CRB check, or would the school I was volunteering in have to do the CRB?
I don't have anything useful at all to contribute to this thread - I just stopped by to see how things had changed since my day - but just wanted to wish all of you the very best of luck. I've been teaching for 30 years and it's even 15 since I gave up being PGCE subject mentor, and it seems pretty clear to me that I wouldn't even get a look in if I applied these days! You're all so dedicated and hardworking, I'm sure you will get what you deserve in the end. Good luck again!:smile:
Original post by BabyGirl92
I'm worried I've not gained enough experience :frown: I have had about 12 days in a Primary School between January and the end of June. Had to stop volunteering unfortunately because my tenancy agreement ran out so had to leave the area.

I'd not arranged anything for before the summer holidays, (because I was going to do a masters instead) and there's nothing I can really do over the summer - would need a new CRB and they take ages. So now I'm kicking myself and so annoyed at myself. So the earliest I'd be able to start anything is September really.

BUT I've got a full-time job so don't know when I'd fit it in! Unless I drop the job and focus on trying to gain experience etc since the job isn't really a job I want career-wise.

I think I have enough experience already (the course requires 10 days). But I'm afraid the uni will think 'Why did she stop volunteering in June?' or 'Why has she not done a block placement' 'Why has she not done anything over the summer etc'.

So I'm hoping to get something like 1 day a week from September onwards just to add to my experience.

I can't really do a block placement say for like a month because I would need a job to have money to live etc so 1 day a week would be my best option.

Would anybody recommend buying my own CRB check, or would the school I was volunteering in have to do the CRB?


If they ask for 10 and you have 12 then that should be fine! I doubt they'd wonder why you stopped volunteering - we all have lives to attend to and can't work for nothing forever!

It's not how much you have, it's what you learnt from it blah blah etc etc... :wink:
Original post by BabyGirl92

Would anybody recommend buying my own CRB check, or would the school I was volunteering in have to do the CRB?


I wouldn't, any work i have done in school/with children have all required a separate crb check as they like their own, at one point I had 3 done in a 2 week period because they all refused to accept the others. CRB checks currently aren't even transferable between scouting and guiding despite the massive similarities in the organisations
Original post by BabyGirl92
I'm worried I've not gained enough experience :frown: I have had about 12 days in a Primary School between January and the end of June. Had to stop volunteering unfortunately because my tenancy agreement ran out so had to leave the area.

I'd not arranged anything for before the summer holidays, (because I was going to do a masters instead) and there's nothing I can really do over the summer - would need a new CRB and they take ages. So now I'm kicking myself and so annoyed at myself. So the earliest I'd be able to start anything is September really.

BUT I've got a full-time job so don't know when I'd fit it in! Unless I drop the job and focus on trying to gain experience etc since the job isn't really a job I want career-wise.

I think I have enough experience already (the course requires 10 days). But I'm afraid the uni will think 'Why did she stop volunteering in June?' or 'Why has she not done a block placement' 'Why has she not done anything over the summer etc'.

So I'm hoping to get something like 1 day a week from September onwards just to add to my experience.

I can't really do a block placement say for like a month because I would need a job to have money to live etc so 1 day a week would be my best option.

Would anybody recommend buying my own CRB check, or would the school I was volunteering in have to do the CRB?


I got interviews with 10 days experience, so try not to worry. You need to be able to reflect on what you have learnt in your experience. I did not get in after interview but I have been volunteering more with children this year and feel I have learnt a lot!
It says on UCAS you can apply from 1st November. Sure it was earlier through GTTR or am I completely wrong? At least it gives us more time to have experience by the time we apply.
Original post by polka_dott
I got interviews with 10 days experience, so try not to worry. You need to be able to reflect on what you have learnt in your experience. I did not get in after interview but I have been volunteering more with children this year and feel I have learnt a lot!


Thanks :smile:

Hopefully I can do some more before I apply. If I work a 35 hour a week job, I can try and do say 3 12 hour shifts, which would definitely leave me one week day free to volunteer. Going to try my old primary school. I did work exp there in 6th form, but they have had a new headteacher since and none of the teachers are the same. But the caretaker and office lady is so I will try :smile:
I really need to start thinking about my personal statement! It is something that worries me but with dissertation coming up soon I better get it sorted!
Original post by BabyGirl92
It says on UCAS you can apply from 1st November. Sure it was earlier through GTTR or am I completely wrong? At least it gives us more time to have experience by the time we apply.


It was always supposed to be earlier but pretty much always opened then closed right away and had two weeks of issues which meant it couldn't be accessed.


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Just secured a placement in a secondary school science department starting in Sept. Thankfully!!!!! I have only observed 2 days in a school so far (although I did take a lot away from it!) so I have a lot of catching up to just meet the bare minimum requirements (is it 10 or 14 days?).

P.S Do we need to observe primary too if we are applying for secondary?
Original post by ChelseyElla
I really need to start thinking about my personal statement! It is something that worries me but with dissertation coming up soon I better get it sorted!


Story of my life! My uni is making us start our projects/ dissertations now so the time I was supposed to use for my PS is being used for my final year project!!! It's really thrown a spanner in the works!
Reply 174
Hi, I'm really stuck: I have managed to find a school willing to let me do 5 days of observations in September (hallelujah!) but they have asked me to get a CRB check... I don't know much about CRB except that I can't just apply for myself, right? I emailed back asking for the form and got this:
Here is the link to beginning the CRB procedure (now DBS). We don’t do it as it needs to be done through the official system.

https://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check/overview

But that's where it says you can't do it yourself! Am I missing something really obvious here? Please help!
Reply 175
I have a place on a Secondary SCITT (with PGCE) for a 2013 start with 5 days in a secondary school, 2 of them were after the interview. It does seem as though the University based courses are asking for an awful lot more!
Reply 176
Is the 5 days in the key stage below the same for all courses? I haven't seen any examples of this in the entry requirements. Can you give some examples, perhaps?
Original post by tory88
Is the 5 days in the key stage below the same for all courses? I haven't seen any examples of this in the entry requirements. Can you give some examples, perhaps?


Sometimes they ask you to do it after they give you an offer eg. spend 5 days in a primary school before beginning a secondary PGCE.
Original post by tory88
Is the 5 days in the key stage below the same for all courses? I haven't seen any examples of this in the entry requirements. Can you give some examples, perhaps?


Yeah, as others have said it tends to be a condition of offer, is all. They won't turn you down on the basis that you haven't done any prior to interview.
Hi,

I was just wondering what universities in the south/central London area people were applying for 2014/2015 primary school PGCE? As I am thinking of applying to Kingston, St Mary's, Rosehampton or Goldsmiths ( I don't think I have a strong enough application to apply for IoE) but no idea which ones to apply for!

Also has anyone done a degree in Education Studies (I have a 2.2 from a Russell group Uni) and has this given you any advantage over studying a national curriculum subject? ( I also have after school club/observation experience)

Suffering from a major lack of anyone to discuss this with as all my teacher friends are secondary! so any advice would be much appreciated, thanks.:smile: