PGCE 2014 Applications (NOT FOR SPECIFIC INTERVIEW TASK DISCUSSIONS)

Scroll to see replies

Same, I got it down to 4,000 characters and then realised it was 4,000 characters excluding spaces. Including spaces I'm still about 800 characters over and that's after deleting and editing to within an inch of my life!

How many lines are people devoting to their classroom experience para and what exactly are you saying in it? I've found that explaining just one thing I learnt or observed plus an example takes up 5-10 lines in itself. In other words I've only got room to talk about two aspects of my classroom exp when I could easily talk about 10!

My personal statement talks in broader strokes rather than detailing a particular thing. I have also kept why I want to teach/my motivations to a paragraph too. Ultimately with word editing (I am a copy writer and work as a press officer) you have to be brutal, take each point you have made and rank them in terms of importance; personally I feel a long winded explanation about how Mrs S in Primary School inspired you to teach is not as valuable as a point of experience in a classroom. I am no expert on personal statements of course and without seeing your statement it's hard to tell, but if you can't fit it all in, you have information you don't need in there.

Reply 1261

Esmeralda4

Original post by dan92pne

Ah this makes me feel a bit better then. I work in the admissions dept at a sixth form and I see applications come and go daily and I can tell you nobody even reads the Personal Statements! Hope this isn't all for nothing.

I hope they read it, the stress it is causing! Lol.

Reply 1262

LaurieLee

From what I remember, it is 4000 characters OR 47 lines, WHICHEVER YOU GET TO FIRST. Could be misremembering though!

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 1263

xxstace123xx

Two questions, if anyone has the answers.

Can your references see your personal statement?

Does my school reference need to put the dates I have been there? Or can I just put that in my form?

Thanks!

Reply 1264

polka_dott

With the PS I just had to brutal with mine, use one example for each point I was making and deleting anything I did not feel showed why I wanted to be a teacher and what I had learned from observing classes/teachers.

Mine is 46 lines, so hopefully will be well in the box!

Reply 1265

kpwxx

Original post by womanonamission

Hey guys,

One of the universities that I want to go to (St. Marys in Twickenham) do not specialise in Early Years.

I initially wanted to specialise in Early Years, so am a bit unsure now.

Do you think the specialism will effect me in the future?

Thanks

It depends - do you want to specialise in Early Years because you really like the Early Years ethos, the way of learning, etc? Or is it more that you simply prefer working with the younger children?

Original post by alabelle

I have worked during my time at uni, for over a year. Do you know how much/what sort of evidence is required? Sorry for all the questions, if you have a link to something that talks about this stuff it would be good. :smile:

Just found this http://www.sfengland.slc.co.uk/media/561731/sfe_hyap_1314_d.pdf pg.28.

So it looks like you need to have been in full time work!

Original post by xxstace123xx

Should your principal referee be your academic reference (Lecturer at university) and then Headteacher from school secondary or does it not matter?

Thanks.

The academic one should be the principal reference.

Original post by Airfairy

I accidentally clicked on the undergrad guide when I first looked, and that said or as well haha. Maybe they've changed it since :dontknow:

Original post by LaurieLee

From what I remember, it is 4000 characters OR 47 lines, WHICHEVER YOU GET TO FIRST. Could be misremembering though!

Posted from TSR Mobile

I think this is right! The 'whichever is less' bit. It's just poor phrasing. English is an ambiguous language!

Original post by dan92pne

Remember, you can never fit everything in. As long as you have some examples of being able to reflect on what you've seen then that's fine - you will have had loads of great reflections which you could include and they won't be expecting to see that you've noted this and that key point about education, just that you've noticed SOMETHING :smile:

Original post by xxstace123xx

You can put the dates of your experience, where and a brief note on what you did in the 'Experience' section of the application form.

xxx

Reply 1266

Deja Vu

Original post by Airfairy

I accidentally clicked on the undergrad guide when I first looked, and that said or as well haha. Maybe they've changed it since :dontknow:

The maximum is 4000 characters or 47 lines - depending on which you hit first, that will be your "limit".

But the other poster is right, that means it needs to meet both sets of criteria - being over either one of them will mean it is cut off.

Hope this makes sense! :smile:

Reply 1267

Deja Vu

Also, to anyone worrying whether their personal statement will "fit in the box" on ucas.com - use this tool :smile:

http://maccery.com/ps/

Reply 1268

Deja Vu

Original post by xxstace123xx

No (unless you've shared it with them through other means!).

No they do not have to put in the dates, you yourself put the dates in the experience part of the form - though I doubt it'd matter if your reference mentioned the dates, either! :smile:

Reply 1269

dan92pne

Original post by Deja Vu

Also, to anyone worrying whether their personal statement will "fit in the box" on ucas.com - use this tool :smile:

http://maccery.com/ps/

That's a great little tool, thanks.

Reply 1270

dan92pne

Original post by kpwxx

Yeah you're right. To be honest I think I'm starting to over think it. These 47 lines have been harder to write than my dissertation!

Reply 1271

andy1234567

Wondering if anyone could help me. Im thinking im going to put down nottingham university primary scitt as one of my choices. Basically you apply and have an interview at one of the schools that are part of their scheme. In my region there are 6 schools to try but im just wondering how many places they have at each school? As if its only like 2 each then i may be best applying for a normal pgce course as there is more places. It doesn't make sense to me as the entry requirements are less than their normal pgce route.

Reply 1272

hippygirl

Original post by Esmeralda4

2 days and my personal statement is still miles longer than it should be, and there's way more I could put in! Anyone else having a hard time prioritising?

hey i had the exact same problem and i felt like everything is relevant so what the heck am i supposed to take out. try getting your career advisor, friends, mum, anyone to read it. they will be able to tell you what bits are worth keeping etc then you have to just be SUPER strict with it.

good luck :smile:

Reply 1273

kpwxx

Original post by andy1234567

I think you can use the 'Key Stage Placements' column to figure it out - so if it's KS1 and KS2 you know there are two, one in each.

Of course it's possible they may have more than one in one key stage but I think it's pretty unlikely a school will take on more than 3 trainees in one year, as they obviously still need to ensure they have the full set of skills, understanding, good practice needed to ensure what's best for their children. Also they need the staff to tutor the trainees!

There are more places on the PGCE. The SCITT probably has lower general entry requirements because they are looking for something much more specific in their candidates. My uni said people who were unsure might choose to apply to a PGCE and also a SCITT option through them. They said in this case, they might have an interview with the school and the school says 'They aren't right for SCITT with us, but they would be good on the PGCE'.

If SCITT is the option that you feel would suit you more, and there is a school which you feel you could work well in, I would still put it down, at least as one of your options and give it a go. You don't want to be in a training route that isn't right for you!

xxx

Reply 1274

Airfairy

Quick question - personal statement is 47 lines including spaces. Are you guys going to put spaces in your actual UCAS form or are you going to indent to save room?

Reply 1275

andy1234567

thanks kpwxx

I thought it would only be a couple. I have just looked on the schools website that is closest to me (that is part of their scitt) and on the staff page it lists 2 as trainee teachers so i think that answers my question. Don't know if its worth applying though with the chances so slim. Then again i only have one firm choice at the moment and thats just based on that its close to me. Any other uni would mean me having to move which at the moment isn't a viable option.

Just a thought though, if i emailed a uni asking how many places they have on their primary pgce course would they tell me? Or is there a page somewhere which tells you how many places each uni has? I think they should have to put it on their website. I know Manchester uni has, aswell as how many people they had apply last year.

Reply 1276

starryeyedkid

Having the same problem with my personal statement in that it is just coming in a bit too long and I've already cut loads from it. I'm going to ask one of the English teachers in the school I work in to check it out and get their opinion on it.

I'm still unsure of my choices so far. I'm from N.Ireland but looking at PGCEs in England and currently it's a toss up between Liverpool Hope, Manchester Met, Worcester, Nottingham and Durham. Does anyone know if any of those 5 have a better reputation? I've heard people speaking positive things about Hope as well as Worcester but unsure about the others.

Reply 1277

Descartes93

Help!!

My personal statement is currently at 50 lines...I have a 3 line conclusion - I want to cut this to a line but I'm finding it so difficult saying what I want to in only a sentence. How long is everyone's conclusion? Or are you even doing a conclusion?

Reply 1278

neonlj

I seem to be the opposite of everyone else. I have 43 lines and 3877 words. I don't know if I should be worried?

Its a redux of my ps last year, updated a bit and revised. It got me a few interviews, Im only applying for one course that I also went for last year. This shouldnt be a problem, right?

Nearly 1 day to go!