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PGCE - Current Students Thread

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Original post by Airfairy
I have heard that teachers aren't even allowed days off for funerals. Is this true? My nan is in hospital and the doctors said they don't think she is going to pull through. Do I just ask for a day off for a funeral? I'm going - that is non-negotiable, but wondering how to ask.


Sorry to hear this Airfairy. My Nan passed away the week before I started at my school so I had to email the Head to ask for a day off before I'd even met her. She was absolutely lovely though and I had the day off without any problems at all. I'd be really shocked if a school didn't allow you time off.
Do you start your supporting statement with Dear Mr/Ms/Mrs *Headteacher's surname*? Sorry I know its a silly question, this is because I'm about to send off my application form and starting to get a bit nervous :s
Original post by Red Lightning
Do you start your supporting statement with Dear Mr/Ms/Mrs *Headteacher's surname*? Sorry I know its a silly question, this is because I'm about to send off my application form and starting to get a bit nervous :s


It depends - are they asking for a supporting letter, a covering letter? If they're asking for a letter then address it to the head. If it's just a statement as well as a cover letter, then I wouldn't address it but if they're not asking for a cover letter also, I'd address it to the head...

When I applied for my job I used Mr XXX - the headteachers surname
Original post by Samus2
It depends - are they asking for a supporting letter, a covering letter? If they're asking for a letter then address it to the head. If it's just a statement as well as a cover letter, then I wouldn't address it but if they're not asking for a cover letter also, I'd address it to the head...

When I applied for my job I used Mr XXX - the headteachers surname


They are asking for a supporting statement only, does that mean I should not address it to the head?
Original post by Red Lightning
They are asking for a supporting statement only, does that mean I should not address it to the head?


Are they asking for it within the application itself or on a separate piece of paper?

If it's on a separate piece of paper, I'd address it to the head :smile:
Original post by Samus2
Are they asking for it within the application itself or on a separate piece of paper?

If it's on a separate piece of paper, I'd address it to the head :smile:


The supporting statement is attached within the application form
Original post by Red Lightning
The supporting statement is attached within the application form


I would normally not address the head within the application, but I'd attach a cover letter if it is like this, even if they don't specifically ask for one. Then I would address the head in that.
Original post by Red Lightning
The supporting statement is attached within the application form


Then no address.
Original post by Airfairy
I would normally not address the head within the application, but I'd attach a cover letter if it is like this, even if they don't specifically ask for one. Then I would address the head in that.


This.

The box in the application form is like a uni personal statement. You launch straight in to it.

Always include a cover letter with an application.

Xxx

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Original post by bellylaugh
Sorry to hear this Airfairy. My Nan passed away the week before I started at my school so I had to email the Head to ask for a day off before I'd even met her. She was absolutely lovely though and I had the day off without any problems at all. I'd be really shocked if a school didn't allow you time off.


Yeah, you're right. She is still pushing through, so I have hope, but the doctors told us not to get too hopeful (sometimes it really seems like they are trying to put a downer on things :lol: ).

I have sooooo much work to be doing for next week but I just can't concentrate at all. :frown:
Being on holiday makes me miss my degree. I wish I had done an MA before doing the PGCE as now I doubt I'll get the chance to do one for a while.

I'm incredibly glad though that this is only the first week of the holidays and that I've still got another week before I need to consider doing any work.
Long time lurker, first time poster. I've worked in a primary school as a classroom assistant for five years now and I've always found this thread very useful.


Original post by Samus2
Being on holiday makes me miss my degree. I wish I had done an MA before doing the PGCE as now I doubt I'll get the chance to do one for a while.

I'm incredibly glad though that this is only the first week of the holidays and that I've still got another week before I need to consider doing any work.



With regard to the above, have you considered doing a Masters part time and long distance or via the OU? I know someone who was teaching full time in a secondary school while studying part time for a PhD. It is doable and if you're serious about it, it's worth looking into.
Original post by Samus2
Being on holiday makes me miss my degree. I wish I had done an MA before doing the PGCE as now I doubt I'll get the chance to do one for a while.

I'm incredibly glad though that this is only the first week of the holidays and that I've still got another week before I need to consider doing any work.


Considered using your masters credits towards an MA? I really wanted to do an MA in my degree subject but it was expensive and it wouldn't have been much use to me. Maybe one day when I can study for the sake of interest rather than job prospects...

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Original post by Samus2
Being on holiday makes me miss my degree. I wish I had done an MA before doing the PGCE as now I doubt I'll get the chance to do one for a while.

I'm incredibly glad though that this is only the first week of the holidays and that I've still got another week before I need to consider doing any work.


Yeah as the others said it can be done. I know several students each year from my pgce do masters with the same uni as you can use your credits there for two years. It's a really appealing idea to keep in touch with the theory of it all and I think it really helps people develop as a teacher... A very good and rare opportunity to be supported in this. But I personally didn't think I'd be able to find the time. If I had been working part time though, I probably would have done it.

Xxx

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What do you do/how do you react for an interview lesson and the chn say they have already done this before
Just thinking about the worst case scenario lol
Marking around 60 y9 books and homework projects while my dad is out playing on my boat in the glorious sunshine :unimpressed:

Still feeling incredibly rough but want to have all of my lessons planned for the first week back before I leave for a week without even thinking about being a teacher when we go to Cornwall on Friday.

I think I just need to dig deep. There's still a niggling thought that I don't want to be a teacher and I think that's what's causing me to worry about applying for jobs. A perfect job came up this morning (I told my ladywife only yesterday that I'd apply in a heartbeat if a job came up) and it's in my favourite city, in a perfectly commutable location (an hour's drive down two very easy to drive roads or about 15 minutes away from the marina my boat lives in) and could be brilliant.

The only issue is I can't move closer without messing up my fiancee's commute. I think I could maybe knock it down to 45 mins commute if we move a bit further up the road, but that'd leave her commute at 45 minutes too.

Thinking and adulting is so incredibly hard :frown:
Original post by Striving92
What do you do/how do you react for an interview lesson and the chn say they have already done this before
Just thinking about the worst case scenario lol


"Ooh, then you should be really good at it!" (in a smiley happy way, not an aggressive way!)

Invariably, they've forgotten how to do it unless they did it very recently. I'm primary - that's my experience anyway. My class is pure y4, but 2 of them were in a mixed class last year so have already done a few things we've covered this year due to them having been with older children last year. They usually do no better than the other kids on their table. They know they've done it before, but can't recall enough for the lesson to not be of use to them.

Also, children are generally quite forgiving and they know what's going on when they are taught interview lessons. My class often remind me of 'when you came to teach us to get the job here' ... and they were only in Y3 at the time, so pretty young.
Original post by ParadoxSocks
Marking around 60 y9 books and homework projects while my dad is out playing on my boat in the glorious sunshine :unimpressed:

Still feeling incredibly rough but want to have all of my lessons planned for the first week back before I leave for a week without even thinking about being a teacher when we go to Cornwall on Friday.

I think I just need to dig deep. There's still a niggling thought that I don't want to be a teacher and I think that's what's causing me to worry about applying for jobs. A perfect job came up this morning (I told my ladywife only yesterday that I'd apply in a heartbeat if a job came up) and it's in my favourite city, in a perfectly commutable location (an hour's drive down two very easy to drive roads or about 15 minutes away from the marina my boat lives in) and could be brilliant.

The only issue is I can't move closer without messing up my fiancee's commute. I think I could maybe knock it down to 45 mins commute if we move a bit further up the road, but that'd leave her commute at 45 minutes too.

Thinking and adulting is so incredibly hard :frown:


I totally feel your pain. There must have been about 25 jobs that I've been able to apply for, but I've applied for about five, got about four interviews and not gone to any because I am so unsure about everything :ninja: . I think there will be a job that you know you want deep down eventually. But I know it is really hard. You are not alone!
45 mins commute - very egalitarian if both have the same. And an hour is not bad either. Am told ave UK commute is 90 mins each way. so don't be put off by a possible move. as you say, adulting is hard.
Original post by Airfairy
I totally feel your pain. There must have been about 25 jobs that I've been able to apply for, but I've applied for about five, got about four interviews and not gone to any because I am so unsure about everything :ninja: . I think there will be a job that you know you want deep down eventually. But I know it is really hard. You are not alone!


I think my issue at the moment is knowing that I'd really like the one that came up today. It's 14-19 and it's a technical school with lots of inter-departmental stuff so it'd be absolutely ideal.

It's just the distance. I just want to move back to Nottingham but it's too much chaos to do it just yet :frown:

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