PGCE Primary Education 2017 Entry, too late to get enough experience?

Hello,

I am about to go into my third year of Applied Psychology at undergraduate and I am considering applying for a PGCE in Primary Education. I am almost 30 years old and haven't had any recent experience in schools but have worked in different settings where I have worked with children (self employed personal trainer, support worker for disabled people).

If I was able to obtain some experience in a primary school next month, is it possible to still have a good chance of being selected for an interview?

Thanks

Reply 1

RaspberryPine

3

i am 29 and in my last year of a law degree with the OU, just my free choice module to go starting this october. i am hoping to start my PGCE next september. Minimum 10 days needed experience but i am hoping to set up some regular days with my daughters school in order to get as much experience as i can in the mean time.

Reply 2

Pierson

6

As RaspberryPine has said, the minimum for most courses is 10 days. Some course providers place more value on experience than others so will be seeking more than this, others will happily take on people with less. Your application won't be judged on experience alone, so even if you fall short of what they're is looking for in that regard, they can still offer you a place with a condition that you gain more experience before the course begins. You will just have to try and get as much experience as you can and see what happens. You can always state in your application that your volunteer work is ongoing. This shows commitment.

Reply 3

Findlay6

19

Applications for 2017 won't open until late October/November so you'll have time. Some providers were still interviewing in July, although I know that primary fills fast.

If you applied for a salaried position, they will accept any type of work experience over 3y. The phase experience is to make you aware of what you're getting into, and if you're sure it's what you want.

Reply 4

RaspberryPine

3

Original post by Findlay6

Applications for 2017 won't open until late October/November so you'll have time. Some providers were still interviewing in July, although I know that primary fills fast.

If you applied for a salaried position, they will accept any type of work experience over 3y. The phase experience is to make you aware of what you're getting into, and if you're sure it's what you want.

I have read this a few times and just to clarify would my experience working in a shop for the past 3 years count? I am leaning towards School DIrect Salaried because I have spent the last 5 years studying with the OU as well as working and would like to get hands on in a school!

Reply 5

Pierson

6

This is what the DfE said a few years ago:

Prospective candidates are expected to be career changers, who can bring valuable skills and experience to the profession. This experience does not have to be from an educational setting and examples could include those who have worked in the financial, engineering or manufacturing sectors; however there are no restrictions. It is for schools to decide which skills and experiences are relevant.

Essentially, there's nothing stopping a school from recruiting you but, in reality, it might be difficult to get on a salaried course with retail experience alone. It would likely depend on the quality of the other candidates: if a school typically receives a lot of applications from people from professional backgrounds then you're unlikely to be successful, but if they don't receive many applications from people from those backgrounds, you have a much better chance.

I would give any schools to which you are interested in applying a call and finding out where they stand.

Reply 6

hollyemmabarker

I graduated in 2015 with a degree in English and applying to go down the School Direct route of Primary PGCE in September 2017.
I've had quite a bit of experience in the last couple of years (in local primary schools, with girl guides, doing personal tutor work, etc), however nothing in the last 12 months.

I intend on going into a local primary school every monday (as that's my only day off work) for a number of weeks after schools reopen in a week or so - do you think universities/schools will take experience into account over 12 months ago too?

:smile:

Reply 7

Pierson

6

Original post by hollyemmabarker

I graduated in 2015 with a degree in English and applying to go down the School Direct route of Primary PGCE in September 2017.
I've had quite a bit of experience in the last couple of years (in local primary schools, with girl guides, doing personal tutor work, etc), however nothing in the last 12 months.

I intend on going into a local primary school every monday (as that's my only day off work) for a number of weeks after schools reopen in a week or so - do you think universities/schools will take experience into account over 12 months ago too?

:smile:

It indicates a long term passion and commitment to working with children, so it will certainly help but, of course, recent classroom experience holds the most weight.

PGCE Primary Education 2017 Entry, too late to get enough experience?

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