Teacher Training 2021 Applicants Thread

Original post by JamThatJam

As it's getting towards the end of this academic year,I wanted to start a thread just to chat to other people hoping to start a teacher training application for a September 2021 start. I want to do a School Direct Primary and I'm currently in contact with an advisor from Get into Teaching and in the process of writing my personal statement.

Here's just a little bit of information about me:
I am currently studying Education Studies at the University of Hertfordshire and have just finished my second year. I have been doing voluntary work at a primary school for just over 2½ years. I'm also doing part time work as a group leader at a holiday camp .

How is everyone getting on with their applications? I would love to know and meet others who are on the same boat as me :smile:

Hello, I have literally just finished my personal statement. My get into teaching advisor has checked it 3 times, it's all ready to be sent off.

I've chosen the 4 places I want to apply too. I know UCAS takes only 3 choices, but 1 of the university's I've chosen I can apply directly to them without using UCAS.

Also the university's I'm applying to arrange the placement in primary school, but I am worried it may be too far. Could I find a placement myself in a local primary school? Will they accept this? Just worried about this!

I've done placements before in my local primary school, when I was at secondary school and during my level 3 diploma.

Reply 82

bluebeetle

18

Original post by Arianax

Hello, I have literally just finished my personal statement. My get into teaching advisor has checked it 3 times, it's all ready to be sent off.

I've chosen the 4 places I want to apply too. I know UCAS takes only 3 choices, but 1 of the university's I've chosen I can apply directly to them without using UCAS.

Also the university's I'm applying to arrange the placement in primary school, but I am worried it may be too far. Could I find a placement myself in a local primary school? Will they accept this? Just worried about this!

I've done placements before in my local primary school, when I was at secondary school and during my level 3 diploma.

Typically, you should aim to do your teacher training as close to where you live as possible so that you can commute. If you don't have access to a car or if you have childcare commitments, training providers will often take this into account as much as they can, but they are still limited by the schools who they have ready to take trainees.

I don't expect you would be able to organise your own placement, I've not heard of anybody doing this. Hosting a trainee is quite an involved process for the school, so even if they take volunteers, they may not have the capacity to take a trainee. If you would really like to do a placement at a local school, the best thing to do would be to contact local schools and see if they are already attached to a teacher training provider.

You will also need to do a second placement at a different school anyway, so you wouldn't be able to be at one local school the whole year.

Reply 83

Original post by bluebeetle

Typically, you should aim to do your teacher training as close to where you live as possible so that you can commute. If you don't have access to a car or if you have childcare commitments, training providers will often take this into account as much as they can, but they are still limited by the schools who they have ready to take trainees.

I don't expect you would be able to organise your own placement, I've not heard of anybody doing this. Hosting a trainee is quite an involved process for the school, so even if they take volunteers, they may not have the capacity to take a trainee. If you would really like to do a placement at a local school, the best thing to do would be to contact local schools and see if they are already attached to a teacher training provider.

You will also need to do a second placement at a different school anyway, so you wouldn't be able to be at one local school the whole year.

Thank you for the advice 😊

I have loads of local primary schools near me, I can try securing a placement with them!

I don’t mind emailing and reaching out to them to see what they say, worst is a no and I can just do placement at the school my university has found me!

I have my driving licence and I can buy a car, but would rather avoid that until I start earning money as they’re so expensive to run etc. But, if it came down to it I can buy a car.

I will try speaking to uni, see what they say and hopefully find a local primary school.

My Mum went to a farish uni and they found her a local placement. She can drive too.

Either way, it’s fine. I’ll just have to suck it up and buy a car 😂

Reply 84

Rebeccacbray

1

Hiya,

I'm looking at applying to train for postgraduate 2021 but I am unsure what route. I was initially going to do the salaried school led route, however I am unsure on how the workload will be and if i will even be allowed entrance due to the covid situation.

I was going to go this route as i would be paid and I wouldn't have to pay £9000 to train for a year.

What other routes are people doing?

Reply 85

Original post by Rebeccacbray

Hiya,

I'm looking at applying to train for postgraduate 2021 but I am unsure what route. I was initially going to do the salaried school led route, however I am unsure on how the workload will be and if i will even be allowed entrance due to the covid situation.

I was going to go this route as i would be paid and I wouldn't have to pay £9000 to train for a year.

What other routes are people doing?

I think I’m going to opt for the PGCE one. I prefer that one.

You don’t have to pay £9,000 to train yes, but I’ll be using Student Finance to fund my route.

Depending on what you want to teach there is a bursary available.

Contact Get Into Teaching, you will be given a teaching advisor and they’ll help you with your application process/personal statement.

Applications open 13th October, so be quick! As some courses can get filled up very quickly.

Reply 86

Original post by Rebeccacbray

Hiya,

I'm looking at applying to train for postgraduate 2021 but I am unsure what route. I was initially going to do the salaried school led route, however I am unsure on how the workload will be and if i will even be allowed entrance due to the covid situation.

I was going to go this route as i would be paid and I wouldn't have to pay £9000 to train for a year.

What other routes are people doing?

Hi!
I'm trying for Schools Direct, applying for student finance for my fees and then use the bursary for my living expenses. Although there's still uni days, I've already done 5 years of uni, I'd like some practical time!

Reply 87

JamThatJam

OP

10

Original post by Rebeccacbray

Hiya,

I'm looking at applying to train for postgraduate 2021 but I am unsure what route. I was initially going to do the salaried school led route, however I am unsure on how the workload will be and if i will even be allowed entrance due to the covid situation.

I was going to go this route as i would be paid and I wouldn't have to pay £9000 to train for a year.

What other routes are people doing?

I'm also looking at doing the School Direct route. These routes tend to place you in schools from September-July. A lot of the School Direct routes that I've looked at place you in school for 3-4 days a week and give you 1 day a week at university (if the route offers PGCE as well). As you're a member of the school from the beginning, you will have to adapt to the life of the school a lot quicker than you would on the PGCE route. Some SCITTs also offer salaried routes. From what I've heard, the salaried routes have a lot more of an intense workload (school-based), than an unsalaried/university led route would offer. A lot of providers are will still recruiting for 2021/22. Hope this helps! :smile:

Reply 88

SarcAndSpark

Original post by Rebeccacbray

Hiya,

I'm looking at applying to train for postgraduate 2021 but I am unsure what route. I was initially going to do the salaried school led route, however I am unsure on how the workload will be and if i will even be allowed entrance due to the covid situation.

I was going to go this route as i would be paid and I wouldn't have to pay £9000 to train for a year.

What other routes are people doing?

Salaried schools direct routes tend to be quite competitive and limited to those who have significant experience in schools (e.g. as a TA) already.

However, it's always worth applying and seeing what happens- if you get rejected you can always apply to non-salaried routes via apply 2.

Reply 89

Here's a question, I don't know if someone here can answer but what tends to be more competitive: PGCE or schools direct (non-salaried)?

Reply 90

Original post by RedWarrioress

Here's a question, I don't know if someone here can answer but what tends to be more competitive: PGCE or schools direct (non-salaried)?

PGCE because I don’t want to work a whole year for free (unless I’m mistaken). I’d rather do placement and learn from the actual class teacher.

I’m wanting to do primary, which is very competitive as it is hence no bursary available.

Reply 91

Original post by Arianax

PGCE because I don’t want to work a whole year for free (unless I’m mistaken). I’d rather do placement and learn from the actual class teacher.

I’m wanting to do primary, which is very competitive as it is hence no bursary available.

It absolutely baffles me that there's no bursary for it, I know it's a competitive area but teaching overall is in need!

Reply 92

Original post by RedWarrioress

It absolutely baffles me that there's no bursary for it, I know it's a competitive area but teaching overall is in need!

Primary school teachers aren’t needed, it’s oversubscribed. Secondary school teachers are needed as they’re undersubscribed, hence bursary to entice people to come into teaching.

Reply 93

Trotter.JJ_496_

3

Hi Everyone!
I'm looking to apply for 2022 entry, but haven't decided whether I want to do primary or secondary. Does anyone know if you can do a School Direct/SCITT and still be able to do a specialism subject for primary? Also, if you're doing secondary, does your degree have to be in the subject that you want to teach?

Reply 94

bluebeetle

18

Original post by Trotter.JJ_496_

Hi Everyone!
I'm looking to apply for 2022 entry, but haven't decided whether I want to do primary or secondary. Does anyone know if you can do a School Direct/SCITT and still be able to do a specialism subject for primary? Also, if you're doing secondary, does your degree have to be in the subject that you want to teach?

For secondary, it will depend on the training provider. Many ask for at least 50% of degree content to be related to the subject, but others are more relaxed on that. I know my SCITT was very relaxed about degree subject, so long as people showed a willingness to learn and an interest in the subject they were applying for. I think generally applying without a relevant degree is easier if the subject is in demand - like maths or physics.

Reply 95

Original post by Trotter.JJ_496_

Hi Everyone!
I'm looking to apply for 2022 entry, but haven't decided whether I want to do primary or secondary. Does anyone know if you can do a School Direct/SCITT and still be able to do a specialism subject for primary? Also, if you're doing secondary, does your degree have to be in the subject that you want to teach?

Yep you can absolutely do SCITT and Schools Direct in primary, one of the alliances I'm looking at have a group of primary schools I there.
Regarding secondary, the general 'rule' is the subject you want to teach should be 50% of your degree. For example, if you did History and English joint honours you could probably do either of those subjects. I personally did Archaeology at both BA and MA and have been told that's fine for history because it's very closely related.
Hope that helps.

Reply 96

SarcAndSpark

Original post by Trotter.JJ_496_

Hi Everyone!
I'm looking to apply for 2022 entry, but haven't decided whether I want to do primary or secondary. Does anyone know if you can do a School Direct/SCITT and still be able to do a specialism subject for primary? Also, if you're doing secondary, does your degree have to be in the subject that you want to teach?

Some SCITTs will offer PGCEs with specialisms for primary, but it is rarer than PGCEs through a uni. I'm not sure about schools direct.

For secondary, your degree usually has to have 50% content relevant to the subject you want to teach, but there are SKEs for shortage subjects as well- it really depends on what subject you want to teach!

Ideally, you'd get experience in both types of school to help you decide!

Reply 97

watbrif1

5

Just a quick question on the PGDE: I didn't go to school in Scotland (or in the UK...), so this confuses me - I know that there's the CfE and all that, but to what extent is there a "national curriculum"? Most of the interview advise given includes the hint that one should know the curriculum in the chosen subject (although I feel this might be with England in mind). I've found the course content for the national qualifications in my subject here (https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/47924.html), but it would be good to know what exactly about the curriculum will be asked in an interview - there seems to be a lot of leeway for schools to decide what they actually want to teach.

Would it be a good idea to purchase some textbooks (especially for the S1-3 area) or would this be over the top?

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 98

SarcAndSpark