PGCE 2014 Applications (NOT FOR SPECIFIC INTERVIEW TASK DISCUSSIONS)

Yay exciting! I know me too - they kept going on in my interview about me not having enough foundation stage experience, so I think my conditions may involve doing another week or two in a school as they said they regularly make offers that require you spend one or two more weeks in a school.

Hi, anyone else waiting for Manchester uni to get back for primary PGCE? I had my interview last Friday and keep manically refreshing my email and checking UCAS. Does anyone know how long they usually take to get back to you?

I have an interview next week, my first one. My document checklist says "your degree certificate and transcripts - Originals? 2 copies?" My degree certificates have been hanging up since 2009 and it's only upon taking them out of the frames tonight that I realised THEY'RE MOUNTED ON CARDBOARD! Oh and I'm travelling from Ireland for the interview. But even if I wasn't I wouldn't fancy lugging A3 pieces of card that I really don't want to damage around with me all day. The plan WAS to roll them up and pop them in a cardboard tube, now I'm wondering if photocopies of it (as well as transcripts of course) will be sufficient? Anyone?


I might ring them in the morning but I was hoping someone on here might know if your original certificates are really necessary

It really is a very personal thing. I know that a uni based PGCE was definitely the right option for me because I needed that support of all the other PGCE students who I have made great friends with (and still do need their support), I needed the grounding in theory and to see all the different ideas and WHY they are important, I needed the support of a variety of different tutors with different knowledge and expertise. I have gained so much from all of this and uni really helped me pull it all together and make sense of it. I feel like if I had been school based it would have limited me to picking up mostly what I've seen on placements and not being able to evaluate it as much, be kind of trained to what that school thinks rather than a more general overview. Also I'd feel very much thrown in the deep end!!!

But all this is just me. Others will be very different. Plus, the SCITTs vary a lot... Some of them buy in to the majority of the local PGCE anyway, which makes a difference and eliminates some of the issues I mentioned above.
Xxxxx

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Hmm... I am doing an Education Studies degree at the moment, so I'm not so worried about theory. However, I am worried about support. It's strange because I presumed the PGCE would be more supportive, but the lady who interviewed me went out of her way to tell us all we would be expected to work very independently... she kept reminding us that there would be very little contact with tutors or mentors. In comparison, the people at the SCITT seemed more friendly and professional, but that's just interviews so it's hard to tell. I'm worried about how I will be trained at a SCITT. Their website has very little information and it seems to vary massively depending on the area. :/

Oh okay, at least you know what to expect then :-) I think they were pretty happy with my experience so the conditions will probably be related to what I obtain in my degree, and maybe they don't know that I've passed my skills tests now.

Am I right in thinking that we can't reply or do anything until we've received the letter from the uni and until all our choices have replied to us? Don't want to do anything silly to mess up the offer!!

Oh okay, at least you know what to expect then :-) I think they were pretty happy with my experience so the conditions will probably be related to what I obtain in my degree, and maybe they don't know that I've passed my skills tests now.

Am I right in thinking that we can't reply or do anything until we've received the letter from the uni and until all our choices have replied to us? Don't want to do anything silly to mess up the offer!!

Yeah - Can't believe the letter is taking so long though - Everyday I'm checking the post for it! Really want the letter now!!

Yeah, and you have to pass the medical questionnaire thing, pass a CRB and get a week booked in a school for September to totally meet the offer I think..?

You could accept it now - You have to withdraw from your other choices first, and then you can accept the Cambridge offer. I think as soon as the offer is on track you can accept, with or without the official letter in the post. I have an interview at Reading though so am going to go to that first.

You don't need the letter from the uni if your offer is on track, unless you have been specifically told!

You can withdraw from your remaining choices on track and then the option you want to go to should have a reply to offer link on your ucas choices page which you click and confirm if you definitely want to go. This is what I did and I've not had a letter from the uni I've accepted the offer at!


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Hi all.

So after failing Apply 1 (unsurprisingly; no classroom experience) I now have an interview offer in what looks to be a really brilliant place. It's in Lincoln, which is ideal for me, and it's a girl's Selective Academy. Considering Apply 1 options rejected me, this seems mad! I am absolutely chuffed that what looks to be a very high-performance secondary school is considering me, but it is a little too good to be true. Obviously, I'm also wracked with nerves for the interview next week.

I'm just wondering what general thoughts are, however, on this. There are so many posts about the 'difficult' classes and schools, and the general understanding seems to be that it's better to experience the difficult side of teaching whilst you can. I am certainly not saying there won't be unruly and difficult situations/children in the Sleaford school, however I don't think it's unfair to say behaviour will be more 'agreeable' for a new teacher. For some reason, I feel as though I'm 'cheating' by skipping out what is almost a ritual for new teachers; I feel as though I should go through the hard stuff so many seem to relish. But really, I'm very happy at the prospect of avoiding the stickier side of teaching, which I know stems from selfishness and silliness on my part, but nevertheless... the one thing I would dread is teaching something I love (English) to pupils that often won't give a single crap about the subject at the level I see in my placement. Which again - still applies to many grammar pupils, absolutely. However I feel as though it will allow teachers to give more attention to the enjoyment of a subject than the pure desperate 'trying to get one thing into their heads' styles I've seen necessary in the placement, which is in a low-performing school in a struggling area.

Not sure exactly what I'm trying to say, and either way it's irrelevant because of course I am going to go for this interview full-force, but does anyone have any thoughts on the above? Am I 'cheating' and will it put me at any disadvantage in the long term?

Thanks all, and as I haven't been on the thread for weeks - hope you have all done well in interviews !

Congratulations on your interview! I wouldn't worry too much at this stage. You're not 'cheating' in any way by taking a position in what you deem to be a good school. You'll have your whole career to experience tougher environments, if that's what you crave. Plus, just because a school is a reputable grammar school, or 'outstanding' according to Ofsted, doesn't mean that you won't have to deal with difficult behaviour or disengaged students.

Best of luck!

If you have an offer it might be worth contacting them to chat about it so you have a better idea.

With the PGCE they might just have wanted to emphasise that you spend long periods away from uni on placement. Or they might not offer as much support- every PGCE varies too, so its so hard to say! I'd also use you're judgement of how you fell about the atmosphere, support etc of each option.

Xxx

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