PGCE - Current Students Thread

I visited the school today, which was a bit of a hassle. 2.5 hours on a train, 30 minutes walking and on buses. I got there and there were 10 others - shortlisted people for the two vacancies. They were friendly enough and everything, but I don't think it was right for me. They say you get a feeling - the feeling I got wasn't great lol. Plus, I don't think I have the experience they really need - it is 60% EAL with 24 languages, a lot of movement of pupils in/out during the year, they teach French from EYFS up [the class teachers do it without specialist support etc] [tricky when you don't speak French lol] and have a huge phonics drive right up to year 6. Phonics is fine and I expected to teach it, but I don't have that much experience with it.

I don't know.
My interview is first thing next Thursday. I have to be at university until 4pm on the Wednesday up in Durham. Trying to decide what is best to do. Turn up, teach and have the panel interview for a job I don't really want/think I am right for. Or, call up and take myself out of the running now.

Will I kick myself if I do the latter? Will I kick myself when I spend another £40 on the train [plus £10 on the taxi from the station] and sit on that train for another 2.5 hours for a job I don't think I'll even get? Decisions are not my strong point...


The reason I started applying this week for jobs was because of how great my final placement has been. I think it is true what they say - you find a school that 'clicks' for you and everything changes.

I visited the school today, which was a bit of a hassle. 2.5 hours on a train, 30 minutes walking and on buses. I got there and there were 10 others - shortlisted people for the two vacancies. They were friendly enough and everything, but I don't think it was right for me. They say you get a feeling - the feeling I got wasn't great lol. Plus, I don't think I have the experience they really need - it is 60% EAL with 24 languages, a lot of movement of pupils in/out during the year, they teach French from EYFS up [the class teachers do it without specialist support etc] [tricky when you don't speak French lol] and have a huge phonics drive right up to year 6. Phonics is fine and I expected to teach it, but I don't have that much experience with it.

I don't know.
My interview is first thing next Thursday. I have to be at university until 4pm on the Wednesday up in Durham. Trying to decide what is best to do. Turn up, teach and have the panel interview for a job I don't really want/think I am right for. Or, call up and take myself out of the running now.

Will I kick myself if I do the latter? Will I kick myself when I spend another £40 on the train [plus £10 on the taxi from the station] and sit on that train for another 2.5 hours for a job I don't think I'll even get? Decisions are not my strong point...


The reason I started applying this week for jobs was because of how great my final placement has been. I think it is true what they say - you find a school that 'clicks' for you and everything changes.

Thanks for the advice.

I am going to contact the school and be honest, and thus withdraw myself from the process.

I know what you mean about the difference between not thinking I'll get it and it not being right for me. But, to be fair, their are closely linked in this instance. The place isn't right for me, and I am sure they will see that too.

It is a shame. But, I am now looking at non-teaching jobs again. Will have to start sending off the applications again.

Sorry. Going to keep posting. Currently writing card number one and could quite happily cry. This one is for the teacher I'm not going to see again after tomorrow, she has been fabulous. I taught with her in first term and she always gave me useful, positive but constructive feedback and was incredibly constructive. She was the one I turned to when I threw a wobbly wondering whether I was any good or not, and she was 100% behind me when I was going for interviews, so encouraging- basically believed in me when I didn't. How the hell are you supposed to put thanks for all of that into a card??

Absolutely clueless on what to do about gifts for my department. There are 7 of them and would love to get something for them all as theyve all been so amazing, but don't know where to draw the line with 'the most important' and the others. They've all got a card and I'm just thinking something edible for the whole department, and something for my mentor. But then that throws up the issue of what to get for her! Argh this is so difficult! I'm awful at getting presents for just about anyone though.

I'd just put what you've just said.

Done, effectively anyway. Man this is hard. She's the only one I have to say a proper goodbye to tomorrow which is good in a way as I don't have to do everyone at once(!), we're all going out tomorrow after school as it's the only day everyone's in this week so it'll be sad for me nonetheless, but she is the only one I won't see again- the rest aren't getting their mushy cards until I leave them!

Wait until your colleagues are retiring and you have to say goodbye then. We had one leave after an incredible 40 years a couple of years back.

That wins hands down, must be incredibly sad!

I just never really thought I would find somewhere I fit in so well, especially during my PGCE, and I'm sure I'll get over it considering it was only 7 months, but right now they're all I have and I have to go and start again somewhere else! (the moping will stop after Thursday/Friday, promise!)

Met some of my class for September today, all so little and lovely, I have 9 children so far but they come in as soon as they are 3 so this will increase (I'm nursery!) Also found out that there is ALOT of work that needs to be done in this EYFS unit, I found the children's assessment files covered in cobwebs with dead spiders on! Going to have to go in and overhaul lots and make lots of changes, eek!

When do we make the move over to the NQT thread? (Bit quiet over there, hurry up and finish your courses guys!)

All those gifts sound lovely, I just made do with a card and choccies for my class host and choccies for the staff room! Am I dead inside

When I had my first child, I remember apologising to the health visitor for the state of the house and she said that a clean house was a sign of a neglected baby. I suspect the same to be true of up to date assessment files.

Met some of my class for September today, all so little and lovely, I have 9 children so far but they come in as soon as they are 3 so this will increase (I'm nursery!) Also found out that there is ALOT of work that needs to be done in this EYFS unit, I found the children's assessment files covered in cobwebs with dead spiders on! Going to have to go in and overhaul lots and make lots of changes, eek!

When do we make the move over to the NQT thread? (Bit quiet over there, hurry up and finish your courses guys!)

All those gifts sound lovely, I just made do with a card and choccies for my class host and choccies for the staff room! Am I dead inside

Hmm, not so sure! Due Ofsted next year and last time they were massively pulled down by their Early Years provision so they were supposed to have improved it loads but 4 pieces of evidence from Sept-July is seriously lacking, how can their attainment be justified, where is the progression from entry data (which was also seriously lacking)? I just hope that there is some other file somewhere I didn't see with it all in Even early years needs to show progression through the year, I don't know how they can justify the children's learning? It comes back to the whole= What do they know now that they didn't know before and how can you prove it!