The Student Room Group
Reply 1
Aren't SCITT courses basically GTP courses rebranded and centered on primary teaching?
Reply 2
well what iv looked up , i think it basically follows exact same pattern of teaching and course struture , the same as in a uni., only its based at the school, rather than the uni. i just wanted to know if they are regarded the same as doing pgce thru a universityy.or are uni pgce coursess considered better, when it comes to employment after college.

like in a uni, u would have access to accomdation, and facilities like sports, general living facilities, and societies for meeting ppl etc. would u have have that if u did pgce course thru school basis rather than based at a uni
Reply 3
**R**
well what iv looked up , i think it basically follows exact same pattern of teaching and course struture , the same as in a uni., only its based at the school, rather than the uni. i just wanted to know if they are regarded the same as doing pgce thru a universityy.or are uni pgce coursess considered better, when it comes to employment after college.

like in a uni, u would have access to accomdation, and facilities like sports, general living facilities, and societies for meeting ppl etc. would u have have that if u did pgce course thru school basis rather than based at a uni


Ahh, I see what you mean. I think the only person(s) who could answer that would be current teachers/employers. Try asking your question over on the TES forums.

Personally though, I don't see what difference it would make which route you take into teaching, providing you achieve QTS at the end. However, as you say, employers may feel differently.
Reply 4
yeeah they seem exact same course structure and same qualification at end, and also same entry requirements wth grades and experience as a uni , so on paper its no different really. just worried that employers will think i couldnt get onto a uni course and therefore see it as less than a uni course , even though essentially the same
I don't think it would really matter whether you did your PGCE at a university or through SCITT, since, as you said, you need the same qualifications and experience to get onto one and you come out with the same qualification at the end. If anything, SCITT could be better because you get a lot more hands-on experience in a school. It just depends whether you'd prefer to be 'thrown in at the deep end' in a school or have some time to learn the theory, share ideas etc first.
Reply 6
kellywood_5
I don't think it would really matter whether you did your PGCE at a university or through SCITT, since, as you said, you need the same qualifications and experience to get onto one and you come out with the same qualification at the end. If anything, SCITT could be better because you get a lot more hands-on experience in a school. It just depends whether you'd prefer to be 'thrown in at the deep end' in a school or have some time to learn the theory, share ideas etc first.


Does the SCITT programme place you straight in the classroom without any pedagogic theory first? Surely not?
Endymion
Does the SCITT programme place you straight in the classroom without any pedagogic theory first? Surely not?


I imagine they'd teach you some theory first, but you'd probably start getting classroom experience earlier than you would otherwise and what I meant was that you'll be in a school environment surrounded by kids from day one, whereas if you did it at university you'd have a while before you actually went into a school.
Reply 8
kellywood_5
I imagine they'd teach you some theory first, but you'd probably start getting classroom experience earlier than you would otherwise and what I meant was that you'll be in a school environment surrounded by kids from day one, whereas if you did it at university you'd have a while before you actually went into a school.


Most PGCE providers require you to go into schools before you start the course though.
Endymion
Most PGCE providers require you to go into schools before you start the course though.


Yeah, but wouldn't that be mainly observation rather than actually teaching?
Reply 10
well i was researching one of the scitt's and on their site it said u spend same amt of weeks in the school as u do on the uni courses. i think the school based ones, have small centres/ rooms attatched to the schools where to do the theory / learning aspects, like u would in a lecture hall in uni
Reply 11
kellywood_5
Yeah, but wouldn't that be mainly observation rather than actually teaching?


Not always. Take the SAS for example. Gives you an insight into achieving QTS, as well as completing a diary, achievement record etc...

**R**: - That sounds interesting. Back to one of my original points, is it for secondary as well as primary or just primary? I've got the ITT guide from UCAS and all the SCITT providers in there seem to be for primary only.
(Parent of above!)
As a teacher, I would strongly recommend uni/college based training for your PGCE. SCITT courses are only as good as the teacher you are billeted with and in my experience the trainee was often left with little advice and support and then blamed when things went wrong. Teachers receive no personal payment for you to be in their classrooms and the often enormous extra workload having a SCITT trainee is sometimes too much for them. However, those PGCE trainees who came from either of two local unis seemed more prepared and had much more pro-active support from their tutors when sent on TP.
Reply 13
Ant93
(Parent of above!)
As a teacher, I would strongly recommend uni/college based training for your PGCE. SCITT courses are only as good as the teacher you are billeted with and in my experience the trainee was often left with little advice and support and then blamed when things went wrong. Teachers receive no personal payment for you to be in their classrooms and the often enormous extra workload having a SCITT trainee is sometimes too much for them. However, those PGCE trainees who came from either of two local unis seemed more prepared and had much more pro-active support from their tutors when sent on TP.


I think you've hit the nail on the head there. I know several people who have completed the GTP course and they have all said they felt 'over used' during the programme. I get the same feeling that SCITT will be even worse, especially as you don't even get paid an unqualified teacher salary. :frown: