Anyone had a PGCE interview at Cambridge?
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Original post by vebra
Ah, mine was Tuesday! Yey for him! (might need to seek him out for dreaded accommodation pairing) How are you finding the course? I'm only working part time at the moment so if there is anything you wish you had got ahead on pre-PGCE do let me know .. even essay titles? :P I'm preparing myself for a lot of work!
My interview was last tuesday and I got in as well! Well done!
Hi, I did my PGCE at Cambridge not too long ago and was for RS. The interviewers are lovely and one of them became my supervisor for the MEd (which the PGCE gives you 50% of the credits for). The interview's so chilled as they simply want to know how you interact with people and whether you can express yourself well; be yourself. I got the impression from various sources within the Faculty of Education that if they invite you for interview then they really really like you already. The theory appears to be that they'd rather reject poor applications from the off rather than spending time interviewing people who are not suitable for the course Cambridge offers.
Remember - they'll teach you to teach; you're not expected to know too much at this stage.
Hope it goes well - don't expect it to finish on time; these things always have a habit of running over!
Remember - they'll teach you to teach; you're not expected to know too much at this stage.
Hope it goes well - don't expect it to finish on time; these things always have a habit of running over!
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by jackiewackie11
For those of you that have had the interview already, is it normal that Cambridge didn`t give me any subjet for my presentation? All they said was that I might have one, but I have no idea what I should think about preparing. Any help would be appreciated!!
Sounds perfectly normal. I suppose it's to see how well you think on your feet and how much you can yourself do. If they give it to you early, a teacher-friend could help you which doesn't tell them how much you yourself can do.
You'll all be in the same boat, so don't worry. However if you want to be sure, ring the PGCE office: 01223 767679 and ask them. They're really helpful and nice.
All the best
Original post by quechua
Affectation, was there anything completely unexpected in your interview? I'm worried that they have been pretty vague in what format the day will take... 
Hi sorry for the late reply. Nope nothing unexpected at all. You should expect everything that's been outlined in your letter. The only part of the interview that you will not have been told about in advance are the questions asked in the personal interview. But even these are quite straight forward e.g. why do you want to teach your chosen subject at secondary level etc. They just want to see that you genuinely care about young people, how you can demonstrate that based on your practical experience i.e. time in the classroom, working with kids etc and that you are prepared to learn. One of the questions they asked me was 'what are your imperfections i.e. what do you think you could work on. I said a couple of things related to English and they seemed pleased at my willingness to learn.
So yeah don't over-prepare, it's really not as scary as you'd imagine.
Good luck!
Hi everyone,
I was really late getting my application in to GTTR, I only put it in on 30th november! So I'm really worried that I'm too late... Could anyone tell me how long it took Cambridge to reply to them RE: primary PGCE applications?
Really hope I get an interview! So anxious
x
I was really late getting my application in to GTTR, I only put it in on 30th november! So I'm really worried that I'm too late... Could anyone tell me how long it took Cambridge to reply to them RE: primary PGCE applications?
Really hope I get an interview! So anxious
x
Original post by baie
I'm so anxious, been waiting to hear something since Monday, How long did it take you guys to hear something back?
After interview? Around 9 days. Best of luck!
Original post by Affectation
After interview? Around 9 days. Best of luck!
Thanks.
Congrats on the offer- what's it for? Its crazy how much I really want to know. I want this so badly, I hope they could see that and think I will be a good teacher!!Original post by baie
It's just come through on track that I have a conditional offer from Cambridge!! So excited I'm going to be primary school teacher. sooo delighted ! 
I'm going to be primary school teacher. sooo delighted ! Congratualtions, my interview is on the 6th january for primary, do you have any tips?
Original post by baie
It's just come through on track that I have a conditional offer from Cambridge!! So excited I'm going to be primary school teacher. sooo delighted !
I'm going to be primary school teacher. sooo delighted ! Congrats! Bet you're really pleased! Mine's not til the 7th January.
Which colleges did you put on your application?
Original post by baie
It's just come through on track that I have a conditional offer from Cambridge!! So excited I'm going to be primary school teacher. sooo delighted !
I'm going to be primary school teacher. sooo delighted ! Ahhh congratulations! Please ignore my reply to your other post in the waiting for a decision thread.
That's brilliant news though bet you are thrilled :-) I was like you - very anxiously waiting and assuming the worst as each day went by. So which colleges did u put down?
I'm on the Secondary English course.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by baie
Hey I put Homerton and Hughes Hall. I made the 1 and 2 look very similar on both because I couldn't choose- decided to leave it to fate. How about you? Any idea when we find out what college we have got into?
Any idea when we find out what college we have got into?I'm going to put those as well in that order
.Original post by baie
Hey I put Homerton and Hughes Hall. I made the 1 and 2 look very similar on both because I couldn't choose- decided to leave it to fate. How about you? Any idea when we find out what college we have got into?
Any idea when we find out what college we have got into?Hey I put Homerton first and got it buuut when I rang them they told me that it's very unlikely I'd get a room due to really low numbers on PGCE accommodation next year. So I did a bit of research and changed to Hughes Hall (v difficult process) as they give priority of room allocation to PGCEs. Plus I decided I liked the look of it better anyway! I'd loved to have been at Homerton though - esp seen as it's attached to the Faculty! But getting a room is a priority for me so...ah well.
Original post by Affectation
Hey I put Homerton first and got it buuut when I rang them they told me that it's very unlikely I'd get a room due to really low numbers on PGCE accommodation next year. So I did a bit of research and changed to Hughes Hall (v difficult process) as they give priority of room allocation to PGCEs. Plus I decided I liked the look of it better anyway! I'd loved to have been at Homerton though - esp seen as it's attached to the Faculty! But getting a room is a priority for me so...ah well.
did you find out in your offer letter you had Homerton then? I'm already a member of the University which makes it even harder for me to get a room in a college as I have lived in halls for 3 years. But I might try phoning Hughes and see if I can get a room. Do you mean you do get Room Priority at Hughes? I would like to be at Hughes due to it being around the corner from my swimming baths and mill road- where my favourite organic food/health shop is. But then again Homerton is home, so its so confusing !
Hey I'm conditional for secondary science! Yay! Haven't received my offer letter yet though..How long after the track status change did you recieve the letter? What is the typical conditions of entry? Thanks.
Original post by Aimee-Lou_
Hey I'm conditional for secondary science! Yay! Haven't received my offer letter yet though..How long after the track status change did you recieve the letter? What is the typical conditions of entry? Thanks.
Hello, I also recently found out I have a conditional offer for secondary science. I've not received the offer letter by post yet either - I found out on track that I had the offer on Friday 10th December. I'm really eager for the letter to arrive as I want to know about the conditions as well!
Which particular science will you be doing? I'll be doing Chemistry...very excited
Original post by Avahne
Hello, I also recently found out I have a conditional offer for secondary science. I've not received the offer letter by post yet either - I found out on track that I had the offer on Friday 10th December. I'm really eager for the letter to arrive as I want to know about the conditions as well!
Which particular science will you be doing? I'll be doing Chemistry...very excited
Which particular science will you be doing? I'll be doing Chemistry...very excited
Fab news well done! I wonder if we where at the same interview? 1 Dec, 2 o'clock start? Im specialising in Biology! I'm really looking forward to starting, I do have one worry though,, Accomodation!! Apparently we can be posted in schools as far as Essex so I'm slightly worried as to how that works with accomodation, travelling and getting back to the Uni xx
Original post by Aimee-Lou_
Fab news well done! I wonder if we where at the same interview? 1 Dec, 2 o'clock start? Im specialising in Biology! I'm really looking forward to starting, I do have one worry though,, Accomodation!! Apparently we can be posted in schools as far as Essex so I'm slightly worried as to how that works with accomodation, travelling and getting back to the Uni xx
Bear in mind that schools in Essex are sometimes closer than some schools in Cambridgeshire because of where Cambridge city is in relation to the rest of the county. Saffron Walden, for instance, is in Essex, but it's actually only about 30 mins drive from the Faculty. Conversely, some of the schools near Huntingdon and Peterborough, whilst still in Cambridge can take up to an hour to drive to.
Everyone I did my PGCE with in Cambridge lived in the city (unless they had a reason not to - e.g. living with spouse in village outside already) and managed to get to placements fine.
There is a LOT of car sharing and there are many opportunities to meet people who're in your schools and share cars. There are restrictions on car parking spaces in Cambridge, but if you do get a parking space, it's at the discretion of the college, but if you say you'll be a driver for people getting to placements, you're more likely to get a place. No guarantees though.
Also, the bus and train services in Cambridge are good. Several of the schools can be got to on the bus and many more are easily accessible by train!
Remember that for much of your first term (from my experience there) you'll only be in school 2 days a week, so wherever your first placement is, there won't be need to move close to it. The second one will require a further look.
Having said all this, don't worry too much about accommodation until your placements come through. Easier said than done, I know, but you can't do much at this point. If you want to ring the Faculty and ask them for advice, they'll happily help. (it'll probably have to be January now)
Merry Christmas!
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