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Secondary PGCE at Worcester 2013-2014

Hi,

I've just been offered a place on the Secondary Psychology PGCE at Worcester University starting Sept 2013 :smile: just wondered who else is starting their PGCE at Worcester this year?

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Hi do you mind me asking what degree and what experience you had? I'm in final year of psychology in Northern Ireland and considered Worcester for a pgce, although I'm not sure how much experience you need to qualify. Thanks
Reply 2
Original post by Clairebear118
Hi do you mind me asking what degree and what experience you had? I'm in final year of psychology in Northern Ireland and considered Worcester for a pgce, although I'm not sure how much experience you need to qualify. Thanks


Hi Clare I found this from the Worcester websites which includes the entry requirement.
http://www.worcester.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-certificate-in-education-pgce-secondary.html

It may also helps if you had previous teaching experience before :smile:
Reply 3
I had an interview recently! My fingers are crossed at the moment. How did your interview go? Mine was not so bad but my written task was shocking!!
Reply 4
Original post by HollyDs15
Hi,

I've just been offered a place on the Secondary Psychology PGCE at Worcester University starting Sept 2013 :smile: just wondered who else is starting their PGCE at Worcester this year?


Hiya,

I've just been offered a place on the Psychology PGCE too! Would be good to know some people before I get there.
Reply 5
Hi!

I'm starting the Psychology PGCE in september! I've just finished my degree at Worcester Uni too and know a couple of students who did the course there last year so if there's anything anyone would like to know about the Uni don't hesitate to ask :smile:
Reply 6
Original post by HollieT92
Hi!

I'm starting the Psychology PGCE in september! I've just finished my degree at Worcester Uni too and know a couple of students who did the course there last year so if there's anything anyone would like to know about the Uni don't hesitate to ask :smile:


Hey,

Congratulations! Well done for getting on straight after your degree. I have actually been working for a few years as an assistant psychologist and I did a post graduate certificate in CBT but decided that I wanted to go into teaching. I think there will be a real mix of ages on the course - I'm 25 and some people were a lot older and a few were younger. I'm glad I got in as I only made the decision to apply a few months ago as it was a complete career change!

So what is there to know about the Uni? And are you from Worcester or will you be commuting or moving from home to live there?

Vee
Reply 7
Hi Vee!

Thank you! Wow, quite a change in career, if you don't mind me asking what prompted the change? Yeh i know there's two of us who'll be 21 (a friend of mine from uni also got onto the course straight from degree), but i agree thre'll be quite a mix of ages!

I'm from Gloucester but living in Worcester in student accommodation atm, hoping to get a flat in Worcester for next year though, fingers crossed! Where are you from? Will you be commuting?

I'm not sure what to say about the Uni! haha it has four campuses but we'll be based in St Johns, probably in Binyon building which is probably the one you had your interview in. The library is in the city cente and is shared with the general public so if you plan on working there i'd advise the 4th floor, it's a silent zone, the other floors can get very busy and noisy, and downstairs are xbox's which makes the area very very noisy! However there are plenty of computer rooms and group study zones in the St Johns campus! Also there are an abundance of coffee shops on campus to keep us going through those long days at Uni! haha

Hollie :smile:
Reply 8
Original post by HollieT92
Hi!

I'm starting the Psychology PGCE in september! I've just finished my degree at Worcester Uni too and know a couple of students who did the course there last year so if there's anything anyone would like to know about the Uni don't hesitate to ask :smile:


Hey :smile:
Never bothered using this before but thought I'd give it a go! I applied for the PGCE a couple of weeks ago as a last minute decision and was offered an interview for next week! Any chance you can give me some pointers on it?? I'm so nervous.. I just don't know what to expect! :afraid:
Reply 9
Original post by vee87
I had an interview recently! My fingers are crossed at the moment. How did your interview go? Mine was not so bad but my written task was shocking!!


I'm really worried about the written task!! :frown: Having had a year out I've totally become out of touch with it all.. Have you got any tips?? My interview is next week, and I'm literally brickin it!
Reply 10
Original post by HollieT92
Hi Vee!

Thank you! Wow, quite a change in career, if you don't mind me asking what prompted the change? Yeh i know there's two of us who'll be 21 (a friend of mine from uni also got onto the course straight from degree), but i agree thre'll be quite a mix of ages!

I'm from Gloucester but living in Worcester in student accommodation atm, hoping to get a flat in Worcester for next year though, fingers crossed! Where are you from? Will you be commuting?

I'm not sure what to say about the Uni! haha it has four campuses but we'll be based in St Johns, probably in Binyon building which is probably the one you had your interview in. The library is in the city cente and is shared with the general public so if you plan on working there i'd advise the 4th floor, it's a silent zone, the other floors can get very busy and noisy, and downstairs are xbox's which makes the area very very noisy! However there are plenty of computer rooms and group study zones in the St Johns campus! Also there are an abundance of coffee shops on campus to keep us going through those long days at Uni! haha

Hollie :smile:


Hey Hollie,

Well I'd been thinking about teaching for a while I come from a family of teachers but I had this idea that I 'should' professionalise in psych. Then last year a career change just seemed too daunting but I but the billet and went for it. I think the experience in the field has done me the world of good and makes me more equipped to give students real life advice and share my experience with them.
I work in Worcester but live in Gloucester as I moved there for a job from Coventry. I will move back home for the PGCE though and commute in. I will be in Glos another month or so!! I'm still working full time and probably won't get a break between the course starting and my job!!
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 11
Original post by beki.91
I'm really worried about the written task!! :frown: Having had a year out I've totally become out of touch with it all.. Have you got any tips?? My interview is next week, and I'm literally brickin it!


Hi beki

Don't worry about it. It just checks out basic knowledge of psych. Stuff u should know such as approaches. I had not been in Uni for a few years when I went to my interview so you're better off than me! Personally I know I didn't do well in my written task but they go through it in the interview where I had a chance to redeem myself. Just try to relax. Remember, the written bit is only one part if the whole day. Despite not doing great in it I still got on as u felt I was strong in the other areas. Let me know how you get on. Good luck!
Reply 12
Original post by vee87
Hi beki

Don't worry about it. It just checks out basic knowledge of psych. Stuff u should know such as approaches. I had not been in Uni for a few years when I went to my interview so you're better off than me! Personally I know I didn't do well in my written task but they go through it in the interview where I had a chance to redeem myself. Just try to relax. Remember, the written bit is only one part if the whole day. Despite not doing great in it I still got on as u felt I was strong in the other areas. Let me know how you get on. Good luck!


Hey! Thanks for the reply,

So is that basic stuff as in topic areas, or did you need to know specific people? Because I spoke to a PGCE student who terrified me telling me I need to know all these different people!! haha.. Yeh that's true, you've put my mind at ease there :smile: well done though, you must have done really well! Thanks, I will do! :smile:
Reply 13
Hi Beki! Congrats on getting an interview!

The written task will ask you to explain a behaviour, in my interview it was explain how individuals build their perception of what is 'ugly', so for instance this can be explained using social learning theory. I didn't use any names at all in the written task! It then also asked us to design a study. I'm sure yours will be similar to this format :smile:

Good luck!
Reply 14
Original post by beki.91
Hey! Thanks for the reply,

So is that basic stuff as in topic areas, or did you need to know specific people? Because I spoke to a PGCE student who terrified me telling me I need to know all these different people!! haha.. Yeh that's true, you've put my mind at ease there :smile: well done though, you must have done really well! Thanks, I will do! :smile:


Sorry for all my typos in my last post I'm sure you gathered what I meant (I was using my phone - fat finger syndrome lol).....
Well I don't know if they change the task each time but it would be ridiculous for you to know specific people when they have not given you any direction in what may come up so who ever told you that was provoking your anxiety! Just be confident in basic knowledge on psychological approaches.
I honestly felt the same as you, the written task really made my anxiety sky high but they aren't there to grill you. As long as your grades are good anyway I'm sure they are looking to see how personable you are and whether your qualities would make a good teacher... really make that come through in your presentation, group task and interview!
Reply 15
Original post by beki.91
Hey! Thanks for the reply,

So is that basic stuff as in topic areas, or did you need to know specific people? Because I spoke to a PGCE student who terrified me telling me I need to know all these different people!! haha.. Yeh that's true, you've put my mind at ease there :smile: well done though, you must have done really well! Thanks, I will do! :smile:


Backing up what Hollie said - that is pretty much the same format I had! I think it may have even been the same task. I alkso did not use any names. Hope this all helps.
Reply 16
Original post by HollieT92
Hi Beki! Congrats on getting an interview!

The written task will ask you to explain a behaviour, in my interview it was explain how individuals build their perception of what is 'ugly', so for instance this can be explained using social learning theory. I didn't use any names at all in the written task! It then also asked us to design a study. I'm sure yours will be similar to this format :smile:

Good luck!


Hi Hollie,

Thanks for that! Deffo put my mind at ease a bit haha.. I was terrified I was going to be asked about all these different people and thought it was game over lol! Thanks so much :smile:

I see that you are already a student at Worcester? Have you sorted housing out or anything? I live in Telford so commuting is a little bit too much to do everyday, but I haven't got a clue where to begin to look for student housing as I went to Birmingham university!
Reply 17
Original post by vee87
Sorry for all my typos in my last post I'm sure you gathered what I meant (I was using my phone - fat finger syndrome lol).....
Well I don't know if they change the task each time but it would be ridiculous for you to know specific people when they have not given you any direction in what may come up so who ever told you that was provoking your anxiety! Just be confident in basic knowledge on psychological approaches.
I honestly felt the same as you, the written task really made my anxiety sky high but they aren't there to grill you. As long as your grades are good anyway I'm sure they are looking to see how personable you are and whether your qualities would make a good teacher... really make that come through in your presentation, group task and interview!


You and Hollie have lifted such a weight off my shoulders lol, thanks so much! Been proper panicking all week, digging out all my A-Level revision things and trying to learn some people but failing massively haha! I feel a little better about it all now :smile: Still got to do the whole QTS skills test too as I only applied for uni about 2 weeks ago! So that's another stress lol... My maths is very rusty indeed!!
Reply 18
Original post by beki.91
You and Hollie have lifted such a weight off my shoulders lol, thanks so much! Been proper panicking all week, digging out all my A-Level revision things and trying to learn some people but failing massively haha! I feel a little better about it all now :smile: Still got to do the whole QTS skills test too as I only applied for uni about 2 weeks ago! So that's another stress lol... My maths is very rusty indeed!!



Tell me about it - I was very stressed about the maths as I think I have slight maths phobia! THe literacy one is ok for me but the maths was a struggle. The mental maths bit is the thing that makes people anxious. I would advise just learning little tricks i.e. 1/4 or 25% of a number is half the number and then half it again. Those are the things that help. The actual calculator bit is fine. Did you have your interview? How did it go?
Reply 19
Original post by vee87
Tell me about it - I was very stressed about the maths as I think I have slight maths phobia! THe literacy one is ok for me but the maths was a struggle. The mental maths bit is the thing that makes people anxious. I would advise just learning little tricks i.e. 1/4 or 25% of a number is half the number and then half it again. Those are the things that help. The actual calculator bit is fine. Did you have your interview? How did it go?


Haha I was literally shaking in my maths one I was so worried about it but I found it so much easier than the practice material online!!! Luckily I passed both thank god!! :smile:

And yes my interview was Monday! It went really well, but they never informed me that they had in fact filled the course and so I was actually a reserve! :frown: gutted to say the least and very angry!! But basically I have to wait to see if someone drops out and then I can get on! Very rubbish indeed :frown:

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