The Student Room Group

PGDE choice

Hi, I have offers from UWS and Edinburgh for the primary PGDE. I'm from outside Scotland and am having a hard time deciding. Any advice/experiences welcome, Thanks!
Original post by daisy2255
Hi, I have offers from UWS and Edinburgh for the primary PGDE. I'm from outside Scotland and am having a hard time deciding. Any advice/experiences welcome, Thanks!


How do the courses compare?
Reply 2
Original post by alleycat393
How do the courses compare?

Very similar-18 weeks placement, both giving the same qualification
Original post by daisy2255
Very similar-18 weeks placement, both giving the same qualification


What about variety of placements and actual content? Is there anything that sets one apart from the other?
Reply 4
Original post by alleycat393
What about variety of placements and actual content? Is there anything that sets one apart from the other?

Not really! I think I am leaning towards Edinburgh based on the fact that it would be a great place to live :smile:
Original post by daisy2255
Not really! I think I am leaning towards Edinburgh based on the fact that it would be a great place to live :smile:


If there are no real differences in course then yes the living experience is the next thing to consider. Good luck!
Reply 6
Original post by daisy2255
Very similar-18 weeks placement, both giving the same qualification


Edinburgh said on their open day that they are the only PGDE provider in Scotland that send their students to 3 different schools on placements. This could be an interesting factor to consider.
Original post by star9005
Edinburgh said on their open day that they are the only PGDE provider in Scotland that send their students to 3 different schools on placements. This could be an interesting factor to consider.

All the providers do this. It isn’t Edinburgh themselves who make the choice where you get sent. It’s all centralised.

Edinburgh is a great city and there is a huge student population but it is also a very expensive place to live.
Reply 8
Original post by Tinytyrants
All the providers do this. It isn’t Edinburgh themselves who make the choice where you get sent. It’s all centralised.

Edinburgh is a great city and there is a huge student population but it is also a very expensive place to live.


How do you know this? I checked one of the PGDE providers and it is explicitly stated on their website that they send their students to 2 schools in total throughout the duration of the course.

Whether Edinburgh is the only one to send its students to 3 different schools or not is another question, but it doesn't look like "all the providers do this". I'm just offering what I found out from an open day I attended + what I read on the website of one of the universities.
Original post by star9005
How do you know this? I checked one of the PGDE providers and it is explicitly stated on their website that they send their students to 2 schools in total throughout the duration of the course.

Whether Edinburgh is the only one to send its students to 3 different schools or not is another question, but it doesn't look like "all the providers do this". I'm just offering what I found out from an open day I attended + what I read on the website of one of the universities.

You are correct my wording was poor. What I meant was going by what I was told at my interviews at two other providers they all aim for 3 depending on how many spaces there availble :smile:

I’m unsure as to whether 3 different schools is a positive or not. A longer placement at a school might be more beneficial.
Original post by Tinytyrants
You are correct my wording was poor. What I meant was going by what I was told at my interviews at two other providers they all aim for 3 depending on how many spaces there availble :smile:

I’m unsure as to whether 3 different schools is a positive or not. A longer placement at a school might be more beneficial.


That's a valid question - I'm not sure about that either. While more schools means more insight into different ways of school management and more teachers to get to know, spending a longer placement in one school could provide a more thorough understanding of their system and more effective relationship building.

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