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Funding a primary PGCE

Hi All,

I'm currently in third year Creative and Professional Writing and am planning on doing a Masters. After that, I want to do the Primary PGCE I know that the PGCE doesn't count as a year of study (hence why I'm doing the Masters) but I'm a little worried about money.

My maintenance loan is very low, just covers my rent, so I work part time to feed myself, fund my studies, relax, etc. However, during the PGCE I'd be on placement, which I've heard is like having a full time job. Obviously I wouldn't be able to have my part time job at the time, so I'm worried I won't be able to feed myself with the maintenance loan.

Which brings me to my question, is student finance still means tested at a postgraduate level?

My parents earn a lot but the relationship with them is complicated. I still talk to them occasionally and meet up for meals but on most levels we are estranged: I don't go home for any holidays and they don't help me with university. They wouldn't fill out the student finance application so I got minimum loan by default. Even then, I know they earn a lot and it probably wouldn't have made a difference.

I have my sights set on teaching and I've heard you can do the salaried route, though it's competitive.

I also wanted to ask about the primary with Maths. For a while now I wanted to take a Maths course separately (I have a C in Maths at GCSE but I know it's my achilles heel and would want to get better at it for the kids sake) and I know you can get a bursary for doing primary with Maths but I think you need a B or above A-Level in Maths. Do you think retaking the GCSE Maths might be advantageous anyway?
Hey

For the PGCE, student finance is assessed in a similar way to at undergraduate level, but you may be able to prove you are financially independent of your parents. The usual criteria for this is:

-Over 25
-Married/in a civil partnership
-You have a child.
-You can show you have been financially independent of your parents for the last 3 years.
-You cannot make contact with your parents and have not been in contact for at least 12 months.

Would any of these apply when you start your PGCE?

Re GCSE Maths: A C is fine, I'm not sure there would be any benefit to bringing this up to a 6/7 or higher at GCSE, except for your own confidence.

I hope this helps a bit!
I agree with SarcAndSpark, doing more in terms of Maths probably isn't worth it, and I doubt it would be enough to make you eligible for the Primary with Maths course (unless you literally took the A level).

Studying for and passing for the Numeracy skills test will inevitably build or reaffirm your Maths skills so I'd focus on that.

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