Unsuccessful PGCE application?
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Hi all, my wife applied for a Primary PGCE to start next September and it's been unsuccessful (thanks for letting her know 2 days before bl**dy Christmas!!).
Anyway, does anyone know what options she has, obviously she needs to know the reason and she has asked for this but I have heard something about 'extra' and 'clearing' next year, is this something she has to apply for to see if there are any free places?
Any advice, she is pretty down at the moment?
Anyway, does anyone know what options she has, obviously she needs to know the reason and she has asked for this but I have heard something about 'extra' and 'clearing' next year, is this something she has to apply for to see if there are any free places?
Any advice, she is pretty down at the moment?
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That happened with me - I forgot about the application. Then about June/July time, checked the website to see what courses were available. I rang up each institution until I got a 'yes' (you need a yes, they will send your application to said institution, who then consider it quickly. Stupid rule about 1 application being sent at a time!) I was in the boat where I had my own transport, I had no ties, so I could move anywhere.
I wanted to be a KS1/KS2 specialist, but the only spaces were on the languages courses, you had to have an A-Level in the language you chose (luckily I did!) Had an interview, then a week later, I got accepted with a week to find a house with flatmates! I'm now a KS2 Primary Teacher, specialising in Primary Languages. I can teach across the Primary age range though.
I don't know what job your wife is in at the moment, but it might be worthwhile making sure she's in school based work at the moment - worth contacting various supply agencies/searching jobs to be a TA. (She'll still need to do an interview, so can bring up the relevant experience and skills) It's not the end of the road - hope I've raised the spirits slightly! Best thing to do is find out when clearing opens, write it in your diary and forget about it for now.
Thanks for this, it's really helpful !!
This is very important - school experience. Primary PGCE is harder to get onto compared to the secondary PGCE. But I agree with everything MarzBar has said - dont give up. In the meantime every bit of school experience helps!
yeah she already volunteers one day a week in the local Primary, think we need to ramp up her school experience though this coming year.
Good luck.
Volunteer work is good - if you can, fish around the agencies for TA work. I know (especially in this area, where jobs are really competitive) that some schools advertise the job, but then head to an agency to get someone, instead of reading and filtering through applications.
It also might be worth looking at Secondary TA work or being a Cover Supervisor, so that she has actual teaching experience. You can also bring in the good ol' I've worked in Primary and in Secondary, and I prefer Primary because...
Great advice thanks!
I got turned down by my first two choices and then applied to another uni where I was interviewed for the waiting list - this happened in May so really late in terms of normal PGCE application. I wasn't expecting anything to come of it really and thought I would just have to re-apply the following year. Two months on, without any word, and I received a phonecall saying that a place had become available on the course! Without any hesitation, I jumped at the chance and packed up my things and moved 200 miles away and didn't look back - best thing I've done.
As others have said, there still could be the chance that she could get onto a course for Sep by going through 'clearing.'
Beavers & Cubs or Rainbows & Brownies would be the right age range for Primary, and there are so many units out there that are crying out for leaders...!
Obviously circumstances may not allow you to volunteer, but it's an idea!
Presumably she needs to now look for a TA course, is there a national recruitment agency for TA's she could maybe add her CV to?
My degree was 2:2. Keep trawling through the institutions, research which ones take a 2:2. Again try clearing when that opens.