Career Change (Primary Teaching)

tenchi-fan · 13 Aug 2006 at 03:37

I'm 24 with an accounting degree, bull **** business studies masters and about 2 years work experience in accounting.

I'm currently in Australia and now that I'm out of the rat-race I'm stepping back and evaluating my life and have decided that I'd like to become a primary teacher. (I first though about doing this when I was 18, but I didn't have the Irish language requirement to study in Ireland.)

Basically, I plan to do the one-year PGCE teaching course in England, claim the grant of GBP6,000 (and use it to pay for the course), followed by teaching for a year in the UK before returning to Ireland - or not. My end goal is to become a primary school teacher.

Does any one have any information on the availability of the courses, entry requirements and interviews (i.e. ease of getting in), best cities to study in (not party, study!), deadlines for applications, etc.

In other words, what hoops do I have to jump through and what pitfalls should I watch out for (in particular, is the grant still available if I already hold a masters degree?)

Ideally, I'd like information from some one who went through the process rather than just "educated guesses". If you can put me in touch with some one who already went through the application procedure, especially some one from Ireland, please get them to contact me.

Thanks,

Anthony

Zip · 13 Aug 2006 at 03:40

You do release that you will going to school for the rest of your life if you become a teacher :eek:

tenchi-fan · 13 Aug 2006 at 03:41

Best days of your life, so they say.

Zip · 13 Aug 2006 at 03:44

tenchi-fan said:
Best days of your life, so they say.

Not mine

I hated school and ive had much better times not being there

cleanbluesky · 13 Aug 2006 at 10:49

tenchi-fan said:
I'm 24 with an accounting degree, bull **** business studies masters and about 2 years work experience in accounting.

I'm in a similar position, sux doesn't it.

<snip>

In the UK, probably the best place to undertake a PGCE is at Institute of Education, which is validated by the University of London. But then again, I was told this by a lecturer there so it may be biased information.

What I could suggest, depending on your desired time-frame, is to get work in a school as a learning mentor. If you work in such a position in a school, there is the Graduate Teacher Programme which allows you to work and earn 16k a year while taking your PGCE. I am not sure whethr you have to take the PGCE over 2 years or not.

http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/community/education-learning/graduateteaching/graduateteaching.shtml

Here is an FAQ for Kirklees, but I think most of it applies elsewhere.

loopstah · 13 Aug 2006 at 11:35

I'm starting a Secondary PGCE next month but I had a look into Primary before I applied and only went Secondary as I didn't want to waste another year as I had missed the deadline.

Availability:
Primary is a lot harder to get into than Secondary as too many people do it, apparently there are too many teachers and not enough jobs in the UK, Ireland could be different I guess. Then again someone I know just finished a Primary PGCE and got a job straight away so it might not be as bad as some make out.

It's very competetive though and you need to apply before the end of December for next years course.

Qualifications:
You need GCSE Science, English and Maths. If you haven't got them then you need to do them.

You need a Degree, but you have one so your covered there although Accounting isn't a National Curriculum subject though so it could reduce your chances compared to those who have.

You need to get some experience in schools, the more the better as that will benefit your chances of an interview.

I'm guessing your a bloke, that's a bonus as they are trying to get more men to teach Primary as it's mostly women so that would work in your favour.

You also need to be Medically fit (and mentally) to teach and pass a CRB check.

Cash:
Money wise you can still get the grant/loans as all PGCE students can regardless of what you have already done. Fees are now £3000 but you can get a special loan to pay for that as well.

You also get a £6000 bursary from the government while you train.

Check out: http://www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit.aspx for further info.

Sarah123456 · 13 Aug 2006 at 11:40

Every university will have positive and negative points to their PGCE course. I studied at UWE in Bristol which is rated one of the best providers of the PGCE ( i did secondary school though).
Go to www.gttr.ac.uk to register to apply for a place at university. Also has some useful information about the teaching profession and all that.

The TES is also a good place to look for information. Go to www.tes.co.uk and have a look around at what people are saying.

Go to www.tda.gov.uk also for more advice and help on things like your QTS skills tests.

Not trying to sound nasty here but do you realise the amount of work that is required for a primary PGCE? Its pretty much non stop from September till July and that thing they call holidays doesn't actually calculate as holiday - it really should be called out of school preparation time.
Sadly the money does not go very far at all and they government will not pay off your student loan debt anymore.

Don't get me wrong, i think teaching is the best thing i've ever done and i throughly enjoy it, but it isn't something you should just do because you're bored with your current profession. The drop out rate for ITT is huge, especially for primary PGCE as people think its all cute kids and playtime when in fact the amount of work you have to do is unbelivable.
I don't know anything about doing a PGCE over in Ireland, but i was on placement with two guys from Belfast who were training in England and did want to go back, but both got jobs in Britain. So i think that the qualification will translate as the same over there, but couldn't be 100% sure.

tenchi-fan · 14 Aug 2006 at 10:44

cleanbluesky said:
In the UK, probably the best place to undertake a PGCE is at Institute of Education, which is validated by the University of London. But then again, I was told this by a lecturer there so it may be biased information.

What I could suggest, depending on your desired time-frame, is to get work in a school as a learning mentor. If you work in such a position in a school, there is the Graduate Teacher Programme which allows you to work and earn 16k a year while taking your PGCE. I am not sure whethr you have to take the PGCE over 2 years or not.

Thanks for the info, I'll have a read of it... I might not qualify for the 6k pound grand if I do it that way but I'll def look into it! Thanks

tenchi-fan · 14 Aug 2006 at 10:52

Guys, thanks for the info. Can't read it right now but I'll research it in the next week and hopefully I'll be able to start a course in Sept 2007. I'll let you know when I've decided what to do.
Sarah, my sister is a primary teacher. We have arguments the whole time about how easy her job is or isn't. I know teachers are very defensive but: 2 months summer holidays, a nice Christmas break, Easter holidays, mid-terms, finish work at 3pm... I could live with that

Plus at the moment I get zero job satisfaction. I can honestly see myself making a good teacher so don't worry - I'm sure I'm doing it for the right reasons!

leaskovski · 14 Aug 2006 at 10:53

The Ex and her mate came over from Ireland and N.Ireland to do the training here and then went back. As far as i know they have both got jobs, but aparently it was a right PITA as it seems that everyone and there dogs want to do Primary School teaching. What does that say about the youth of today!? Secondary = Little turds.

tenchi-fan · 15 Aug 2006 at 05:40

leaskovski said:
Secondary = Little turds.

My degree is ideal to teach Accounting, Economics and Business Organisation... but looking back at how my classmates and I acted in secondary school there's no way I'd teach. Not only that, in the years that I've left I've heard the abuse the teachers have to put up with is getting even worse.