Hi Trebuchet - just to say sorry I went off-line just as you replied- hope you get sorted out .Dh thinks a degree and tons of experience should mean you only have to do a one year post graduate course or possibly GTP. Good luck!!

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions ladies, I appreciate it. x

See if you can get credit transfer to the OU and top it up to a BA Hons there.

it's most definitely due to the subject you want to teach.

i have looked into teaching science at secondary level and they would take my 3rd class hons for pgce.

i would definitely try to go the GTP track if they'll take you. if not, you could always do a conversion course. (don't know if they're still available)

(sorry trebuchet to still hijack. OTOH it's not completely irrelevant)

roisin sorry to hear about the problems, but at least it sounds like the kind of challenge that will have a good result when it is resolved!

I have French A-level and was pretty good at it mind you it's years ago...

I guess I could do a rfresher in both over the next 6 mo and maybe it's a goer?

Sorry OP not a lot of help to you, but I would certainly agree with those who say secondary drama might be a better way forward for you. Can you add on the hons bit of your degree anywhere??

[apologies again for hijack]

Hiya Clary! Occasionally I can't sleep, cos of work issues going round in my brain, so I get up and de-stress - hence the 4am!

So sorry to hear about the redundancy.
I too know lots of unemployed primary teachers, so that's not great. Round here there are unemployed secondary teachers in many subjects too, including MFL. But there is still a shortage of good secondary teachers in most subjects, especially core subjects. Do you have a second language to any level?

Our school was closed and merged with 2 others (which were fresh out of special measures) and we are now a new Academy. We are operating out of two of the old buildings and I move to another site. I simply love my new job (academic learning mentor), but it's been a steep learning curve getting to know new site, staff and students. And there are a LOT of practical/site/logistical issues that are just a complete mess. So it's been quite a tough term so far in many ways.

Hiya roisin (sorry it's a day later - why are you posting at 4am??? My excuse for 1am is that I've been to the theater and still buzzing)

Yes well I am about to be made redundant so all bets are off - or maybe on!

I don't think primary PGCE is the way togo for me - too little flexibility for too little money IYSWIM; but maybe secondary offers better prospetcs for a decent salary in the end - and someone might actually want to employ a German teacher (I know a number of unemployed PGCE primary graduates, sadly )

I didn't see her to ask but it very probably was. I have to say that she is a great drama teacher and now has taken responsibility for our year 7 PSYCHE Days and is doing a really good job at that. The kids love her too!!

PGDE is the Scottish and Welsh equivalent of the PGCE. I'm not sure of the difference.

Good luck!

Generally primary teaching is far more competitive. The college round here is hard to get into, but they are still training far more primary teachers then there are jobs for locally. The result is most of their graduates are unemployed, unless they are young and mobile and prepared to go and teach in very tough inner-city schools in other parts of the country.

Secondary is very different. Round here we've had a real shortage of drama teachers for several years, and you could almost name your terms!

But in-school training (GTP and other courses) are tightening up on admission criteria too, as they got slated recently in a report that some of the candidates didn't have the quality of knowledge of PGCE students. So I'm afraid if you can't get on a PGCE course, it's extremely unlikely you'd get accepted for a GTP or similar. (These are far more competitive.)

[hijack alert] Hey Clary! How are you? Long time no see!

What are you up to these days? Same old same old? I often wonder whether you took up with PGCE or not.