my degree doesn't appear to be good enough, can i have some advice please?

[Trebuchet]

i did a 3 yr BA in acting in 1999, in edinburgh, and now want to do a pgce but they say as I only have an "ordinary" degree and not an Hons I cannot do the pgce.

Is this right? Can I top up? Does having loads of practical teaching experience make any difference?

ps I don't live in Scotland anymore, not sure if that makes a difference. Thank you x

[frecklyspeckly]

Hi i have dh here he is a teacher
I applied for pgce was told my degree not transferable to national curriculum

I am suprised they want an hons - does hons not mean you have done a dissertaion ( sorry been a long time out of higher ed)

do you want to do primary or secondary

[madrose]

I had an Hons, but my degree wasn't linked to the Nat Curr, so had to do a conversion, or in other words a crash course in my chosen subject for a year, followed by a PGCE.

[Trebuchet]

Its primary ed I'd like to do it's good to know there is such a thing as a conversion Madrose.
Freckly, I'm so clueless. Basically I was so uninterested in the fact I was doing a degree, I was at Drama school and was so focussed on the acting that as long as I passed it I wasn't interested!

I've had enough of it now so I've been supply teaching as a drama teacher in Secondary but feel I'd be better in Primary. They were happy to take me on as long term supply as I have tons of practical experience.

Do you think it'd make a difference if I did Secondary? Thank you,x

[Tinuviel]

I think one of the drama teachers at the school I work at (secondary) trained 'on the job'. I'm not quite sure how that works but it might be worth looking into. I think she basically did a PGCE over 2 years while actually working as a teacher. I could ask her if I see her tomorrow.

[Trebuchet]

Thank you Was, I did it in a little college in Edinburgh, but the degree came via Edinburgh Uni. I've got English and Maths a grade gcse and I'm currently re learning science the exams in June. Is pgde the same ish thing?

Tin, thanks I'd really appreciate that.

[sassy]

NOt sure of whether you need an hons degree to teach per se, but I think you will find it v hard to get a job with just a pass. Many schools won't consider less than a 2:2 in their NQTs. So you need to able to offer lots of amazing stuff to make your academic record pale into insignificance IMO.

[sassy]

Tin is talking about a GTP entry - look on the DFES website.

[Trebuchet]

Thanks Sassy, I think if I were to apply for secondary my application may look more appealing as you're doping a specific subject. mIne would be drama and I've worked in Tv Theatre and Radio for 10 years and taught in Stage schools doing vocational acting. But I'm not sure that it is relevant for primary...

[Clary]

trebuchet I have an honours degree but because I only got a 2:2 I was told I prob wdn't get a PGCE place to teach primary (lots of competition).

ie they wanted an hons degree 2:1. In the end thanks to great reference and maybe my brilliance I got both interview and place. Didn't do it actually but that's another story.

I'd be surprised then if you got a place to do PGCE without honours tbh. How about GTP? If you have experience would a school you worked in take you on?

[Clary]

PGCE primary I mean btw as that is the more competitive area.

A pal with a 3rd-class degree in maths got a place to do PGCE sceondary!

[roisin]

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.

[Tinuviel]

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!!

[Clary]

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 )

[roisin]

[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.

[Clary]

(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??

[nickelbang]

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)

[frakkinaround]

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

[Trebuchet]

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

[frecklyspeckly]

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!!