Teacher Training

[AbigHoleinmybucket]

I've been a TA for 6/7 years and before this I was teaching ESL/ESOL abroad and here in the UK. I am TEFL certified and a L3 TA.
I'm 42 and really need to try and move forwards however my Maths has always let me down and I don't actually having GCSEs here in the UK.

When I was 15, my parents moved to France and I was put into a French school (hardly knowing any French!). You can imagine the mess I was in trying to take the Brevet later on. I did learn to speak French quickly but my written French was very poor. I did not get very good results (apart from in English 😅) and I have no record of them.
So, my parents moved back to the UK for my to do my A Levels and I was accepted into a good college to do them. I managed to get 2.5 (ish) A levels (B in French ), English and Critical thinking (AS). I had taken Music but gave this up in the second year (hence taking CT).
I was accepted into a good university (Cardiff) as a mature student (I was 20 at the time I think) and got a 2.2 in Religious Studies and Philosophy (really helpful choices 🤓not!).

In short, my education has been pretty shit!

I am pretty dire in Maths and I don't really have the time to resit all my GCSEs (3 kids and working F/T) however I really need some ideas about how to increase my earnings. I probably could have scraped a C/D in maths if I'd done my GCSEs in the UK but maths is a totally different language in France which didn't go down well at all.

Most of my experience has been in education (adults and children) in some capacity.

I have thought about trying for TT but I fear my background won't even get me through the criteria needed to get on a course. In fact, I'm pretty sure it won't as I'd need to show GCSEs etc in maths and science I imagine.

Does anyone have any ideas for me and my crappy maths ability?

I am very willing to train on the job and to study but I need an income at the same time.

You will have to get the GCSEs I’m afraid!

Sorry for the typos as well up thread. I've capitalised some subjects without intent.🤓

pretty sure you need an undergrad degree too.

Which she has…

First of all, there aren't blanket rules across the UK, although I think in all the home nations you'd need a GCSE or equivalent in Maths.

In England, to get QTS, you'd also need to prove that you had an English GCSE equivalent, as well. If you want to teach primary, you need a Science GCSE as well, but this isn't needed for secondary- if you wanted to teach e.g. RE.

If you want to teach in England, you could teach as an unqualified teacher, but the pay would be much less for the same amount of work, and it is much harder to find a job as some schools can't employ you, some schools won't, and you'll usually be seen as a weaker candidate than someone with QTS.

To be honest, I'd suggest getting Maths GCSE- you could sit it in November, and the standard needed to get a 4 is not high. You could then apply for an ITT training place to start in 2024?

The thing I'd also add is that some schools do care about your broader educational background (some very much don't), although you have a lot of experience to balance this out.

In terms of finding a job, in some areas, primary can still be reasonably competitive, and some schools may look at qualifications to help shortlist if they have a lot of similar candidates.

I do know people who are involved in shortlisting teachers who look at A-levels.

Ah missed that bit about the degree. I know that the U.K. is desperate for more teachers across all subjects. Good luck finding a way in.

Thank you everyone.

I guess I'll have to try and get these GCSEs done if I want to take that route.

I've always been a bit resentful of my parents taking us off just before my GCSEs tbh because it's closed so many doors for me.

I'm in Wales currently so it might be a little different here but we are looking at moving back to England.

You could do a PGCE at an FE college which leads to QTLS which has parity with QTS.

You will need your maths and English GCSEs (I had to give them copies of my certificates) however, they might allow you to take them while you study.

Certainly this is what my friend did, she had an undergrad but no maths GCSE so she took maths functional skills (L2 so equivalent to GCSE) at the FE college while she was doing her PGCE.

We did our PGCEs over two years so she passed maths in the first year I think. Then we graduated together second year.

Thanks, that's a thought.

From what I can recall my friend had a similar experience to you, op, parents took her abroad and screwed her education (I'm not surprised you resent this!!) so she didn't have much in the way of GCSEs but was a very capable mature student.

In fact I know she's since done a Masters and is doing a PhD now.

Thank you!

It's difficult as you end up with huge gaps in your knowledge. My children are (13, 11, 9) and I could not imagine doing this to them now. I love travelleing and lived abroad for several years before they were born. I dream of doing this again but I won't screw their education by going now. Luckily, they are a lot more intelligent than I am😋. In fact, they could help me prepare for my GCSE's .😂

I did a PGCE at local college, I didn't have GCSE maths above C. I didn't have to retake the GCSE, just level 2 maths, which is quite a bit easier. Speak to your local FE college!

Check with teacher training colleges if functional skills maths level 2 would be accepted as you can usually do that free and take the exams when ready.

In Wales though, I'm not sure if a B grade is still required for maths. 🤔

I'll start speaking to some FE colleges I think and see what they can offer and speak to the teachers at school.

Does that mean I'll have some income when I study though?

This is what the government website says. Can you just focus on getting your maths and English, a science and maybe French in November?

Do you want to teach primary or secondary? QLTS won't be good preparation for teaching in primary.

In terms of income as you train, there are routes such as schools direct/teach first which would allow you to earn as you train.

If you go down a PGCE route, you'd be funded by student loans, and a bursary if it's a shortage subject.

Science and French GCSEs only run in the summer sitting. There were exceptions to this post Covid, but they've now finished.

Primary or in HE Post.

That's interesting @Postapocalypticcowgirl - I assumed they had continued. Slightly less convenient for OP then.

Your education sounds similar to mine! I am so old, I have some O levels, an undergraduate degree, then college to do a GCSE in maths, a PGCE, an NPQH and now, after 22 years in education I am retiring!
I did my maths GCSE at a FE college in the evening. It was full of would be teachers and nurses, who all needed a C grade. The teacher said if we did exactly what he told us to do, we would all pass. He said we wouldn't be able to go into things in depth, there just wasn't time in a 9 month course. Most of us did get our C grade!
Good luck!

You can do GCSE English and Maths in Nov but everything else would need doing in May/ June. Your French abilities would be very helpful in many primary schools in Rnhlamd.

On-line functional skills in L2 maths equals GCSE L4. Very easy to manage as you study when you want. You can put in for the exam, also on line, when you want. Good luck!