To be gutted I got turned down by OU to study PGCE

[MrsDontDoMuch]

I’m just a bit upset, and wondered if anyone had any experience of being rejected by OU?

I work as a class room assistant and have over twenty years experience of working in schools. I have GCSE’s, A levels, a degree, and diploma in performance (ABRSM piano). I recently applied to OU to study a PGCE. I wrote what I thought was a good application and personal statement.

I’ve just received feedback that I was rejected because I did not ‘demonstrate a clear understanding of curriculum reforms’ and ‘maybe I should work on improving my GCSE grades’. I did get a C in maths and English amongst several other subjects but a D in science (my mum died when I was doing my GCSE’s) and I would have thought A levels and a degree would outweigh my GCSE grades?

AIBU to think this is just patronising feedback? I’m thinking it’s because I’m in my early 50’s and maybe they think I’m just too old? I just can’t stop crying, I really wanted to be a primary school teacher.

@GlutenFreeGingerCake

I don't think it's ridiculous to ask for basic standards in English, maths and Science. It is when the person has a degree and years of experience working as a classroom assistant. She is just the sort of person they need to become a teacher. Yes she can go back and retake her GCSEs but what a waste of time.

Her degree and her A levels were not in core subjects. She might be a whizz at Music and Art, but she HAS to be proficient in English, Maths and Science if she's going to teach primary.

If she was applying to teach music in a secondary school, she wouldn't need the science grade, because she'd not be required to teach it. But primary teachers have to be all rounders.

I've had spectacularly good TAs in my classroom, but not all of them would be good teachers. I've seen people encouraged out of their comfort zone before, by people who didn't really think about the different skills needed, and it didn't end well.

@murasaki

Maybe it depended on schools. I remember our form prefects (don;t laugh) being the first cohort for GCSEs, and they were 17 when I was11. I'm now 44 so they would be 52...

So they were 6 years older than you?

44+6 doesn’t equal 52.

@FenwickRose

I was first year of GCSE changing from O level OP, I am 51 this year and I did O Levels. If you are early 50s you will have done O Levels

I am 50 soon (one of the youngest)in year and i was the last year of O levels. Noone in their 50s will have done GCSEs

I came on to suggest you look into “Now Teach” as another PP also mentioned.
As it’s aimed at people with life/work experience they may be more appreciative of the skills you would bring to the role.

I am 50. 51 this year. Some of my subject certificates are GCSEs. Some are O Levels. I sat them in 1987 and my A levels in 1989.
I might dig them out tomorrow and photograph the dates!

I don't think anyone should be able to become a teacher without being able to obtain a C or equivalent!

The cohort who first took GCSEs can't be older than 49, as they were taken in Summer 1988.
It used to be perfectly possible to get 9 Grade A O'levels ( no mean feat) and have not one Science O'level amongst them. Science wasn't mandatory but Eng Lit, Eng Lang, Maths were.

I did my PGCE as an older candidate. People who did not have a GCSE in Science had to one.

This site is quite helpful: beta-getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/steps-to-become-a-teacher?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic

I would say that my Science GCSE was not that great though luckily the PGCE training was excellent. I still sometimes find myself at the edge of my knowledge when planning / teaching Science. Kids ask very probing questions! I had to do a lot of reading in advance.

I know it is annoying but I do think it is a fair requirement, sorry.

They have all kinds of rules that don't always seem to make sense - I was turned down for a social work masters despite 10 years relevant work experience because 20 years ago I got 59% in my degree not 60% (and I was bereaved the day before my finals started)

I know a girl who applied with a degree, A levels etc, just like you, but because she did not have a high score in her Maths GCSE she had to sit her maths GCSE in college, it delayed her for getting in for a year. It was a local Uni, not OU, so seems they're the same.

@PurpleFlower1983

It’s always been a C in science as far as I knew.

I think it is a more recent requirement for primary as they realised teachers were not confident teaching Science.

@Flipflops85

I needed a C in science when I studied, but I think the official cut off, was being born after 1979. If you were born before that date you didn’t need it.

Your A levels would only supersede GCSEs, if they were in English or Maths or Science. SCITT courses might differ.

I was born before 1979 and I needed it (studied quite recently). Maybe there was a transition period when you could get away with not having it?

@l2b2

The cohort who first took GCSEs can't be older than 49, as they were taken in Summer 1988. It used to be perfectly possible to get 9 Grade A O'levels ( no mean feat) and have not one Science O'level amongst them. Science wasn't mandatory but Eng Lit, Eng Lang, Maths were.

I have some GCSEs from 1987.

In my experience they REALLY care about your school grades. Irrespective of any further education which seems quite mad to me! I know several teachers that despite having degrees and post graduate qualifications had to go back to college to get better high school exam grades in order to “tick the boxes” to get on the PGCE course.

We had CSEs as the new exam in 84. We did separate sciences so I didn't even do Chem or standard biol - I did Human biol and physics

It wasn't the norma t all to get above a B for e.g. for MOST subjects - I was top set across the board and came out with a handful of bs and cs

It may actually be they are NOT taking your age into account here which is the issue!

Mny unis ask for a B in Maths and English for primary teaching degrees - competition for primary PGCE is very high.

I'm confused about the posters saying "Oh you have a degree? Ridiculous in that case, maybe you should try a different route". A PGCE is only for people who have a degree, everyone who has applies will have one!

It's good that it's not too easy to get on a PGCE course. You may be a fantastic teacher OP but not such a bad idea to resist science first.

I did this course at another uni a few years ago. I was really lucky to get in first time but I had joined a Facebook page and there were so many people who had been rejected 2 and 3 years in a row still trying to get a place 😢 Good on you for being a CA all those years then deciding to go for it! If it’s what you really want you’ll be able to make it happen one way or another! A college course to get the grades they’re looking for or trying a different uni? A woman on my course had retired from the police and was 58. She qualified, did the part time route for her probationary year then worked part time for a year, ticked it off her bucket list and retired 😂 but good on her for doing it!

P.S how has being a CA not put you off teaching as a career? 🤣

@sarah13xx

I did this course at another uni a few years ago. I was really lucky to get in first time but I had joined a Facebook page and there were so many people who had been rejected 2 and 3 years in a row still trying to get a place 😢 Good on you for being a CA all those years then deciding to go for it! If it’s what you really want you’ll be able to make it happen one way or another! A college course to get the grades they’re looking for or trying a different uni? A woman on my course had retired from the police and was 58. She qualified, did the part time route for her probationary year then worked part time for a year, ticked it off her bucket list and retired 😂 but good on her for doing it!

P.S how has being a CA not put you off teaching as a career? 🤣

A different uni won't help as the Science is a national requirement.

I got onto a School Direct course this year, I don't understand the curriculum reform thing they've put to you, if they're only going by your personal statement and didn't interview you? I didn't put anything about that in my personal statement. I have all my GCSEs, only got a C in maths though did cover some advanced maths in my degree. I do think science is really important, in my opinion it should go back to being a SATs tested subject as it was in my school years. You need to look into retaking your science GCSE or an appropriate equivalency test. Don't worry about maths and English if you got a C. Perhaps look at other routes into teaching, as someone mentioned, is assessment only something you could do, once you have the GCSEs sorted?

Have you thought about applying to study with a SCITT company instead of a uni? I've just been accepted last week to do PGCE and I don't have my science gcse. My offer is conditional on me getting this before the September start date and they provide the training and exam for this

Have you thought about applying to study with a SCITT company instead of a uni? I've just been accepted last week to do PGCE and I don't have my science gcse. My offer is conditional on me getting this before the September start date and they provide the training and exam for this

And people saying it's a competitive area, I think that all boils down to where you live. I have zero experience in the classroom, I just have the qualifications, and my options were biting my hand off as I think I'm in a shortage area. One course provider said I'd be pretty much guaranteed a job in one of their cohort schools when I finish

You need at least a B grade in Maths and English to teach now. Also, watch your apostrophes on the application form. GCSEs doesn’t need one. Sorry if that sounds patronising x

@Saucery

I am 50. 51 this year. Some of my subject certificates are GCSEs. Some are O Levels. I sat them in 1987 and my A levels in 1989. I might dig them out tomorrow and photograph the dates!

It would be really interesting to see what’s written on your certificates. This wiki history seems clear that no GCSEs were taken before 1988. Are you sure they definitely weren’t the 16+ exams you did in 1987?

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Certificate_of_Secondary_Education