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.

Do the Apprenticeship route instead
www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/learning-and-skills-teacher-v1-0

You need at least a C in science; that’s why you’ve been rejected, nothing to do with age.

22 years in and I still love it. There are monumentally shit bits but that's rarely down to the kids.

I don't want to sound mean, but no one should assume that having a degree will mean they will get a teaching post, even if they are accepted onto a PGCE course.

Primary school jobs in my local area are rare. When they do come up there are many applications for them - sometimes several dozen. All of those applicants will have either a BEd or a PGCE. When getting the applicant lists down to the call for interview stage the A level and GCSE grades of the candidates will be considered. Since primary teachers teach across the curriculum they will be expected to have good grades, especially in core subjects - in other words, the candidates with grade A in these subjects may well be placed ahead of someone with a couple of C grades.

The OU is really doing people a favour by not accepting them with low GCSE grades - especially in the core subjects. You could spend a year doing a very demanding course with a limited chance of getting a job at the end of it. Now, it may well be that this in not the case everywhere- I don't know how rare primary school jobs are elsewhere and I don't know if all jobs attract dozens of applications.

[quote Joeblack066]Do the Apprenticeship route instead
www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/learning-and-skills-teacher-v1-0[/quote]
That's to teach adults and 16+ teens in colleges etc. More vocational stuff. This course would not qualify someone to teach in a primary school.

@mrshamlet I taught TESOL abroad to primary children, which is a little bit similiar. I did enjoy it. It is tiring though!

@EastWestWhosBest - I think Welsh is desirable for primary but not for secondary.

@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...

The first GCSEs were 1988. Last year of O level (mine) was 1987. GCSEs didn't exist before this. CSEs did, though.

[quote Sarahtrue11]@MrsHamlet I am glad you are enjoying it! I nearly applied for a PGCE, but then lots of horror stories about teaching put me off. I thought, would I be able to do it. But I suppose if I had been really committed to the career, I wouldn't have let the stories put me off. I guess it is not meant for me.[/quote]
I agree. I have to say, and I'm going to be harsh again, if the OP gives up at this first hurdle then maybe they prefer the idea of teaching lovely little children, rather than the reality of hard study and work.

The OU only do a primary teaching PGCE for the Welsh curriculum, don’t they? Perhaps OP didn’t appear to be aware of that in her application and that’s where the curriculum related comments come from.

It’s also not just her science grade, her maths and English grades don’t reach the Welsh requirements either.

I would highly recommend anyone wanting to become a teacher to do as the adverts say and Google Get Into Teaching. I did and my teacher training adviser was so, so valuable in my application. They will advise on what areas of your application need work whether it be qualifications (I suspect it is your science grade holding you back) or whatever.

Also remember maybe the OU isn't a good fit but another place might be.

I have lived in England and in Ireland. I have lived and worked in Ireland for a longer period of time.

Something I found very interesting about England, was that there were so many job applications that asked for GCSE grades.

In Ireland, if you apply for a job, you will never be asked for your school grades. Ever. No one cares about your school exam results at all. I have only ever put down my College degree on an application.

Is it not a bit strange, that the exams that you take as a very young teenager, are asked for, when applying for many jobs in the UK?

Sorry I’ve not had chance to read the full thread, I will come back when I have more time later - hope I’m not just repeating what others say!

Don’t be disheartened, a lot of the time it’s about being a fit for their uni over capability. My friend got knocked back from a uni for PGCE but then applied to an academy chain directly and got accepted - she ended up on the same course as initially rejected for through it! As you’ve a lot of school experience this might be more suitable, part of her application was teaching a task to students (6 kids, 15mins) with your experience I bet you would be amazing at this.

If you need any help with your personal statement or interview tasks I’m more than happy to help, I’m HOD and have been a part of recruitment at school.

@Thisgirlcando

Sorry I’ve not had chance to read the full thread, I will come back when I have more time later - hope I’m not just repeating what others say!

Don’t be disheartened, a lot of the time it’s about being a fit for their uni over capability. My friend got knocked back from a uni for PGCE but then applied to an academy chain directly and got accepted - she ended up on the same course as initially rejected for through it! As you’ve a lot of school experience this might be more suitable, part of her application was teaching a task to students (6 kids, 15mins) with your experience I bet you would be amazing at this.

If you need any help with your personal statement or interview tasks I’m more than happy to help, I’m HOD and have been a part of recruitment at school.

There really isn't much point posting without reading the thread.

OP simply doesn't meet the national entry requirements.

I know that I can't work in Scotland as I gained QTS via a GTP.

I'm secondary but when recruiting we have more than once looked at the A levels of candidates to see if they might be able to teach another subject we had a gap in at a push at KS3 if there was the odd hour or two on their timetable.

Sorry OP, gone off the point of your thread, but I would definitely just get that science redone if you want to apply again for primary. Looking at what other posters have shared it seems you only need a grade 4 not a 5 so if you spend time in science lessons in your job you should have a good basic foundation to build upon to access the GCSe curriculum.

I'm assuming the OP is in Wales, and therefore will need to improve her grades in Maths and English to meet the requirements as well.

The first GCSEs were 1988. Last year of O level (mine) was 1987. GCSEs didn't exist before this. CSEs did, though.

Definitely introduced in 1988 so assuming you were the same age as the rest of your classmates, you would be 48/49 now.

@Thisgirlcando

Sorry I’ve not had chance to read the full thread, I will come back when I have more time later - hope I’m not just repeating what others say!

Don’t be disheartened, a lot of the time it’s about being a fit for their uni over capability. My friend got knocked back from a uni for PGCE but then applied to an academy chain directly and got accepted - she ended up on the same course as initially rejected for through it! As you’ve a lot of school experience this might be more suitable, part of her application was teaching a task to students (6 kids, 15mins) with your experience I bet you would be amazing at this.

If you need any help with your personal statement or interview tasks I’m more than happy to help, I’m HOD and have been a part of recruitment at school.

What is an academy chain?

There’s an art teacher at my school who only has a D in science and she’s in her mid-thirties, so it might be ok. I’d have a look at an alternative route. My last trainee was mid-forties and has tons of non-teaching school experience and was an amazing trainee, best I’ve ever had. She’ll be a fabulous teacher. Don’t let this set back deter you if you really want to do it.

Hi OP, I work for a SCITT. If you are training to teach Primary you do need a C or above in Science at GCSE. Have you looked at doing Science equivalency? There’s a few providers out there doing it, I recommend it a lot to prospective trainees who don’t have the required GCSE grades. We offer distance learning PGCE with QTS. PM me if you need any help

Sorry to nitpick (and not RTFT) but if you’re early 50s then you’ll have done O-levels/CSEs, surely?

Sorry X-posted with other posters

PGCEs are insanely competitive I was turned down a few times on the basis on not enough experience, as soon as I got experience in a school I got a place. I’m surprised with all your experience that you didn’t get into the course. I’m a secondary teacher and have similar GCSEs to you, and a degree and an MA and my D in science was never an issue but my subject isn’t a science so maybe that’s why? Good luck and don’t give up, keep going.

The OP would need to resit maths and English as well as the PGCE at the OU is for both primary and secondary and has those listed as minimum B grades, and, only in Wales. They no longer do PGCE for other uk countries anymore.

www.open.ac.uk/postgraduate/qualifications/k36#entry-requirements

@Volcanoexplorer

There’s an art teacher at my school who only has a D in science and she’s in her mid-thirties, so it might be ok. I’d have a look at an alternative route. My last trainee was mid-forties and has tons of non-teaching school experience and was an amazing trainee, best I’ve ever had. She’ll be a fabulous teacher. Don’t let this set back deter you if you really want to do it.

You need the science for primary, not secondary.