to think an English Degree is......

[Panyanpickle77]

a relevant qualification for PGCE early years? I have been rejected by a university because they have said my degree is not relevant, and they are looking for degrees in early childhood (which they failed to mention pre application!!!!) Apparently out of 110 applicants they have only accepted 8. Maybe the lady I spoke to was being nice, and didn't like to say my application was PANTS! Hey ho, rant over but all opinions are welcome

The stats for this year where I applied were:

580 applicants
225 interviews
112 places

it is superbly competitive so not getting an interview doesn't actually mean much; just means they had way too many subscribers this year

I still think that's bullsh*t.
When I applied, I had an interview in December to start the next September and got a place. But in acutal fact, they carried on accepting people until the beginning of September.
In the case of the uni I went to, it was all a bit exaggerated to make it look more desirable in my opinion anyway...

I'm an early years teacher with an English degree. I job share with someone with a childhood studies degree. We're both damn fine teachers and nobody cares or knows what our degrees are. you can either teach or you can't in my opinion and if you've got a degree in open heart surgery, bra design or playing the mandolin it shouldn't matter if you have the ability to relate to, stimulate and generally teach young children. So there!

sounds liek they're trying to fob you off. Ask 'em what degrees they are accepting

As victorian said - I know englidh grad who did the GTP program - one in high school English - the other in early years.

My friend's daughter applied to be a primary teacher and she was told that she only apply if she had a degree in a National Curriculum subject. Hers was in History of Art, so she couldn't apply.

What is a degree in Early years? Sounds a bit contrived to me. Of course an English degree is relevant - I bet they would have had you if it had been Maths.

I have a PGCE in Early Years (granted quite a few years ago) and I have an English and Sociology Degree. It used to be as long as 50% of your degree was a National Curriculum Subject.

I have had PGCE students in my class who had degrees like business studies.

I can't imagine they will get many people with those types of degrees tbh.

Is it worth applying somewhere else?

Have applied elsewhere, just felt a tad disheartened. Having spoke to the GTTR I've been advised that the uni has to give honest feedback, so at least I know that they are basing it on my degree rather than my actual personal statement (I got paranoid that the admissions lady was beind kind, and didn't like to say my application was pants lol). It just seems very misleading that they do not specify that you have to have early years degree, almost like moving the goal posts! Hey ho, tis all in the hands of fate, if it doesn't come through this year I'll just get some more experience and reapply for 2009