Accepted onto PGCE course and pregnant

[Mamalovey]

Hi, I am currently 9 weeks pregnant, so not far along enough to let people know yet. I was accepted onto a PGCE teacher training course today. I have another interview coming up with a different teaching provider in a few weeks time, and it is the one I'm hoping to get into. By the time this other interview takes place I will be 12 weeks pregnant. If all is well with the pregnancy at that point, only then I would start informing people of it.

My baby is due around August 2023, so obviously I won't be trying to do my PGCE starting September this year. I would be looking to defer it to start September 2024 instead.

My question is, at what point would it be appropriate to let the teaching provider know? Should I accept the course, then let them know I am pregnant shortly after that, and ask if I can defer?

Or do I let them know I am pregnant at the point of also accepting the course, and ask for deferral then?

Is there a chance that they will not allow me to defer and hence I would need to reapply all over again next year?

Thank you!

I applied to do an access course, they added me to the February intake but I’m due my baby in March and didn’t want to get behind so I’ve transferred to the September start. By that point baby will be 6 months old and I can use a nursery for a couple of days so I can do some work

Check the details of the scheme you are applying to. If it is a university then it's simple to defer, if it's job based you may need to reapply as you would basically need to refuse to take the position

Cambridge didn't do deferrals for PGCE's so I had to apply again but accepted straight away due to have been offered the previous year. Will depend on the university and their rules. It's a full on year! The hardest thing I have ever done! Good luck!

I highly recommend turning down any offers. I'm in the middle of PGCE and there's absolutely no way it would have been possible with a baby.

I'm a mature, professional adult who knew exactly what they were getting into and I'm drowning. I'd park it for at least 5 years.

Take it as an act of fate. You won’t be able to do a PGCE with a baby. Forget it. Teaching isn’t particularly child friendly anyway, ironically.

I am a teacher. No children. I agree teaching is not particularly child friendly. The PGCE is time consuming. Yiu will struggle to do this wuth a young baby. I would thin again.