Have half my final year left to complete of my degree....if I finish with OU will I be able to get onto PGCE?

[redhappy]

Had baby during my final year at university. I think I can do one large module over a year with OU to complete my degree, but as I understand it would not be an honours degree.

Is this likely to be a problem for getting onto a PGCE?

Or is there a way I can then study to get an honours added?

It is an honours degree with the open university if you have 360 points - 120 points with the Open university is equivalent to a year full time.

If you can transfer the first two years of your degree then you will need 60 points for a degree without honours and then another 60 to make it into an honours degree.

I'm not sure about the requirements for a PGCE -its probably best to check with where you would be applying.

If you have an honours degree in a relevant subject I know that OU degrees are looked upon very favourably by institutions offering the PGCE.

However, in the last few years it has become increasingly difficult to gain access onto teacher training courses without having extensive experience working with children already.

Is it secondary or primary you hope to teach?

If you do not have experience working in schools already it may be beneficial to gain as much as you can starting now. You can do it on a voluntary basis or paid work by working as a teaching assistant, learning mentor or cover supervisor. These are all roles that can be done without a degree and also on a part time basis whilst you are still studying.

These are not well paid jobs but I'm sure if you are going into teaching it's not the money that you're interested in!

Good luck!!

You should be able, as Webwiz states to do an honours degree with the OU by doing 120 points. Ring them up and ask, they are very helpful. You WILL need an honours degree for PGCE and almost certainly a 2.1. Look carefully at your choice of courses too, providers are getting more and more picky about degree content.
I have just been offered a place (subject to funding) to do a PGCE with a very respected provider on the strength of my OU degree. They will not even interview candidates without a 2.1 or higher. They turned me down for interview last year, because I hadn't completed my degree and they needed a guaranteed 2.1 before even looking at me. Getting a place on a PGCE is really difficult, and as Tiny Diamond says, relevant school experience is vital too.
Not trying to put you off or anything, but you only get one shot every year at applying so the better prepared you are, the greater your chances of success.

It depends very much on subject and age range. Secondary maths you basically need to be breathing ! And yes that foes include me before anyone thinks I am Insulting maths teachers. Primary and some secondary subjects are very difficult to get onto.