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Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

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Original poster

Can i ask some questions about teaching please ??

30 replies

NuttyMuffins · 22/03/2007 12:04

Ok now I know it isn't a career I have ever mentioned doing before, but I have been looking into it a bit and sent for some info books and a prospectus from a uni just to have a nose and now I am really interested.

Firstly, I have no qualifications at all so would have to do an access to teaching course which isn't a problem but they only get you to do a gcse in English and then access Maths but I am sure I read somewhere that to do teaching you must have a gcse in maths. Does anyone know if the access maths in considered to be eqivilent ??

Secondly, I really really would only want to teach either pre school age so in a state nursery school, or in reception (obviously i might change my mind about that). Would that make it really hard to get a job after ??

Wolverhampton Uni do a BEd (hons) in Early Primary Education which trains you to work in The foundation stage/Key stage 1 and will lead to qualified teacher status.....is that the right sort of course or should I be looking at something else ?? They do a BEd in Primary school teaching too, but I think i'd prefer the early primary one.

Lastly, money ! I am a single mum of 3, would I get enough bursaries, grants etc to manage or would it be a total nightmare ??

Oh and for some reason I was really nervous about asking this as I think you will all think I am nuts as I keep changing my mind LOL.

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dingolimpet · 22/03/2007 12:12

I am doing an access to higher education course at local college, I think most colleges do them, which takes either a year, or two if you do it part time. Then you can either do a teaching degree, or a different degree and do the teaching year afterwards.
My course I'm doing now lets me do the gcse's as part of it.
Hope thats some help

dingolimpet · 22/03/2007 12:13

I'm a single mum of two, get the acccess course for next to nothing, not sure about uni, I thought i'd cross that bridge when I came to it!!

Original poster

NuttyMuffins · 22/03/2007 12:14

Sorry am confused again now. Can an access to teaching course get you onto a BEd course ??

It says minimum entry is 200-260 points, but I have no idea what points an access course is equal too.

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Original poster

NuttyMuffins · 22/03/2007 12:16

Ahh thanks, i think crossing that bridge when you get to it is very sensible, less worrying then ...sort of LOL.

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Original poster

NuttyMuffins · 22/03/2007 12:17

So your access course is to enable you to go on to higher education in general, not just teaching ??

What subjects do you study on your access course ??

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dingolimpet · 22/03/2007 12:20

On the access course I'm on, its people who are going to be teachers, midwifes, nurses and social workers.
I'm not too hot on all the degree names etc!!!
All i know is that next year I can either start a teaching degree, or any other degree that'll accept the credits of the course I'm doing.
I hd to email uni and ask them what entry levels they wanted etc

Daisybelle · 22/03/2007 12:21

With regards getting a job at the end ... If you focus on one area of the education system you may find it more tricky to find a job nearer to home and it would limit you if you decided to spread a little further at a later date. I was sure I wanted to teach only upper ks2 when I started and finished in reception! But, if you are sure then go for it - there is always a shortage of teachers! HTH

Sorry can't help on other stuff

Original poster

NuttyMuffins · 22/03/2007 12:21

Ah right ok, thanks.

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WanderingTrolley · 22/03/2007 12:22

You do need GCSE Maths for teaching, Access maths won't be enough. Many colleges offer GCSE Maths alongside the Access course.

I'm going to look up something about Access points now....

Meanwhile, when your youngest goes to school, how about working as a teacher's assistant for a year or two, to give you a feel for it?

Original poster

NuttyMuffins · 22/03/2007 12:25

Thanks WT

Well ds starts school this sept, so if i did some work in a school from then, it means i'd have to do the access course part time instead of fulltime as I couldn't fit both in, so i'd have to decide which was best although I know that uni's do like you to have experiance of the subject you are training for.

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dingolimpet · 22/03/2007 12:26

personnally, i'd do the course full time, i'm doing it part time as my littlest ds is only 2, and it's a bit frustrating, I would like to be getting more stuck in, and you spend some of your degree doing placements and stuff.

Original poster

NuttyMuffins · 22/03/2007 12:28

Hmm thats what I was thinking dingo, but then on the other hand I don't want to chuck myself in at the deep end.

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dingolimpet · 22/03/2007 12:30

Well if my acces course is anything to go by, it's really relaxed and there are people of all ages/abilities, it's not like a levels at school. even full time isn't all day everyday, it's about three mornings and two afternoons.

Original poster

NuttyMuffins · 22/03/2007 12:30

Aha have just noticed that it states that as part of the access to teaching course, you have to do at least 10 days of an education placement so I am assuming they would fit it in with your work then.

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WanderingTrolley · 22/03/2007 12:34

Funding for trainee teachers.

I have failed in my search of what 200-260 points means in an Access course - maybe if you call the university admissions dept they'll be able to tell you how many Access points you need.

Original poster

NuttyMuffins · 22/03/2007 12:40

Thanks WT, that link is really useful.

I looked on UCAS about the access course and points but couldn't see the bit I need.

Will try ringing or emailing the uni.

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cazzybabs · 22/03/2007 12:44

I think you might also need GSCE science, but I might be wrong. What about carryng on with the OU - getting a hons degree and then doing a 1 year PGCE (which you get funding and tution fees paid for).

TBH it doesn't matter what you train in. You will end up a qualified teacher. Even if you do early years, you could still swop and do secondary (although IWM most schools would not want to employ you!).

Original poster

NuttyMuffins · 22/03/2007 12:49

It would all take too long wit the OU though cazzy I think.

Your right you do need gcse science, just noticed that. Think I need to ring the college, although it is odd that they don't know this and change those to gcse instead of access maths etc. I don't mind doing gcse science, but gcse maths freaks me out LOL.

What about me only wanting to teach pre school or reception age ?? Does anyone think that is too limiting ?? Don't very often see jobs advertised for either of those years.

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Original poster

NuttyMuffins · 22/03/2007 12:50

To do a pgce I'd need a degree first, is that right ??

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Original poster

NuttyMuffins · 22/03/2007 12:52

Oh and thanks to you all for not saying 'don't be ridiculous nutty'

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cazzybabs · 22/03/2007 12:57

umm you don't often see those jobs but they are around. Depends how fussy you would be where you work. Anyway doing early years will still train you do so key stage 1.

They wouldn't offer it if there were no jobs because no one would want to do it!

Original poster

NuttyMuffins · 22/03/2007 13:00

Very true.

Thanks for all the advice.

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tiredemma · 22/03/2007 18:38

my friend ( who already has a degree) has just had to do a Maths GCSE in order to do get on a teaching course at Wolves Uni, she was told that access maths is not enough.

hana · 22/03/2007 18:57

I don't believe you need a teaching degree to teach in early years ( preschool or nursery setting) but you do for reception

someone will correct me if I'm wrong!

Blandmum · 22/03/2007 19:02

My understanding is that you need GCSEs in English maths and science. In fact the only time I have ever been asked for my O level certificates is when I went inot teaching.. The fact that I had a degree in Biolchemistry wasn't enough, I had to prove I also had an O level in science

In addition, once you have proved your copitence in these subjects, you then need to pass tests in English, maths and ICT!

To do a PGCE you need a degree first.

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