Foundation degree in teaching and learning- can I apply?

[frankiesbestfriend]

My goal is to work as a higher level teaching assistant, or perhaps go on to a PGCE, and this course really appeals.

However, although I have good GCSE grades, I have only one A level, in a completely unrelated subject(media studies).

I have worked one day a week, on a voluntary basis, in my daughters' school for the past 3 years.

Any advice? Should I apply or am I completely underqualified?
And if I do manage to pluck up the courage to do it, any advice for a successful interview?

i'd phone and talk to the uni/college running the course, see what they think.
you may need to do an access course- i know thats what lots of people on my course did.

good luck

for mine you need 2 alevels (doesnt matter what subject) but you can always go and ask sometimes for over 25s a college might accept you based on experience you could enrole on two as levels and then enrole on the course next year if they wont

I am a Course Leader on a Foundation Degree (Not a teaching FdA though)

I think you should get in touch with the course leader of the course you are interested in and try and organise a visit so that you can discuss all your concerns with them.

You are not completely underqualified, you can apply to any university level course with just GCSE's and your 1 A level, if you are over 21, as then you are counted as a mature student and your qualifications are not as important as you being able to prove that you have relevant experience and are able to study at the required level,
So you should discuss all your experience before making the application.

Thanks for the advice, all.

I am 29, so an FdA and top up to BA level will take 5 years part time, then another year ( or 2?) teacher training will take me to 36, and I feel time is running out.

If I have to do additonal A levels first I may have to give up the dream, as I dont want to be starting out on a new career at pushing 40.

my dad retrained as a teacher at 40+ so I wouldnt worry you wouldnt be the only one!

dont feel old to train- that was one of my big worries that i would be the oldest on the course (i'm 27)and that i wouldnt be able to mix and get along with them. when i got there it really is a mixed group some are 18 another couple are over 40 (wouldnt like to say exactly how many are over 40 in case it would offend if i'm wrong). i mix with all ages in the group there isnt one person i cant talk and get along with.

phne the college/uni and chat wth someone they will be able to explain things for you and point you in the right direction

Spoke to the course manager this morning, she seemed to think I was more than qualified with my fairly good GCSE/A level results.

Just have to find a way of funding the course now.
My LEA wont fund me unless I am being paid for my hours at school, and the university cant help unless I am claiming benefits.
Am going to try to persuade headteacher to pay me for say, 2 hours a week,whilst I work another 7 on a voluntary basis.

I am doing the FD in Early Years and at the time I applied, the criteria was that you needed to have 5 GCSE's A-C, a suitable level 3 nursery nurse qualification and at least three years post qualifying expereince.

I had the GCSES's and the level 3 NVQ in Early Years but had only qualified eight months before the course was due to start. I thought they would refuse my application on the grounds that I hdid not have enough post qualifying experience but I did have eight years expereince working in nurseries and schools with the right age range of children.

I was told that because I was a mature student (at 24) and had the other things, I could still apply but I would probably find it too demanding. They said they would let me know in a couple of months. I received an offer letter in the post two days later and am now at the end of it, well I've got 4 weeks left and one of those is half term.

Does transformation funding not cover this FD? I had mine all paid for by the LEA but their criteria was that I had to stay working in the same borough for the entire two years otherwise I would have to pay it back. You can apply for student finance for these kind of courses too, but it has to fall under the category of full time study. Mine is full time course, crammed into part time hours so I was unable to apply for that on that basis.

The other criteria for doing the course was that I had to be in employment (paid) for a minimum of 16 hours a week, so if I were you, I would check with the endorsing university to check how many hours you have to do.

These FD's are hard work but they are really worth it. You can do the third year top up and then the PGCE at the end of that, which is what I intend to do, but I need to re do my GCSE in maths so I am going to take a year off from uni, whilst on mat leave and do that before going back in September 2009.

Good luck with it though, hope it all works out for you.

Minimum of 60 hours per year, paid or voluntary, but my LEA will not fund the course unless I am in a paid position.
I am seeing the head this week to discuss options for becoming a paid employee, even if they only pay me for a small percentage of my hours I would still qualify for LEA funding.

Good luck to you, too.