PGCE courses

[PhDMumof1]

OK, I'm back, and plse tell me I'm not mad ... I have applied to do a PGCE course. Anyone done one / what's it like juggling with a tiny one (or maybe 2) little people??

AFAIR any PGCE is funded with a non means tested grant. There is no limit on how many other grants you have had in the past, as I also went down the PhD route! What is means tested is further money, on top of the basic £6,000 grant. I have a vague memory of £10,000 being bandied round, but I wasn't eligable as your dh's money is taken into account.

So don't let the funding issue put you off the 'traditional' route. My reason for the OU PGCE was that it is more flexible in how you do your book work, no lectures etc, you work at your own pace....which I would imagine might be faster thanthe norm in your situation, and if you need to you can stager it over 3 years. For example my dh was sent to Afghanistan and Saudi duing the latter part of my first year, so I extended over two years to cope with the extra external presure/coping with the kids etc.

One of my fellow students extended by a term because her son was diagnosed with a rare form of blindness.....not that (please god) things like this would happen to you, but it is usedful to have the flexibility there if you need it. And having kids can lead to needing more flex than most 21 year olds need IYSWIM.

thx merryberries - that is v useful - £6k would be great to help with childcare

I am really am off now

Oh, and don't let the age thing put you off. there is nothing that helps clasroom managemnet more than looking like their mother!. Well, a rotwieler and a stun gun but youcan't have them!

Yeah, HMB, inability to use rottweiler and stun gun was my dh's problem.

Sorry to jump in like this but I have a question. How much of a grant will the basic PGCE students who are starting a course in September receive? Is it 4,000 or 6,000.
Phd mum I'm starting a Primary course next September, and have two pre school children. I'm very scared of what lies ahead!

Hi PhDmum, I did my PGCE (German and Russian) in Cambridge a few years ago. Everyone who wanted to be employed had a job before the end of the course.

sandycheeks - £6k I believe, and yes, what a childcare nightmare. I have signed up for 2 local nurseries, but the one that I really like (small, less chaotic) is only open until 2.30pm, so I will need extra childcare on top. There is only 1 local childminder and she doesn't want to commit herself to a daily pick-up (!), so I am interviewing nannies and au pairs. A nanny would be better (not live-in) but is sooo much more expensive. In fact I'd be better off employing a nanny f-time if it came down to it.

nome - that is excellent news! I just want a p-t for first 2-3 yrs, hopefully in order to have no 2 with a bit of an easy transition into work ... the Cambridge PGCE "brand" seems to be quite a strong one, and I am crossing my fingers that I will get a place. Altho' I wish it started in January, Sept is TOO SOON!!! Are you still teaching btw?

As in I would be better of employing nanny f-t rather than p-time because ends up making little difference in terms of salary cost.

No, I left teaching when I had ds and didn't go back. I was lucky to have the choice between toddler poo or the crap yr. 9 hand out in every lesson. I miss bits of it. The teaching that is, not the crap.

Be warned, that because of your language combination, your placements could be quite far out. I spent time in Impingtom and Sevenoaks (yes, in Kent...). Cambridge has 92 link schools from King's Lynn to Braintree to Woodbridge to Kent and everywhere inbetween. It depends how much you want to use the Italian.

This is where having kids might come in handy - have told them that I have DS and they have said will take into account when placing me ... otherwise, hmmmm, vvv tricky! If it were that complex, I would deffo need a nanny again >sigh< the £££ are already disappearing!

Mancmum, sorry to hijack thread, but could you give me details of the course your hubbie is doing please as I have been looking for one like that but so far haven't come up with anything.

Thank you very much!