PGCE absence

[TheletterZ]

Afternoon

Three weeks ago I hurt my leg, I tried going into school for a week but it was just too much and the ITTCO sent me home. It doesn't help that my classrooms are over 3 floors and I was struggling with the stairs. I have now had 2 weeks off and my leg is still painful but it is getting better, I am able to partially weight bear now. I have an MRI scheduled in a few weeks to find out exactly what I have done.

My ITTCO and university tutor have been good but I haven't heard anything from my mentor.

My dilemma is do I push it and go back or do I suspend for a year and start again next year?

p.s I have been spending far too much time on my own and going round in circles in my head.

Something similar happened to a friend of mine, they let her come back and do her placements and then the time she had missed she made up by doing another placement in the September. How long do you think you will miss? You could ask if they will let you finish it in June and just finish later than everyone else

You have to have done a minimum number of days in school. As the poster above says, if necessary, you may need to extend your placement. I'd keep in close contact with your PGCE provider and devise a plan with them. Don't assume you'll have to suspend yet.

Thank you, that is reassuring. The first placement is only 5 weeks, I did the first one (and not very well as I was in a lot of pain and was struggling with the crutches) and then missed 2 so there is only 2 remaining.

I don't know how much to push it to go back (and I know no one else can answer that one for me!).

I think the only person who can answer that is you, alongside some serious support from your uni. To an outsider it seems like you might be best accepting that you won’t go back on this placement and focus on getting ready for the next one (then doing an extra bit afterwards) but only your uni can tell you if that will work.

I am going back on Monday, I can now stand on 2 feet with a crutch which is a huge improvement.

I am incredibly overwhelmed though, I feel so far behind everything. I have an assignment based on observations to do, end of first placement report(with a very complicated looking spreadsheet to fill in), best evidence to get ready as well as teaching my classes.

Everything was going really well before I hurt my foot but it all just feels so hard now.

Personally I would stop and restart next year if that's possible. It seems tough but even 2 weeks missed is a huge amount and I couldn't have managed it with that when I did my PGCE

Today went better than expected. I caught up with my classes and know what I am teaching for the next week or so.

My first placement has been extended by a week and my last by 2 weeks which will make up for lost time.

Shattered now and it is hurting again but I have a cat curled up on my knee and I'm going to relax for the evening.