Part time after PGDE & probation?

[xoguineas]

I'm considering applying to go back to uni to do the PGDE (my long term goal is educational psychology and I've heard teaching is good experience for this). However I was just wondering if anyone has any experience of working part time, like 3 day weeks as a NQT? I'd be able to do full time for the course and probation year but is it possible to cut the hours down immediately after qualifying? This would allow me to get some other relevant experience and spend time with my young daughter as my partner also works full time so it just makes sense for us as a family to keep childcare costs down and avoid relying on other family members extensively. Has anyone does this or similar before?

Are you in Scotland, OP? I thought that the Scottish probation year was the equivalent of the English / Welsh NQT year, so you wouldn’t do both? I know a few people who have done the NQT year part time and it absolutely can be done if you can find a school with a pt vacancy, but remember that it will take longer to reach a year’s experience at FTE - so three days is 0.6 FTE and means five terms to complete NQT induction.

It will be a bit of a slog and you will really need to want to teach, so if it’s only a means to an end of your ultimate goal to work as an ed psych I would be inclined to crack on with that sooner rather than later, tbh. Many ed psychs aren’t former teachers. Do you have a psychology degree?

Yes Scotland! I'm not too sure but think you may be right about that actually! Yes I'm currently awaiting my results and graduating in June for my bachelors, just trying to get some sort of plan in place as after having my daughter in January I'm trying to make sure I actually follow through on my goals career-wise!

I'm going to apply for ed psych courses this Autumn I think, but have heard they're very competitive to get into. I've got around 3-4 years experience with tutoring, volunteering and other support work etc so hoping that may be enough experience to be considered. however hearing that teaching may be beneficial as well made me consider pursuing this beforehand/as a backup.

Thanks for replying! I have heard such mixed reviews about the teaching profession at the moment. I'm so passionate about working with children, especially in a school environment but it just seems like a really faraway goal which is why I thought teaching might help me progress faster.

Do you mean completing your probationary year part time or the year immediately after?

There's no such thing as a NQT in Scotland. After your probation year you are considered the same as anyone else (although you are further down the pay scale).

@PurplePhotoFrame the year immediately after. I wasn't aware you could do your probation year part time however may consider that if it's possible!

It's the 'flexible route'. I am not sure if a 3 day week is possible because everyone I have known who did it did it through supply (i.e. a maternity cover then a secondment cover etc).

I think you would be better doing the probationary year in full. The flexible route is longer and you lose the right to a mentor and to less time in class.

But yes, the year after probation there would be no reason why you couldn't go part time.

@PurplePhotoFrame thanks for the advice! I'm still considering my options but that seems like the best way to do it I think. Thanks

I’ve just been accepted on the ed psych doctorate after 4 years of teaching, but the thing that was most beneficial was my work with SEN children. You need to have a year of full time paid work experience with young people before you apply, do you already have this? Have you considered applying or assistant psychologist roles instead?

@SkeletonSkins congrats! I have 3 years part time paid work and around 1.5 volunteer experience as well, not sure that's enough then! I have but there's not many being advertised near me right now, I'm going to keep looking around though.

Make sure you tell your in school PGCE mentor, that you are just doing it for the experience so that they don't give up too much of their time.

Why not be an assistant psychologist like everyone else that progresses onto the doctorate?

Teaching and initial teacher training is not there for you to use and leave. All routes into teaching rely on staff giving up their time and expertise to teach you to teach. Don't waste them. Visit a school and talk to the SENCO if you're interested in special ed psychology.

@MyOtherUserNameIsAUnicorn I have been told by my mentors and other psychs I have spoken with that the ideal route for progression to ed psych involve becoming a trained teacher. I already have some education-based experience and find it very enjoyable and worthwhile, also why I am interested in pursuing teacher training. It's just not my overall end goal and I don't want to teach right up to retirement (like many who chose to retrain/progress to different routes).

Is your first degree in psychology?

Yes, @noseoftralee BA(Hons) Psychology and BPS accredited