Primary PGCE 2018

[user546425732]

Is anybody else starting a PGCE this autumn?

Just finished mine! Woo!

Well done! :-)

What was it like? I've been told lots of horror stories about how it's virtually impossible, especially if you have a family.

There’s a thread of us here...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_staffroom/3124138-pgce-applications-for-september-2018?msgid=78902151#78902151

Hang on a minute...just spotted you’re already on it.

Yes, it was difficult, and I don't have children. I don't know how people with kids do it. The drop out rate was massive. I was very lucky with my placements. My mentors were both great, I think that your mentors definitely make or break your chances. A great deal of it really is down to chance. You just have to power your way through it, and be determined.

I'm starting mine this September, the nerves are starting to kick in.

If you know that it's going to be hard, then you're over the first hurdle. There are so many that don't realise this. What are you nervous about, specifically?

@ElizabethMainwaring Meeting my mentors mostly, I know the PGCE is going to be hard and I know someone who dropped out of a science PGCE because they had really bad mentors. Like you said having good mentors will really help you on the PGCE and bad ones can stuff up your chances.

I'm definitely going into this with my eyes wide open though and I'm prepared for a lot of hard work and stress.

Finding the time for it all really; I already work in a school so I know a lot about that side of it but finding the time to fit in the planning, marking and so on and the extra time needed to work in the school after the children have gone home.

I did my degree full time by distance learning at the same time as working full time and bringing up my children but people say that this is harder than that was.