Which teacher training route to take

[waterfall29]

I am currently in the second year of a biology degree. I started this degree with the intention of becoming a biology teacher. I have been looking at various teaching avenues and I am confused on what is going to be the best fit for me personally. So, I thought I would ask on mums net as I am in my late twenties with a five year old little girl.

I have looked at teach first, and actually have an interview with them this week. They offer a two year teaching programme that is also a leadership programme. Teach first pay for it and the qualification has more credits than a PGCE. They go into challenging schools and pay for the first year of £17,000. I don't know if you can and how to get assistance with after school childcare.

Another option is to train with a school that I have been volunteering with through a school direct type route. I am unsure of the finances and whether there is assistance with childcare. The school are lovely and accommodated me so that I could get experience in a secondary school.

The third is a PGCE route and with the grant would mean I can learn to drive and cover childcare. However, I want to make sure I choose the right getting into teaching programme. A programme that is going to be the best in terms of support and becoming a good teacher.

I thought I would ask on here as you are parents and teachers. I would be grateful for any experience you may have of any of the above teacher training routes.

That should say school 'staff' been up all night, sorry.

Ok - a tuition fee school direct or a PGCE will offer you a big tax free bursary, although you'll have to take out a loan for the £9250 tuition fee. It's hard to say one is better than the other as it comes down to the specifics of the training provider or even your mentor. Teach First is controversial but works for the right type of person.

I did TF as a career changer and it worked well for me. I’m not going to lie. It’s tough, the TF schools are all in deprived areas, usually struggling and behaviour can be challenging. You teach a 70% timetable from the get go, mostly unsupervised and although TF provide support, in school support is variable. You also give up most of your holidays in the first year doing essays for your PGCE. Having said that, it can be incredibly rewarding, especially since you are working with vulnerable children, progression can be rapid and you are paid from the start with All PGCE costs covered by TF.

I’ve seen TF candidates last a term and quit and I’ve also seen them promoted to head of department within 3 years. Depends what you want out of teaching really.

I did salaried school direct last year and am doing my NQT year at the same place. Tend to also be in poorer areas. Personally wouldn't have done teach first as I believe you have to be pretty flexible in terms of location and with a settled family, I couldn't have done that. I couldn't have afforded to have trained any other way. No help with childcare but unqualified teacher salary.

Also, and the premise of TF, I honestly don't think being successful in business makes you a better teacher than anyone else, unless your business has involved inspiring 30 teenagers for 7 hours a day about fractions and decimals and taking the blame when some of them don't perform as required in tests. Being a teacher doesn't necessarily make you a good leader, but being a good business leader CERTAINLY doesn't make you a good teacher. IME.

Hen 10 just a quick point. TF’s premise has nothing to do with turning business leaders into teachers. It’s premise is about getting high achieving graduates and career changers into teaching in disadvantaged areas and offers educational leadership support alongside. Also, if you have a family, as I did, they will place you in the school nearest to you.

I don’t necessarily agree with everything TF does but it’s only fair to represent them accurately.

If you get a school direct place (non salaried) you will be eligible for the bursary, as you would doing a PGCE. The school direct routes gives you more control over where you end up as you apply to the school and the placement schools are generally in the same area, with a PGCE you don’t know where you’re going.

I personally wouldn’t do TF when the bursary is available for a Scitt/school direct/PGCE. It’s an unnecessarily intense option and two year commitment to one place, which you don’t have a lot of say in, which given you have a child might not be great.

You can be a great teacher doing any of these routes!

Look at the getintoteaching.com website, it it’s pretty complicated with all the options and sometimes Scitts/school direct programmes aren’t immediately obvious but you can find out about the ones in your area through get into teaching and ucas.

Watching that TV program on Teach First a few years back, it looked awful! I would steer clear of that.

I did a PGCE when I trained. It was ok (long hours and very hard work) and most of the schools were good but one was miles away which was a pain. I didn’t have kids then though.

Do you have to pay tuition fees for any of the routes?

Which routes do you get to choose a specific school with?

Which qualification can you use to teach abroad with? I have a feeling you can with a pgce, but not with some others?

I did teach first, if you need any advice PM me. I wouldn't recommend it unless you have lots of support from your family

The PGCE is only as good as your mentor, tutor and class teacher - if you don't get on with them or have a different ethos to them then it's even harder than it is anyway.

From what I've heard of Teach First, it can be very variable and very tough- I know people who have been placed in failing schools whilst doing it, which isn't supposed to happen but does.

Given the bursary is so high at the moment (and tax free), I think it makes more financial sense to do a PGCE or a Schools Direct Nonsalaried route. This will give you the finances to pay for any childcare you might need. You can get a loan for the fees, which you only start paying back once you're earning over £25,000- so a few years into teaching.

Schools Direct may be the best route, as you still get the same university support, but you also get to know where your main placement will be- and your second placement will be in a partner school, so usually close by. You'll also be able to get a bit of a feel for the school and see if you think they'd give you the support you want. Most Schools Direct routes will also lead to a PGCE.

There are also SCITT routes, which are smaller, school centred routes where you tend to have less contact with the university and your training is run by the SCITT organisers. Again, the bursary is available for these routes. There are some SCITT options that run part time training courses over two years or 18 months, which may work well for you if you have a young family.

Fair enough, Teacher18. I shared some training with some TF people recently and got a little bit tired of being told that they were 'high-achievers' so I might be carrying a bit of baggage around that!