PGCE options

[Isthisposs]

Hello

I wondered if anyone on this board would be able to help me?

I work in finance, and am close to completing an accounting degree. I have done a large amount of volunteering, in schools on my annual leave days and with the scouts and swimming lessons for children (all before Covid, but starting up volunteering in school again shortly).

I would like to teach primary school, however I have a mortgage, and bills and need to earn whilst doing my PGCE hopefully next year. I would consider secondary, as I have enjoyed volunteering with older children, but I’m not sure I’m tough enough! I have got a couple of volunteering days in a secondary school coming up so that may give me a better idea.

The ideas I have had so far:

Teach First - I am eligible to teach business (have confirmed this with them). I feel like I would enjoy this subject; however it’s not primary which I’d prefer and it’s also not a very in demand subject if I have that right? I also believe Teach First is very challenging, and not looked upon well by other schools from what my volunteer school tell me?

Maths PGCE- I have spoken to multiple providers who say they would accept me onto a maths PGCE with my accounting degree. This means I would be able to get the maths bursary. I’m not particularly good at maths, although I’m sure I could improve, and I hated maths at school myself so I’m very unsure on this. Definitely my last resort.

Schools Direct salaried and the newer teaching apprenticeship - this would be perfect for me, and is what I want to do, but the school I volunteer at doesn’t offer this. I believe also you need to have been working with children previously, although it says online that career changers are welcome, so potentially I’d be accepted. It seems like these are highly competitive places, and you have to find your own placement school. Have I got a chance of this at all? If so, how do you find a placement? I’m struggling to find a list of schools who have offered this previously, but if I find one do I just contact them all? Or are vacancies listed somewhere? Volunteer school is unsure on this.

I’ve also looked at doing a part time PGCE but I can’t afford to work part time on my current salary.

Does anyone have any more ideas for me? Or thoughts on my current ideas?
Please be brutally honest!
Thank you!

I did this and was only really able to because I was supported by my DH.

Is a mortgage holiday or a career loan an option? I got a bursary for my course plus the student loan. I also used student finance to pay the course fees.

How long is the course? You could work until the week before and maybe do some (non-teaching) temp work over the summer afterwards? I got a job that started the week my course finished as the teacher had left at Easter so I got paid immediately. Probably very rare though.

I think Business would be a nice subject to teach because it's an option subject.

Sometimes the things I teach best are the things I find hardest so don't write maths off. Can you do a SKE course?

Our school (oversubscribed, what MN would call "leafy comp")cannot get Business teachers for love nor money. We are constantly trying to recruit them and failing. We have to make other specialists teach BS because loads of students want to do it - so don't assume there isn't a demand.

I used to run a scitt. When we had salaried places, they were earmarked places. One school had a science tech who they wanted to train, and one had an unqualified computer science teacher. We had to open them for applications but they were for specific people, because the schools were paying their salaries.

All the teacher training places will be posted for viewing on 5 October and for applications on 12 October. You can filter by salaried places only to see what's available.

Please don’t do secondary maths if you don’t actually like maths.
Teach First is incredibly hard work. I know a few graduates who have just started this route. They are exhausted.

I think if you really want to do primary, you need to find a way to make it work. I've trained a lot of people who've had to give up jobs to train, and they've made it work. It's not easy but it's better than training for something your heart really isn't in

Thank you all, some very useful advice! @ImAnOmelette sounds like that worked really well! The bursary is an option for maths, and I’ve was told by a provider yesterday that as I do coding as a hobby computer science might be an option, which also has a bursary - but I’m not sure about becoming a teacher based on a hobby!! Seems insane!

I have spoken to a provider who says I will be able to do a SKE course in maths, and I’ve been having a look at some GCSE questions recently, which all seems very easy, but further maths/ a level is probably a whole different kettle of fish!

@Cruachan that’s really interesting! I hadn’t seen many jobs advertised, although I’m maybe looking at the wrong time of year!

@MrsHamlet- that is what I suspected, and I don’t want to use up my three choices on options that don’t actually exist. I’m volunteering in a primary next week, which don’t offer salaried places but maybe they will be able to advise on where does (if anywhere!) I really need to get some experience in a secondary school- who knows, I may enjoy it more! But really struggling to find this. Unfortunately I can’t think of any possible way to give up a job and pay the bills. I was considering doing the primary PGCE and then working nights, but I’m worried about burnout with that. Do you know if it’s possible to train in secondary, and then move across?

@Beachhuts90 thank you!

@TheNumberfaker thank you, very good advice. I’m not sure if I don’t like maths, or if I just had bad teachers at school! (school was in special measures). Ive been doing a lot of ‘revision’ the past and I’m enjoying what I’m learning, but I’d definitely want to take a maths A level alongside the PGCE if I did go for this option.
With regards to Teach First- I can imagine it’s very hard work. I’m quite used to hard work (currently working a full time job, part time job and studying for my degree) but I don’t have children shouting at me! Thank you for your advice.

Do you know if it’s possible to train in secondary, and then move across?
Yes. Once you have QTS you have it. But I'm concerned that you're going to do something you don't really want in the hope of getting to do something you do.

Just finished my primary PGCE (scitt, unsalaried). It's hard going and that's when your heart is in it. I can imagine if you weren't in love with your subject it would be unbearable.

Become an accountant….less stress and more money. You can work for a MAT in their finance department and earn more than all the teachers