PGCE or 3 yr degree?

[Bugsy73]

Hi, my dd is interested in early years education. She is looking at a 3yr teaching degree to start after yr13.
I don't in any way want to her dissuade her from this as I think she'll make an excellent teacher; but for those who have experience, would she be better to do a degree in another subject (related specifically to her A levels) and do a PGCE following this all being well?
Just wondering if an extra 3 yrs of maturing and getting a bit of uni life experience etc would be beneficial before being chucked into a classroom, or is a 3yr teaching degree a better option?
Hope I've made sense 😂
Thank you

18/19 year old trainees are normally very very young. If she wants to do a degree, has she thought about the fact that she won't be able to be out at student night and other student activities whilst on placement? She has to be professional and ready to be responsible for 30 young children the next day. I've had 18 year old trainees who don't want to miss student night and then come into school smelling of the night before!

Also during placement, is she prepared to be working 7 days a week? Because it will be like that. Often a PGCE student can cope with the expectations of the job but it is harder for young degree students IME.

Personally I think good teachers are good teachers whichever qualification they have. But I've rarely met an 18 year old just from school who have the maturity or life experience to be a good teacher. They're normally better having at least a year or two experience after finishing school themselves.

Has she had much experience in schools?

She has done some voluntary work at a primary school and would like to continue this in yr 13. She definitely wants to do teaching. And I don't want to put her off! But I agree with everything you have said re maturity and placements...

For primary and EYs, I would definitely recommend a teaching degree rather than a subject degree then PGCE. There's LOADS more practical experience in a teaching degree and (in my opinion) you can tell which route has been taken by teachers early in their career. I do agree though, that good teachers are good teachers and ultimately it doesn't really matter if she has the drive.

It's up to her really to decide