Am I being unrealistic regarding PGCE/training year?

[MissPop]

Hi all,

I am a long-standing TA who wants to train to become a teacher. I am nearly 35 and my children are aged 13, 11 and 8 so I think if I don’t do it now I never will. I have a degree etc.

Anyway, my issue is my sons before school club only opens from 8am, which is a bit of a pain as it means I won’t be able to get into school until around 8:20am. Is this totally unrealistic for a training year? I can put the hours in after school but obviously I can’t be at school too early.

This is a problem I will face for the next three academic years.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

I think that would be tricky. Not necessarily impossible, but definitely not ideal. Could you find a childminder who could have him before school?

I couldn’t no. There are no childminders who do drop offs to my child’s school. It is in a very deprived area and the demand for childcare is very low. There are only a handful of children in his school who utilise the breakfast club.

Another option is working as an unqualified teacher/HLTA and then going for the assessment only route. My current school would be happy for me to arrive at 8:20. Food for thought but I think I already knew the answer 🤦‍♀️. Thank you for your response.

Surely it depends what time school starts at your placement school(s)? Some teachers at my school don't get in until nearly 8.30 and then leave straight away at 3 for childcare reasons, they still get all their work done etc.

I would speak to the University / training school for advice before making any decisions.

How do you know where your placement schools would be? Or would you do a SCITT?

Hmm yes. It might be that I could find a placement school very close by to my sons school (which is quite likely as there are a lot of schools close by). Realistically though, 8:15 would be the earliest I could arrive. Some teachers I know are at the school a lot earlier than 8:15 mind. I know the training year is intense so I only want to proceed if i am sure of the logistics.

It is now or never i fear, I’m getting old 😂.

@Llamafield

Thinking of a SCITT. Many of their partner schools are close by.

A couple more thoughts…

Nearly 35 is not getting old! Still lots of time to train.

I’m guessing your 8-yr-old is going into yr 4 in September. So in another year will be year 5. Can they get themselves to school at that point? Or another year later when they’d be in year 6? Maybe you’re too far from their school, and maybe not suitable for your child for other reasons. Just thinking that a yr5/6 child will likely be much more independent that a Yr 3/4 child.

As I said before, it shouldn’t be a complete deal breaker, especially if you’re more flexible after school so could get everything prepped the day before, but I do think it would be challenging to have to arrive after 8:15 every day.

Thank you. Unfortunately that’s not an option. We are slightly too far for him to make his own way even in year 6. The other option is waiting until I am 38 and by that point I will have no more primary aged children. (Seems like a dream 😂).

Thank you all.

I did that when I was training - was occasionally late if I hit traffic. I never had an issue - got a job at my second placement school. My children’s school did eventually start opening at 7:30am following a lot of badgering on my part - they did a survey and found several other parents who wanted the earlier start. Worth asking. And asking again.

You need to talk to the SCITT. They might be able to ensure that you are placed in schools with slightly later starts. At my last place directed time started at 8.15 but I know of other local schools where it is 8.35. Are you a single parent or do you perhaps have a partner who could look at their morning hours?

I think it would very much depend on the school. I’ve worked in schools where directed time hasn’t started until 8:40, but in my current school it’s 8am.

I’m not a single parent but my husband is an engineer and he is out the house daily from around 7am. He’s back at 2 and does the pick up then. Yes I’ll have to investigate. I don’t want to waste anymore of my time as a TA. The money is awful and I am bored and restless.

Yes, I agree you're going to need to take this on a school by school basis. In my school, directed time starts at 8.20am, so you'd be just OK, but some start earlier, some start later. I think you're risking it a bit by going for a SCITT, or PGCE. You could be placed anywhere, and I think the provider is unlikely to be completely flexible. An employment based route, in a school that does start later, is your best bet. Is that possible?

To some extent, ITT provides do have to offer parents some flexibility. It's probably more about you, how would you feel getting to school and potentially being in a rush every morning? I think you could make it work if you could stay late. Your SCITT will likely want to work with you to make this work- and might even agree with your placement school you can miss morning briefing etc.

However, I think the ECT years could be a challenge- you're not guaranteed a job in a local school, and it may be hard to find a school where you can make mornings work.

The other issue is traffic etc- is it 8.20 on a good day, or 8.20 every day?

During my PGCE, my ITT was brilliant at arranging my placement schools close to home because of childcare issues. For me it wasn't everyday, but sometimes I would need to drop off at 8 am and could get to school before 8.20, they were really understanding. I did tend to stay later after-school as that worked better for me.

I've just had a pgce student who arrived at 8.15 every morning. As long as the work is done, it was up to her how she managed the time!
I'm an early bird and often in school before 7am but that suits me!
I honestly didn't even think about it until this post.

There is a great demand for teachers so you may find a lot of allowances would be made. For my own piece of mind I would try to get in earlier. If another parent drops at the holiday club 8am, could they be paid to meet you at the school at 7.50 and hold your children 10 minutes? Being on the road just 10 minutes earlier can often really help with your arrival time.

I had this problem many years ago when completing my PGCE. I almost got kicked off the course as I couldn't get to one of the school placements until 8.15 (it was a long way from home). They didn't care about my child care issues. I think it really depends on your university and how understanding they are. Only one of my placements (I did 3) was reasonably close to home. Just because there are a lot of schools in your area doesn't mean they will all be happy to take on a student. Not meaning to be negative - just sharing my experience.

Yes, as a realist it sounds an unrealistic plan. Too many other factors need to be in place for it all to run smoothly. Plus the workload is often more time consuming than it looks. This is simply my opinion. I would love for everything to work out for you.

I think a lot would depend on the placement school and the training provider. I am secondary and mentored a student who used to have to come in about 10 mins before the kids due to distance from home/childcare.

It never bothered me and she was great!

You may already have thought about this but where do your older dc go to school? Is it possible for one of them to drop youngest off at breakfast club? It may not be the done thing anymore but I regularly used to get me and my sister to/from school from age 11 (she was 4 years younger).

Or, is there another parent who drops off at breakfast club who could have him from 7.50am?

Don’t let this stop you. Yes it will be a bit annoying but by no means a deal breaker.

as you will be in your training year you will be teaching specific lessons. They will probably not start until 9 or just after at the earliest (you might be doing 2 lessons on a day and they both might be in the afternoon).

i would think most reasonable heads will be fine with this. I wouldn’t ask beforehand I would just get on with it and make it a done deal.

I have never heard of directed time starting at a particular time but I have only worked in one school so maybe it is more common than I thought.

I get into school at 8.15am and school starts at 8.45am. I just make sure everything is ready the night before.

Definitely don’t let this put you off.
We are desperate for more teachers, and as a TA you are coming in with a realistic approach
I was a mature trainee, and during training and for a lot of years after i was very constrained by how early before school care opened. I did indeed have to not look at schools that needed staff in at 8 am as i could never have got there in time.
when you are training your provider should definitely sort out placement schools for you where this is fine, as a pp said it may be slightly more difficult as an ECT but not a deal breaker.

Totally reasonable
I just finished my PGCE
I had to be in by 8.40 for all placement schools and I was often late because of my bus - the school will understand and there is always the classroom teacher there anyway.
They will put you in placements close to where you live- you have priority for this if you have any caring responsibilities which you do
If you are a parent they can make various adjustments for your training year
One of my mates trained with two children in primary school
Organisation is key- I do not have kids but I could not get in early due to transport
I always made sure I got everything ready in the afternoon after school ( all my lessons planned and ready so I literally just had to walk in first period and teach)
I did not get into school at 7.30 am to plan lessons
My suggestions: is to due it all in the afternoon or eve when the kids go to bed or when you have time
The mornings will not happen