Chemistry PGCE—need advice for career changer

[Sleepy104888]

Writing for my DH as he’s currently applying to PGCE programmes and having a hard time of it. His teacher training advisor told him it would be challenging because his BA is in business. He has since spent 8 years teaching (though not in U.K. and not in science) and now wants to qualify to teach in the U.K. He did take chemistry and biology at uni level and these courses covered material up to A level but the degree was again outside of the U.K. so essentially the course providers want reassurance he knows the subject material. He’s been studying CGP books up to GCSE and now AQA up to A level as one subject knowledge test ended up covering A level material even though the provider said it was GCSE content.

That’s all a very longwinded way of saying he’s struggling to know what to review to prepare best for subject knowledge tests. He hasn’t taken physics, for example, since the equivalent of GCSE level and is in his 40s now, and the first test he took covered all three science subjects as he’s hoping to teach KS3. He’s happy to do the work to get where he needs to be but just needs to know where best to put his energy. Each provider says something different and it’s been getting him down as he knows with time and the right review materials he can be at the right level for subject knowledge as he aced the material when at uni.

Any advice very welcome! And any other tips that might help him get to interview stage would be amazing. He’s got a lot to offer in terms of teaching experience so it’s really the subject knowledge concerns that are making it hard to get into a programme.

Has he looked at SKE (subject knowledge enhancement) courses? The specifications at GCSE change quite a bit over time, so it could be a better way of making sure he’s working along the right lines.

www.tes.com/institute/courses/subject-knowledge-enhancement

@ElleneAsanto , he definitely wants to take an SKE course but is hoping to get funding for it. But to do that he’s got to get accepted into the PGCE first (at least that’s my understanding) and the programme providers want him to take a subject knowledge test. The rejection he got from one programme provider (his first application response) said an SKE wouldn’t be enough so he’s studying like mad to refresh his knowledge. He just wants to be sure he’s studying the right things so he doesn’t get caught out again when taking another subject knowledge test. He knew from the get go he needed to study and has been for a couple months, but I don’t think realised it would need to be up to A level and for all three science subjects. He had thought they would just test him on chemistry.

@ElleneAsanto , it looks like the SKE also says you need a minimum of GCSE level, so he needs to study up to that and be sure he’s covering the right content. He is finding the AQA book better than CGP in terms of how thorough it is so hopefully that helps.

I am a chemistry teacher who has just retired. I have been involved in recruiting staff for our dept and training/mentoring.
To be honest I have never appointed a chemistry teacher without a chemistry degree.
I can understand the reservations expressed by the PGCE tutors you applied to. Teaching science is much more than teaching the bare facts from a text book. You need to know the next level up to avoid teaching misconceptions.
I would also have concerns about your practical knowledge. Chemistry teachers who actually do real practical work with students need a real awareness of Health and Safety, Can you write a valid risk assessment?
You might be able to get away with doing very little practical at KS3&4 depending on the ethos of your dept but you have to do practical at A level with some quite nasty chemicals.
If you want to appeal to employers you will have to show evidence of this.
Sorry to sound so negative, but until comparatively recently a relevant science degree was required in the UK as well as a PGCE for a reason