Experience before undertaking a PGCE

[TeaAndTalesMama]

Hi,
Unfortunately, I have been too late to submit my application for a PGCE for 25/26. I'm hoping to apply for a course in 26/27.

In the meantime, what advice would you give to gain insight and experience of teaching and working in a school environment?

Many thanks

Depends on if you want to primary or secondary, but I’d recommend getting a TA job for a year. If you can afford to, as the pay is not great. I’m about to start my teacher training and have just done a year’s work as a secondary TA. I’ve found it really useful to get experience of how a school works, and also if I actually enjoyed working in one! This just cemented my belief that I wanted to be a teacher. I wrote to all my local schools asking if they had any roles and was lucky to get offered two. Not sure if this experience gives me much of an advantage when going in to the PGCE, but if nothing else it would prove that you want to work in a school. Good luck!

I spent one day a week at my old high school, in the subject dept I wanted to teach, for around 10 weeks. I was observing lessons, shadowing teachers doing marking etc. I was able to do this as I was freelance - more difficult if you work full time.

TA is the best way I think but when I did mine (2013 though) I did volunteering in 2 different primary schools one day a week for a few weeks at a time and did a week in secondary - mainly Y7 because I was going into primary.

I did a year as a cover supervisor - they cover lessons for absent teachers. Great experience.