Can I do both PGCE placements in the same school?

[CultureAlienationBoredomandDespair]

I’m currently doing my PGCE and it was difficult for my uni to find me a placement (I’m a distance student). Eventually I was able to find my own one but finding a second placement is proving even more tricky. My uni have said that if one doesn’t come up then I could stay and do my second placement at the same school (who would be happy to have me) but I’m worried as I thought you needed two placements. Uni have said they’d argue it to the DoE but that sounds a bit precarious.

Students at my school did this during Covid. The only downside of this is you're not getting a view or experience of another school. Obviously it seems like it's trickier for you.

I did a 4 year degree/education course and really valued the very varied 4 placements I was put in.

I really think you need to try and find another school for placement 2, it will help long term even if logistically it is a bit difficult

Ideally, you'd get placements that are varied to pick up as wide a variety of experiences as you can. So schools with different demographics (e.g. single or multiple-form entry, high/ low numbers of EAL).

If you really have to use the same school, aim for a different year-group at the very least.

Any other solutions for widening your experience? Is this school part of a trust or part of a local network where you could go and observe a few lessons in another school, even if not actually teach there?

I would be finding your own second placement - it is incredibly valuable experience and a statutory requirement.

They might get somewhere with the DfE, but I would seriously urge you to do two placements as it is a requirement...

I’ve been trying to find a second placement (and I found my first one) but no luck so far. I want to do one but just have the “what if I can’t find one?” in my mind.

I chatted to my school based mentor and he said that another school in the trust could probably have me for a few weeks in a worst case scenario, but the majority of the placement would be where I am currently.

The subject I teach (food) isn’t taught by subject specialists everywhere so not all schools have the capacity to take on a trainee.