Can any teachers help me?

[whatsallthehullaballoo]

I am currently a childminder and love working in early years. I have a degree in eng lit 2:1 and would like to teach at primary level. I have toyed with the idea of doing the EYPS but ultimately I would like to teach in a school.

How do I find out which schools do teacher training?
Or is the best way to go back to University and do my PGCE?

Also, I really do not know how I can get enough experience in a school as there are hardly ever any TA type positions that come up in the area. I know primary schooling is over-subscribed at the moment and not sure how to get my foot in the door without having to volunteer, as I need an income and cannot just work in a school for no income.

Sorry for my naivety - but I just do not know where to start as even on the PGCE courses they ask for 2 years experience in a school environment. May have to stick to childminding after all.

2 years experience for primary PGCE?! that seems crazy to me - what happens to people who go straight from uni to a PGCE?

As a secondary teacher I would always say do a PGCE, simply because we get so much of our recommendations from the uni tutors and, rightly or wrongly, overlook things like GTP people.

Where are you based? Which uni would you go to? Remember, even for a GTP you're attached to a uni

Thank you for your reply. I am in Lincoln and Lincoln University offer PGCE for Secondary, but the is another college that offers the PGCE for primary but they want 2 years experience in a school.

www.ncl.ac.uk/ecls/postgrad/primary_pgce/entry.htm

a quick google says newcastle uni wants 2 weeks of school based experience, which is all we had to have.

double check the 2 years thong...!

2 years THING. Come on me!

ooh, cross post with you, sorry

Thank you Pottering along. I could always contact the college and ask a bit more information as perhaps my 4 years experience in working with early years may count towards experience and I could always volunteer for a month or so.

Thank you

whatsall, are you sure you didn't read it wrong? I took a look at the website for Bishop G. in Lincoln and it says "You will also need to gain a minimum of ten days' school experience in a mainstream UK Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2 setting within the last two years before submitting your application." That's standard!

Thank you Bue - have mis-read it. 10 days is completely do-able! I think I will have to juggle some things round a bit and get some experience in school to make a firm decision on if this is the path for me. I certainly hope so!!

Thanks again for taking the time to reply.