Funding for PGCE (teacher training)

totallybored

x-caitlin-x wrote: »

Totallybored, I knew I would have to apply for September 2013, but I hadn't thought about the bursaries being stopped this year! Looks like contacting the universities themselves and asking specifically about next year's funding is definitely going to be the best route for more information. Thanks for the reply.

Bursaries could be available, or they could be available for different subjects. The 2012 amounts were only introduced this year so who knows what the government will do in the future.

As Person One said, what will your degree be in and could you teach secondary? It might still be possible to get a 2012 place in some subjects.

clearingout

totallybored wrote: »

You're too late to get a place starting this September so you'd need to apply for September 2013. There is no guarantee that the bursaries will be available next year too.

No - it is not to late to apply. Try the gttr website to see which courses still have vacancies - student finances etc. would be delayed for September but it's not impossible.

MrChandlerBing

You need experience in schools to get on the courses, so the OP is too late probably.

Also, you won't get a 9k bursary on a primary PGCE.

Its a real shame what has happened to PGCE's. People who genuinely wanted to become teachers will lose out to people with worthless Arts degrees that are doing them because they can't find any other work.

totallybored

clearingout wrote: »

No - it is not to late to apply. Try the gttr website to see which courses still have vacancies - student finances etc. would be delayed for September but it's not impossible.

Although the gttr still still show available places you need to bear in mind that there are a lot of people still in the system who failed to gain a place on their first 2 choices. They can apply for these places through extra and clearing. It can also take a couple of months from applying to an institution to being interviewed and gaining a place.

The deadline for primary applications was 1 December, you can apply after this date but it's up to the university to consider your application. I don't know how many people manage to gain a place applying so late but I wouldn't imagine many do. To stand the best chance of gaining a place the OP would be better getting their 2013 application ready for when the gttr takes these in Sept/Oct.

There may be some courses with a January start, South Bank offered one with a January start.

System

Thanks for all the replies.

clearingout, some of the closest courses are advertising vacancies, but as MrChandlerBing says, you need experience in schools before applying. The plan is to get that experience over the next year.

To the people who've suggested teaching secondary school instead, I suppose I could. My first degree is in psychology, which isn't a core subject but I have seen some PGCEs with a focus on psychology (I know I wouldn't be eligible for a bursary). It's not really what I want to do, but if the situation is really that bad I appreciate I might have to compromise. It would be better than not teaching at all.

The alternative is to do a PhD (submitted an application for a bursary after pressure from my personal tutor) or further study in psychology, but I've really had my heart set on teaching.

Person_one

MrChandlerBing wrote: »

You need experience in schools to get on the courses, so the OP is too late probably.

Also, you won't get a 9k bursary on a primary PGCE.

Its a real shame what has happened to PGCE's. People who genuinely wanted to become teachers will lose out to people with worthless Arts degrees that are doing them because they can't find any other work.

Worthless arts degrees? Oh come on.

Person_one

x-caitlin-x wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies.

clearingout, some of the closest courses are advertising vacancies, but as MrChandlerBing says, you need experience in schools before applying. The plan is to get that experience over the next year.

To the people who've suggested teaching secondary school instead, I suppose I could. My first degree is in psychology, which isn't a core subject but I have seen some PGCEs with a focus on psychology (I know I wouldn't be eligible for a bursary). It's not really what I want to do, but if the situation is really that bad I appreciate I might have to compromise. It would be better than not teaching at all.

The alternative is to do a PhD (submitted an application for a bursary after pressure from my personal tutor) or further study in psychology, but I've really had my heart set on teaching.

I think, and hopefully a teacher will correct me if I'm wrong, that with a PGCE you can teach a subject to a level below your highest qualification in it, if that makes sense.

So you could teach psychology to A level, but if you have A levels in other subjects you may be qualified to teach them to KS3 or even GCSE.

Have you considered teaching in FE?

It might be worth speaking to a few universities about the PGCEs available.

clearingout

I think it's worth saying that I got a place this late last year to do a secondary PGCE in a shortage area, with experience about 20 years ago but nothing recent. Long story, but didn't take it up - went onto the GTP instead. It is possible, possibly not in primary and possibly not without experience but she can spend time in a school this week if she chooses to and send in the application and see what happens...

totallybored

clearingout wrote: »

I think it's worth saying that I got a place this late last year to do a secondary PGCE in a shortage area, with experience about 20 years ago but nothing recent. Long story, but didn't take it up - went onto the GTP instead. It is possible, possibly not in primary and possibly not without experience but she can spend time in a school this week if she chooses to and send in the application and see what happens...

Congrats on getting onto a GTP, I know they can be difficult to get on. I'm starting a primary pgce in Sept and competition is extremely fierce and the standard of applicants at my interview was very high so there will be lots of people still without a place. I think primary and secondary English are the most popular for people to apply to.

I'd recommend the OP does experience ASAP if applying for 2013, she will need to refer to it in the gttr application and I'd get that in as soon as they start taking the applications. For primary it can be a long process (I got my application done in November and it took until mid March to get my offer).

ViolaLass

OP, I'm on a PGCE right now.

1. Yes, you can get student loan funding, exactly like an undergrad degree. You're right that postgrad stuff normally can't get this - PGCEs are the one exception.

2. You might still be able to get a place for September. I applied around this time last year and the gap between applying and being accepted by my first choice was, IIRC, no more than a month. That said, I'm doing secondary maths, where there is a huge shortage of teachers. Primary may be very different and may well be full for September.

Person_one - someone with a PGCE is technically qualified to teach any subject they/the school like up to A-level i.e. I'm specialising in maths but there would be nothing to stop me and the school agreeing that I will teach geography should that be what's needed. It's just a case of persuading the school that you have the appropriate knowledge. For example, I speak a few languages and my September school is currently considering whether they'll get me to cover a few French lessons a week. A PGCE can be a wonderfully flexible qualification.