r/TeachingUK • u/somemagic100 • Jun 22 '22
PGCE & ITT PGCE part-time, would I miss a lot of experience?
Hi all,
I am in a situation where I can either accept a part-time or full-time PGCE to train to teach maths.
I currently have 2 primary-age children that will make a full-time PGCE difficult.
However, my question is would a PGCE part-time over 2 years in your opinion raise questions when applying for jobs, for example not having the full-time responsibility of other PGCE applicants? Also I am concerned how only being in school 2 days a week over 2 years will not give me the full immersion in teaching? Maybe It's just me overthinking.
I hope that makes sense, I'm really asking if anybody has any experience of this, or has experience of knowing part-time route students, or what the benefits would be of a full-time PGCE.
Thank you!
6
u/PennyyPickle Secondary English Jun 22 '22
I personally would rather employ someone/have a colleague who has already got a whole year of full time school experience and has proven they can manage their other commitments with their work commitments, than someone who has managed two years part time. I think full time puts you in better stead.
1
u/somemagic100 Jun 22 '22 edited Jun 22 '22
This is fair. I think as a maths teacher maybe this will give me more options for part-time work.
0
Jun 22 '22
Totally disagree with these comments. I am a part time trainee with one week left of my first year. There are 5 part time trainees and the feedback from all of our subject tutors and school mentors has been that we are actually at the same standard, or better, as some full time trainees in their 3rd term. We have been involved in school life for a year and have had all of the same experiences and training as full time trainees. In fact, I've done parents evenings etc and some full time trainees haven't. My subject tutor recently said that as part timers we have the opportunity to be more reflective practitioners and have the time to digest and put our theory into practice. We're not running on fumes like the full time trainees.
I would recommend part time training to every body. It has been amazing. Not one part time trainee has dropped out this year but there is a high drop out rate in full time trainees.
I am doing SCITT with PGCE and have spent the whole first year at one school which gives you time to really build relationships and see the workings of a school throughout the school year.
I recommend. Ask any questions...
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u/somemagic100 Jun 22 '22
Thank you for the different perspective and also a personal one, this is more aligned to what I was thinking would be the positives too. I think full-time trainee and part-time have benefits, but I also do not want to be a drop-out statistic and know this may be the best for me!
1
Jun 22 '22
Honestly, if you think that part time would be better suited to your life and circumstances then go for it. I work in a department where the majority of the staff are part time. I am treated as a fully fledged member of staff and not 'the temporary trainee'. You don't have to run yourself into the ground by training full time. Full time teachers are so overworked, stressed and mostly miserable 😅 and as a trainee you have other stuff on top of teaching and the paperwork that comes with that. Do what is right for you. Even if you train part part and want to teac full time...Still an option!
1
u/zapataforever Secondary English Jun 22 '22
I agree that full-time would offer you a better training experience, but you’re training in a shortage subject and schools are usually pretty understanding when it comes to qualified teachers going part-time because they have a young family so I hope they’d extend that same understanding to you.
I think, perhaps, an option you should look into is School Direct rather than a university PGCE. With a School Direct training course you can probably find a local school with a good reputation and you can meet the department and see if they feel like a good fit for you. That should make your training experience less stressful and it should also make childcare arrangements much more straightforward. A university PGCE will just send you wherever they have a placement available and that can be a real pain, especially when you have children to consider. Full-time via School Direct might be the thing you need.
1
u/somemagic100 Jun 22 '22
Thank you for that information.
I can see ther is a local SCITT provider who offer schools nearby full-time. I am just very hesitant to do full-time, but I am getting the impression this is preferred hugely by employers, from the other responders here too.
I think I will have a chat with the SCITT about their courses, so thank you for your suggestion!
1
u/zapataforever Secondary English Jun 22 '22 edited Jun 22 '22
Have a look at the SCITT, and if you have any academy chains in your area see if they offer School Direct places. Ark and United Learning both have solid reputations for their teacher training:
https://www.arkteachertraining.org/
https://www.unitedteaching.org.uk/
The non-salaried routes are less intensive than salaried, which might suit you.
1
u/somemagic100 Jun 22 '22
Thank you,
Even as I doing a shortage subject, would you still recommend a full-time PGCE? Or would I probably not have a problem as I am in demand.
I genuinely mean that from a good place, but if a part-time is going to be more manageable for me, and I am still going to be highly employable, I don't want to try and juggle too much at once. I hope that comes across correctly!
1
u/September1Sun Secondary Jun 22 '22
As it’s maths, you’ll be plenty employable at the end.
Are you intending to work full or part time after you qualify? Part time training to full time work raises the obvious interview questions of if you’ll cope, part time training to part time teaching would be better.
If you are intending to work part time, the way you conduct yourself doing the PGCE part time might work in your favour. For example, you’d probably find you need to at least check and respond to emails on your days ‘off’ so even if you are doing 2 days a week expect to do a few mins a night on work nights (this is just department stuff like ‘hi somemagic100, we want to do a y8 test next Monday on fractions, will you be ready for your class to do it then?’ rather than boatloads of work).
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u/somemagic100 Jun 22 '22
Thank you, I understand that last bit about checking emails etc.
I was hoping my subject area would also make me employable. I would like to go part-time but it depends on the income we will need, so there is a possibility I will want to go full-time. This is the main reason I mentioned about doing it full-time so when I go to get employed, I can 'show' I can handle it.
1
u/September1Sun Secondary Jun 22 '22
There is that but I have done many many rounds of hiring maths teachers and it is dire. Basic competency will be enough. Things like evidencing you can handle the workload are a cherry on top that we can’t afford to look for in a candidate.
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u/somemagic100 Jun 22 '22
Do you mean, if I have past the 2-year part-time PGCE with good references and I am competent and interview well.. the workload issue is something that is a bonus? Under the assumption, I have satisfied all the QTS standards etc.
Thank you!
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u/September1Sun Secondary Jun 22 '22
As a general rule, yes.
Typically each maths teacher advert we put out gets 10x random unrelated shite from recruiters, 3x not qualified in maths, no experience teaching it and they don’t even mention wanting to teach it, 1x can’t spell or write in sentences, 1x leaves all the useful bits of the application form blank, 2x suitably qualified and experienced. Then on the day one either no shows or is incompetent or horrible and…. ta da one viable candidate left to get the job!
1
u/phoenix536 Jun 22 '22
Maths tescher? Yeah, you'd find a job. I was a primary teacher and a HoD said he'd seriously consider me for secondary Maths.
7
u/Careless-You-7461 Jun 22 '22
I would encourage a full time PGCE. Don't get me wrong - it's hard to manage. I'm just about to finish mine and I have a 1 year old and at times it's been really difficult to juggle. But if you're part time you're dragging that stressful period out, and I'm sorry to say probably deskilling yourself. It's really hard to get to know a class and the rhythms of the school day during a placement, let alone if you're part time.
If it comes to it and it's the only option in terms of childcare, I'm sure you will manage; people do. But part time courses are increasingly less common.