PGCE is it that in high demand?

[oldexpat]

Basically my girlfriends daughter is trying to get a place doing a PGCE. She has done a degree in Thailand in English and a Masters in English Linguistics at Edingburgh University. In he Batchelors she got an overall mark of 83% and got a pass in her masters. She applied for 5 universities this year to do her PGCE and didn't even get one interview. She is from Thailand but speaks perfect English. Has anyone got any advice at all? Should she persevere or give up? Not one interview or offer just baffles me.

[boxtops]

There's a lot of demand for this programme, anyone wanting to teach has to have PGCE or equivalent life long learning qualification - the tutors I work with have just completed a PTLLS course as a minimum alternative requirement. University places are really hard to get, the competition this year has been particularly fierce according to the educational press.

[oldexpat]

So you can become a teacher with a PTLLS? That only costs £300. Thats cheaper than teacher training for a year!

[saxy_jag]

For a start, she will need to have a Bachelors degree in a subject strongly related to the national curriculum. She will also need Maths, English and Science at GCSE, and it will help her to have A levels too. They may or may not consider her Masters. But then I'm sure she knows that.

When I originally applied for my PGCE, I was turned down by three universities. At the third one, I asked why, and was told that 'other candidates were stronger in Maths and English'. This despite my having very good GCSE passes at a time when they weren't compulsory for mature students and a 2.1 Bachelors in my subject. Since I got into my Bachelors course via an access course, my university tutor says their reasoning was probably born of the fact that I didn't have A levels in maths and english. Between-the-lines shorthand for 'we don't want mature candidates'.

Always persevere, because it can pay dividends, but I've known quite a few people who applied to teach as mature entrants and who were turned down before the interview stage. Many of these have been obvious, natural choices as teachers - born to it, almost. Yet when I look at the standard of some of those who do teach ... !!

It does very much seem that universities want candidates whom they can mould into the ways of the system and with not too much in the way of experience, which would make them able to question what they're fed.

My PGCE eventually came from a former polytechnic, with a very open attitude. Could be worth a try. Also, has she tried the Open University? Not sure what OU's nationality requirements are but again, as their name suggests, they're a lot more open as to who they accept.

[oldexpat]

Thanks saxy I will email her a link to this thread. She is 28 herself and this is what she wants to do with her life. Do they consider 28 as mature these days lol?

[factor-fiction]

I was much older than 28 when I did my PGCE and when I started the course I was amazed to find that half the students were aged over 30 and a fair number were over 50- so I don't think mature entrants are at a disdvantage purely because of their age. Yes, Maths and English GCSEs at grade C or above are essential- does she have these qualifications?
The problem may be the quality of her application- with the high demand for places applicants need to show they have a real desire to teach and show evidence that they have already gained some experience in schools through voluntary work or a Teacher Taster course, for example, and have other experience of working with youngsters.