fcu k it all ***Mini positive update***

?

I can't imagine how disappointed you are. Is there another way to get your teaching qualification?

FWIW, one of my very very lovely mates had a first in psychology and a lot of volunteering class room hours under her belt including children with special needs in residential care. Took her three attempts to get into her primary teaching course.

I'm really sorry Bowski ?

Is that the one where you effectively do your PGCE on the job? Is there anywhere else that offers it?

I suppose you've considered and rejected doing a full time PGCE?

Are you working in a school atm? Would they give you a job as an instructor? That would boost your application next year? Sorry, you may of course already be an instructor, in which case ignore me.

I'm so sorry Bowski, I can imagine how gutted you must feel ?

Would you consider secondary teaching at all? Competition for a place seems to be less severe than it is for primary. Hope you're ok x

I had the most helpful of feedback which was that I was excellent but there were 10 excellent people and 8 places.

I honestly can't take another year of this, every time I went to a school to beg them to support me I came out wanting to cry. I don't even feel like me anymore I feel like someone else who I don't like. I want to run away to somewhere that I've not let everyone down so much. I feel bad for A as I feel like he's putting his life on hold so I can try and fail all the time.

I'm also getting rejected for PGCE's left right and center I feel like a total failure. I have three years of full time school experience as well as my higher level teaching assistant qualification, I don't know what else I can do.

So sorry to hear that, I'm not surprised you're upset and frustrated. Echoing Ginni, I presume you've considered the idea of a PGCE and rejected it? As I understand it there are less GTP places available. Also if you can get into a school working as a TA or similar then it will help in terms of the support you will get for your application I would have thought.

Can you ask the panel for specific feedback on how to strengthen your application? Don't be palmed off by 'Others were better on the day' - push for specific ways in which you could have been better than them. I understand you may not feel able to do this yet, but I think it's important to get whatever advice you can.

Argh, typed a huge message and lost it all due to kiddiwinks switching off the modem.

What horrible bad luck, Bowski. I really feel for you. The competition must have been serious for them to turn you down, it sounds like you were well prepared and very serious about the placement.

Can I say something? You might not want to hear it though! My H qualified as a teacher in June 2007. He's yet to find a full time position. Teaching jobs are very rare just now and any that do come up in our area literally have 100's of applicants. There are many teachers on the brink of retirement, but until they do, the jobs aren't there. So can I maybe suggest that it's maybe not such a bad thing that you might have to delay a year? H has found himself a fabulous job, still within education and working with children and working for the local authority. As well as not having the stress of teaching paperwork and long long days, he also gets paid more. So for us things have worked out for the better. Could something like this be an option for you? Council departments such as Arts and Education, Community Development and Sports Development all have close ties with schools, can you use any of the skills you currently have, with your schools experience, to go for a job elsewhere?

I'm so sorry things haven't worked out for you. I hope I haven't made things worse! Good luck!

Don't worry Decibelle you've not made things worse.

The problem is the only jobs on the council site where I live ATM are just teachers, and most of the ones I've seen that pay well want you to have a teaching qualification.

I've just found a job advertised for an educational welfare officer so I might apply for that, it's further away but pays more. I still don't know what to do with myself.

Bowski have you thought about youth work or playwork or something else along those lines? There are lots of fantastic jobs out there working with kids which don't necessarily involve teaching. There's a real shortage of good, qualified youth workers - if you are one, the money can be pretty good.

Education welfare sounds promising. Fill in the form, it will at least take your mind off things! And definitely get some feedback from the panel about their choice. I'd ask specifically what the other candidates had that you didn't. And don't be fobbed off with 'They had a stronger application' - get details!

Hope you're feeling a bit better soon. I really feel for you.

You have lots of sympathy from me. Although I didn't go down the route you did, I have seen and worked with teching students who have suffered similar.

Could you ask for more feedbck from the panel as to why they didn't choose you. From discussions re interviews at some of the schools I have worked in... the things people seem to really look for is a spark and a positive personality. Not someone who knows it all, uses all the buzz words etc etc, but someone who seems like they will be an easy colleague to work with, get on with parents etc. Sometimes the really qualified people come across as too pushy, like they have nothing to learn...

I'm not saying that you are like any of those, just that it may be worth seeing if they could give more helpful feedback - specifics may make a difference next time round.

Could you also get some experience out of schools?? When I was applying for jobs, prospective heads always seemed interested that I had done some volunteering with adults with learning difficulties and young carers groups....

I'm sorry to read this. Was it primary you applied for? Can I ask what your degree is in? Unfortunately the number of people applying for teacher training has skyrocketed in the last 2 years so courses are being much more selective about who gets taken on. I think given that you've been turned down for GTP 3 times I'd accept that this isn't going to be a way forward, competition for these places has become much stiffer. I'd echo what Decibelle said as well 6 years ago we were struggling to get any decent applicants when we advertised posts (shortage subject) , now we are swamped and are seeing a lot of NQT's who are 1 - 2 years out of training and have not managed to secure a permanent post - not because they are not good , some have had fantastic references, but because the market place is flooded.

I was turned down for my primary PGCE this year even though I'm a scout leader and have 5 years experience with working in a school environement. Even volunterred at my local primary school just to get extra credit but it still didn;t work, so I share your pain. I've decided to hold back now for a year or two and then re-apply if I feel the need. However my scout leading role (although voluntary) is so rewarding that I may just stick with that for the foreseeable future.

Right.

I've managed to get feedback (well some feedback) basically she said I needed to be more reflective in some of my answers but ther than that I didn't do anything wrong which makes it even more frustrating.

I'm still trying to work out what to do, but I guess thats something to think about over time rather than right this second.

I think alcohol and confort food are in order tonight.

Thanks for keeping me sane, Hitched is great.

I'm not sure where in the UK you are but I know that in Scotland this year there has been a massive upheaval midway through the PGDE recruitment process with the Government freezing places halfway through etc. It's all been a bit of a nightmare for applicants from what I can see. Could something like that be affecting your PGDE applications? I know Glasgow university is offering deferred places for next year to some applicants as well.

? Bowski, this sounds so tough. Is it primary that you want to teach? I know that when I started the secondary PGCE in 2005, they were gagging for applicants and tbh, a lot of the people in my class had next to no classroom experience, if any. I'm wondering if you could perhaps apply for a different agegroup/subject? Or has it really got so competitive?

It is a pile of arse, it really is.

I first applied for a job with the firm I currently work for in 1992.

After many similar attempts I finally got in in 2002 - and it was a better job than any of the others would have been.

So please don't give up - it's a hoary old cliche to say that you never know what's round the corner, but that's quite literally true.

Really sorry to hear this Bowski - I'm right in thinking you want a primary job? I'm luckier as i was a female physicist wanting a secondary post. I've also done TA and know how rubbish the pay is. Any chance you could do a more sought after specialty?

Can you go to a local PGCE provider and ask them for an interview for purely feedback purposes?

It is primary that I'm after.

I actually can't get an interview with any PGCE providers which is pants.

Oh well, c'est la vie.

I just have to wait for the head of my supporting school to phone, hopefully they'll support me again next year which would make this whole thing so much less stressful.

Would you consider secondary? I know that primary places are always so difficult to get, but depending on your subject specialism you might find it easy to do a secondary PGCE which doesn't necessarily mean you can't work in a primary school once you're qualified.

I'm not sure about seconday TBH, I have considered it in the past.

My degree is in English. So not really a shortage subject but something to think about while I'm making my mind up.

? Im sorry, how rubbish. Give me a shout if you need a chat x

Thanks Zoe.

I'm trying hard not to spiral into that pit again.

Hi Bowski

A quick reply from me as I'm literally running out of the door, but feel free to PM/email me.

I am currently no.4 on my Primary GTP provider's waiting list for a place in September. Whereabouts are you based, and have you asked about waiting lists? My provider will guarantee a place to someone who has done well on interview and has a placement lined up for the next available year if the year they have applied for is full up. (In other words, I'll get on the course in 2010 even if the waiting list doesn't go down any further). Could you speak to them about that?

I'm with the West London Partnership.

I am so sorry to hear this, I did a PGCE back in 2005, got on the course very easily and really enjoyed it.

Then I finished, I applied for over 150 jobs between easter and xmas, got 5 interviews. One of them interviews I knew the head but still didnt get the job. Feedback was always good, but there was always someone better. I have never been so fustrated. I hated supply and never knew when i was goin gto get work, so when all the bills came in after xmas I realised I needed something more realible for a while.

So I become a nanny and I am still in the same job 3 years later. I had a go at teaching one day a week towards the end of last year(at one of the schools I had an interview at!) and I hated every minute. it just wasnt for me.

So after all that my point is, please dont give up if you have your heart set on it, but do keep your options open and apply for other stuff. You never know where the path is going to take you.

My nanny job turned out to be best for me, I am now pregnant and can take baby back to work with me in Oct, that would not have happened with teaching.

You will find your route for you. xxxx