Hi guys,

I have my first meeting with my PhD supervisors on Thursday, and I start on on the 2nd of October. They seem very professional and polite, but I just have no idea what to expect! My course is a fully-funded University Studentship in Sociology/Social Policy.

Any "do's and don'ts" would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

Hi SGAD,

I used to do a lot of work with PGCE's/School Direct so I might be able to help you...

In a nutshell, it is unlikely that you will be accepted onto a PGCE at a University with a 3rd (unless you have around 1 years experience teaching in classrooms). If you have had such experience then you stand a chance, but then it of course depends upon the subject you wish to teach and the level of competition for places. Also, geographical location can play a role as I am aware that places are harder to obtain in 'the North' than 'the South' due to a multitude of factors.

Regarding School Direct, this can be a minefield for me to advise as schools (in my experience) are more willing to accept people with 3rd class degrees if they genuinely like you as a person. After all, they will be the ones teaching you. It may be the case that schools could stipulate that you complete subject knowledge enhancement (there are shorter courses available at certain Universities) in the year preceding your enrolment with the school. If you want to do down the route of School Direct then I would strongly advise you to contact as many schools as possible to ascertain how many places they have. No point applying to a school if it has one place when another has 20! It's just a numbers game, and the schools do not usually divulge this information on their websites.

Also, if you studied Education Studies then you will most likely be looking at Primary or Post-16. As you probably know, Primary is in demand and Post-16 less so.

With your experience you certainly stand a good chance. When writing your personal statement just make sure that you clearly stipulate exactly how much experience you have had, and if appropriate, what experience you expect to get in the coming months. Being ambiguous on this front will give you a first-class trip to the rejection pile!!

ATB,

Chris