Anyone do a PGDE (Primary) in Scotland or PGCE in Wales?

SpatialPlanning

Hi everyone.

I'm looking for anyone who has done a PGDE in Primary Education in Scotland or a PGCE (Primary) in Wales prior to teaching internationally?

I want to apply for a course for the September 2014 intake and am looking for advice.

Thanks!

Katy_B

Hi I'm trying to get more info about the pgce in England too. I am interested in applying in the London area but there are quite a lot of Universities offering the course so I'm not sure where would be best to apply. I am also wondering if there is any funding available for Irish applicants. Anyone have any idea about this? thanks

derwc

I guess just look at reviews of each course/college etc.

I did it in Wales in 2009 and at that stage they granted a bursary throughout the year but I think they have finished that now.

I'm also pretty sure that England and Wales follow the same guidelines and almost the same curriculum (Welsh and 'Welshness') but Scotland has a different procedure.

Also remember that once you finish the PGCE you are an NQT (Newly Qualified Teacher) and you still have a year of teaching and assessment to complete before you are fully fully qualified. You can do this year of teaching in Ireland (the dip year) but you will have to do you Gaeilge assessments (SCG or OCG) first. Realistically it will be at least another 2 years before you are done.

Final warning you can take as you like. The Irish market at the moment is tough. Don't expect to come home to a job because more than likely it won't happen. Have a look online and see what other teachers are saying about it. www.educationposts.ie forum is very useful. If you still wanna give it a go then go for it. http://www.gttr.ac.uk/

There are also some programs that offer to train you into your job but I'm not sure how to find these. Good luck either way.

Katy_B

Hi thanks for the reply. I've been teaching in abu dhabi for the last two years and at the moment I'd prefer to go bk to England instead of studying in Ireland but I'm not too sure if I can get any help with fees or a bursary. I still need to do a lot of research. I understand that moving back to Ireland to get a job could be difficult so I'm happy enough to stay in the U.K for the time being anyway. I'm just finding it hard to go through all the Unis as there are so many

Kola123

Hey guys,

I was considering Scotland myself in aug 2014 so just looking for info of someone who has just started or finished maybe? I'd consider studying in England either.
Went about repeating my hons Irish with intention of doing Hibernia buuuut only got a D1, it was a lot of hardship going back to the Irish. Please someone help ha. Thanks

kooga

my brother did the pgce in brighton 04/05

nic94

hi guys, im kind of in the same boat, id like opions on whats best do the hibernia or go to scotland? now that the course in ireland is now a masters if i go to scotland ill be 60 credits less when i go about registering here anyone no anything about this?? please help !!

MIR.REYN

Trying to decide between doing the PGDE in Scotland (I know I'll have to do the Irish when I return to Ire), or to do Hibernia. Pros and cons to both. So those of you who have done or are currently doing either course, yer advice/opinions would be greatly appreciated! Is there anyone who has actually completed the Irish after returning from abroad? Wondering is it alot if hassle or worth it seen as Scotland is 10× cheaper

SpatialPlanning

Clicked on this thread without realising I had started it!

I ended up doing the PGDE in Scotland (Glasgow University) in 2014. Busy year but well worth it. Fees were very low. I chose this course in the end because doing it also meant that I finished the year with half the total credits required for a master's degree. I finished the masters over the following 2 years.

After finishing the course, I moved abroad as planned and did my NQT/induction year in an international school (you can do this; not much info available online but if you look up "Flexible route to induction" you can read about it.

As I moved abroad, I can't comment on the Irish side of things. I have friends who did the Hibernia around the same time as me. It took them quite a bit longer to finish (is it an 18month course?) and they both spent a good 4-5 months studying up on Irish for the Hibernia interviews. You could, if you were willing to put in the time, brush up on your Irish while doing the PGDE in Scotland and then go home for the test before teaching in Ireland. Again, I'm sure others could be a better help with regards to this.

One last point about the PGDE - I completed the masters via distance learning which is also an option if you did decide to return home to teach. Any specific questions about the PGDE, feel free to ask!

MIR.REYN

I chose this course in the end because doing it also meant that I finished the year with half the total credits required for a master's degree. I finished the masters over the following 2 years.

One last point about the PGDE - I completed the masters via distance learning which is also an option if you did decide to return home to teach. Any specific questions about the PGDE, feel free to ask![/quote]

Hi, thank you so much for your reply. Just to clarify on those two points you made, it took you two years in total to be fully qualified, correct? So you did one year studying in Glasgow, then did your NQT year the following year? Can you tell me more about what you mean by completing masters via distance learning?

SpatialPlanning

"Hi, thank you so much for your reply. Just to clarify on those two points you made, it took you two years in total to be fully qualified, correct? So you did one year studying in Glasgow, then did your NQT year the following year? Can you tell me more about what you mean by completing masters via distance learning?"

No problem.

I finished the PGDE in one year and then did my NQT year abroad, yes.

The PDGE in Scotland includes three courses you have to take which give you 90 credits towards a masters. When you finish the course, the remaining credits (1 course and dissertation) can be taken and submitted from anywhere. So, in effect, you could return to Ireland to teach and also complete your masters from there if that's something you want to do.

MIR.REYN

May I ask where you did your NQT year if you don't mind. The course and the dissertation- did you do this during your NQT then or after NQT, sorry for all the questions!

SpatialPlanning

No problem. I did my NQT year in an IB school in Turkey.

There are different intakes if you decide to continue with the masters. The September intake lets you jump right into it. I started it with the January intake in my NQT year. I finished it last Summer. You have five years from the end of the PGDE to finish the masters component.

MIR.REYN

Thank You kindly for this info! 😊 never used this boards.ie before,only chanced my arm writing in it. You've been of great help! Cheers ðŸ˜

SpatialPlanning

Glad to help. Let me know if you have any specific questions about the course.

Aimsir Bia

Katy_B wrote: »

Hi thanks for the reply. I've been teaching in abu dhabi for the last two years and at the moment I'd prefer to go bk to England instead of studying in Ireland but I'm not too sure if I can get any help with fees or a bursary. I still need to do a lot of research. I understand that moving back to Ireland to get a job could be difficult so I'm happy enough to stay in the U.K for the time being anyway. I'm just finding it hard to go through all the Unis as there are so many

Hello
I know it has been a while since you did the course but I'm hoping you or anybody reading this thread might be able to inform me if there are any bursaries or grants available for living costs for the duration of the ten month course. I'll be studying in Dundee from August. I'm aware that as an E.U student I'm eligible to apply to S.A.A.S to help with covering the fees.Any further information would be much appreciated as I'm finding it difficult to access information online.Also has anybody experience of accessing a student loan,are funds available in.Scotland to be paid back after qualification?I'm working and sparing as much as I can but am.really feeling the pressure and I'd prefer to avoid working while doing the course.

Thanks a million 😉

Aimsir Bia

SpatialPlanning wrote: »

Glad to help. Let me know if you have any specific questions about the course.

Hello
I know it has been a while since you did the course but I'm hoping you or anybody reading this thread might be able to inform me if there are any bursaries or grants available for living costs for the duration of the ten month course. I'll be studying in Dundee from August. I'm aware that as an E.U student I'm eligible to apply to S.A.A.S to help with covering the fees.Any further information would be much appreciated as I'm finding it difficult to access information online.Also has anybody experience of accessing a student loan,are funds available in.Scotland to be paid back after qualification?I'm working and sparing as much as I can but am.really feeling the pressure and I'd prefer to avoid working while doing the course.

SpatialPlanning

"Hello
I know it has been a while since you did the course but I'm hoping you or anybody reading this thread might be able to inform me if there are any bursaries or grants available for living costs for the duration of the ten month course. I'll be studying in Dundee from August. I'm aware that as an E.U student I'm eligible to apply to S.A.A.S to help with covering the fees.Any further information would be much appreciated as I'm finding it difficult to access information online.Also has anybody experience of accessing a student loan,are funds available in.Scotland to be paid back after qualification?I'm working and sparing as much as I can but am.really feeling the pressure and I'd prefer to avoid working while doing the course."


Hi. I had my fees covered by SAAS but as far as I was aware there was no grant or bursary; I definitely didn't get one and I don't know any Irish people on the course who did.

As for loans, I can't help you there. Your best bet may be to try and take out a loan from an Irish institution. I took out a student loan from the Credit Union with minimal fuss and low-ish interest rates. I had to start repayments immediately, however. Cost of living can be relatively cheap over there once you have paid rent so you wouldn't need to borrow a huge amount but, again, that's more down to yourself. Sorry I can't be of any more help.

Aimsir Bia

SpatialPlanning wrote: »

"Hello
I know it has been a while since you did the course but I'm hoping you or anybody reading this thread might be able to inform me if there are any bursaries or grants available for living costs for the duration of the ten month course. I'll be studying in Dundee from August. I'm aware that as an E.U student I'm eligible to apply to S.A.A.S to help with covering the fees.Any further information would be much appreciated as I'm finding it difficult to access information online.Also has anybody experience of accessing a student loan,are funds available in.Scotland to be paid back after qualification?I'm working and sparing as much as I can but am.really feeling the pressure and I'd prefer to avoid working while doing the course."


Hi. I had my fees covered by SAAS but as far as I was aware there was no grant or bursary; I definitely didn't get one and I don't know any Irish people on the course who did.

As for loans, I can't help you there. Your best bet may be to try and take out a loan from an Irish institution. I took out a student loan from the Credit Union with minimal fuss and low-ish interest rates. I had to start repayments immediately, however. Cost of living can be relatively cheap over there once you have paid rent so you wouldn't need to borrow a huge amount but, again, that's more down to yourself. Sorry I can't be of any more help.

Thanks indeed,I half guessed that the absence of any information on student loans was a strong indication of them not existing,pretty obvious I was wishful thinking tbh.It's helpful anyway being having the fees covered. I'll graft away and schedule an appointment with my local credit union as you suggested.

Thanks for getting in touch.

All the best