Hi

I was offered a place by the school I'd applied to yesterday, so goodness knows when I will hear something!!   xx

Well done teachermummy! Where is your school? I don't know about you guys.. but I'm so excited! :D We have the option of choosing a specialist subject or sticking to just primary PGCE? (if you are KS1/KS2) What do you guys think? I don't know what to do!! Xx

My school is Morley Primary in Derbyshire, about 4 miles from my home!!!  I'd quite like to specialise in Maths if I can, how about you? xx

My school is banks lane in Stockport! And I think I'd like to specialise in English but may just see what they recommend :) I really want my confirmation letter now! Has anybody who hadn't heard heard anything yet? I am so excited to start though it's going to be hard work but so much fun! Xx

I really wouldn't worry about not hearing anything - I got my place at my school interview at the very end of November/very beginning of December and only got my pack with my password and everything in the middle/end of March - so you're looking at at least 3 months if they're still working at that rate! Though I suspect they will have to speed things up or your CRBs and things won't come back in time. Having said that, I still haven't had mine back despite sending it straight back to them, and they'd ticked that they'd seen documents they hadn't seen (like my degree certificate for the degree I'm still doing) and demanded to see things which I definitely know they've seen (like my reference which the headteacher showed me at my schools interview!). I've emailed them about it but I've had no response either so you aren't alone! I hope you all hear soon though, I remember how worrying it was not having confirmation of anything - I kept thinking I'd dreamt it! I'm soooo excited about getting stuck into it - I keep getting distracted from writing my dissertation looking at teaching things! I think I'm going to specialise in Early Years as my alternative key stage is EYFS and it appears I'll be able to do it despite only being there for 7 weeks or something! I don't have A levels in any of the subject you see, just an AS in english lit. Congratulations to those who've got places since I was last one here - its really nice that there's quite a few of us now! xxx

Hi everyone,

Finally received all the forms and stuff today.  It actually feels real now!!  I sent an email every day to to Zareeda but didnt get any response at all!!  At least the pack turned up.

Hope you get yours soon Clare.

Claire xx

Thanks Rach! I just really want the confirmation! Why is it so slow?! haha I am exactly the same though got all these essays to write but can't because I keep thinking about next year! Yes I think EYFS would be good to specialise in but I don't think you have to be a whizz at a subject to specialise in it anyway but you could always ask. I wish more and more people would join this forum so we know how many are out there! xx

Hi Claire Oh wow congratulations on finally getting it! Can I ask when did you pass your interview? I have emailed her loads now so I don't think I can email anymore she will hate me haha! I hope I do too! Clare xx

Hi Clare,

 I had my interview at the school during the week before the Easter holidays - something like 26/27 March.  The school contacted me withing a day or two to give me the good news, however Nottingham just seem to be unresponsive!

The other Issue im a bit worried about is the fact that my status on the GTTR website states in unsucessfull!!!  Anyone else having the same issue??

Oh well, Im sure it will all slowly sort itself out!!

Claire xx

Hello others! I'm on the course also. Going to be based at the Birmingham school. Really looking forward to getting started. Claire, I had the same issue with GTTR and had to call them up. Ask them to resend the application to Nottingham and then they will be able to accept you through GTTR. Well, that's what happened for me at least. The reason it comes up as unsuccessful is because GTTR automatically times out the application and sends them on when a course provider doesn't respond within a certain time frame. Got me worried too! Looking forward to meeting you all in August. Maybe we should set up our own Facebook group before then... Adil

Hey everyone I GOT MY PACK! Finally came in the post now it feels so real! I am really excited! But yes Claire mine still says 'stop' on GTTR but if it doesn't change in a few days I think I will email them :) Hi Adil! Well done for getting on :) yeah I think a Facebook group would be good! So excited for August! Clare xx

 I got my pack two days after my school interview!!! I think it depends how quickly the school contact the Uni.  The Headmistress informed me that she had contacted Zareeda before telling me that I had got the place :o)  I just need to get all my documents into Uni now for checking although I already have  a CRB so not sure if I will need another one.

 Also what is everybody specialising in?  I was hoping to do Maths but I don't have an A-Level in it so not sure if I can.  I do have English Lit A-Level so could do English as an alternative.

Now to tackle the finance forms......

 

xx

Glad everyone is starting to get their stuff through! Even though there is then lots to fill out lol.... Teachermummy I think it says on the sheet for it that you request to do another subject if you can give reasons as to why. Are you KS1 / KS2 route? I want to know the pro's and con's of choosing a specialism instead of sticking to the primary PGCE. I would choose English though, but I want to know the ins and outs before I decide! argh! xx

Yeh I think you are right teachermummy! I have got it now though so going to go through all the things! I already have a CRB too but I was told they still do their own anyway! I think I might do English but I know what you all mean I want to know more about it but how do we do that? Are you going to ask anyone in specific for advice or just use the Internet to research it? Clare xx

Hi Clare

I have browsed the internet but nothing really... I may Email and find out some more information before I make up my mind... I think maybe that if you choose a specialism the majority of observaitons and assignments will be on that specialism (can vaguely remember something like this being said at interview!). My first impressions will be that it will be good to have a specialism in something that is NC related especially if your degree is not in a NC as you can emphasise that at interviews etc.

What do you think?

xx

Hi Louisa Ahh that makes sense but then we might be under more pressure to perform well with this particular subject rather than having the chance to plan lessons surrounding lots of different parts of the curriculum. I really don't know what to do as I thought you had to specialise in a subject really (just the impression I got from my school) but maybe if we have already got a degree in NC subject (which I have) it won't matter what we specialise in - I am so confused haha! By the way coming back to the point made earlier I don't mind setting up a private fb group if you all give me your names I can add you all to it? May be a quicker/easier way of communicating - that is if everybody uses fb? xx

Anyone staying the sunday night at the residential before it starts???? Not sure i'd make it travelling up on the monday morning even though ive only got to come from Leicester!!!

Also, Ive got a feeling that ive read somewhere that we all get issued laptops by the schools or the uni to use for the course.  Is theis true?? cant seem to find where i read it!!

Claire xx

I'm driving from Leicester also - so not staying the Sunday. Traffic isn't too bad to get into Nottingham in the mornings from the A46. I work in the city sometimes, leave an hour before I need to be in Notts and always have time left over. Without traffic I do the trip in 35 minutes... it should be OK if it's a 10am start. I set up a Facebook group, search for: "Outstanding people doing t' University of Nottingham Primary SCITT 2012/13". It's not the most active Facebook group in the world right now, but it exists and we might find a few more people! We can make it private if people prefer. People who aren't in the group, can't see posts. Only members can. If we have any undesirables, we can kick them out, it's unlikely any would join and I think an admin has to accept them anyways. If you can't find the group, I should be easy enough to find on Facebook, my name is on my TES profile. Specialisms: I'm specialising in maths - but I really don't like the maths curriculum. Oh well... It would be interesting to know whether or not the specialist pathway means more pressure on the subject area. Might be worth sending an email over to the lady who sent information on that. PS. Why doesn't this format text properly... if any group group of forum members is going to get uppity about grammar and sentence structure, it's going to be a group of teachers!!!

[edited by: adil86 at 22:16 (GMT 0) on 5-5-2012]

 Hey everyone

 

Claire I am not sure whether I am staying the night before or not yet as I live in Manchester so not sure how quickly I can get there on the day but I will keep you posted! Also I hadn't heard anything about laptops but would be good if you were right haha!!

 

Adil I tried to search for the group but I actually cannot find it I looked everywhere but nothing came up sorry! Yes I am still unsure about specialisms but sure I will figure it all out!! 

 

xx

 

Sounds like you need to be staying the Sunday night! There's a lot of traffic to deal with in the morning coming into Notts... The group url is http://www.facebook.com/groups/in375096202527541/ Adil

[edited by: adil86 at 22:42 (GMT 0) on 7-5-2012]