PGCE Personal Statements

Former Member

I know I'm leaving this quite late and stuff, but I could do with some help.

I am applying for a PGCE atm. In Brighton, so I can stalk CptCoatHanger . I've done the whole of the rest of the form and I'm now on the part where I need to write my personal statement. Now here's the problem. The question says this:

GTTR form wrote:

Describe briefly your reasons for wanting to teach giving the relevance of your previous education and details of any teaching experience, including visits to schools and other work with young people. Providers are interested to know the range of skills you will bring to the course, for example; practical experience, managing people, working with/leading a team, communication skills etc.

But I have very, very little experience in schools aside from a week in a girl's school in Nairobi (this place), one day a week for a few months in a special needs school in Colchester (which was with younger kids and I'm going for Secondary), and the three weeks I spent in Peru, also in a special needs school, and also with kids who were that bit younger than I need. That's not really extensive and I didn't really do any teaching, except in the special needs place in Colchester and even then it was minimal.

My question for you guys is how do I play up what little experience I have without outright lying? The managing people, working with/leading a team and communication stuff I can bring in from my other jobs, but that part is hard .

Former Member

Hmm, if it was me writing it....

I think I'd be like: I have done x, from this I learnt about y and z. This made me want to go into teaching because of a and b? If that makes any sense? I don't think it will necessarily be about how much experience you have - more from what you've gained from the experiences you have had, and how these things that you've thought about show you want to be a teacher. :chin: (I'm not completely sober so I hope you understand)

Former Member

Have you ever done a group outside of schools with young people? Or worked in a nursery? A youth club? I think anything like that you can include.
My mum (who's a teacher) was helping my aunty write hers the other day, and my aunty included her drama club she used to do.
Remember it does say "describe briefly" so don't make it too long, especially if there are other jobs you are going to mention.

Also, you can stalk me in Brighton too

Former Member

Broken-Angel wrote: »

Have you ever done a group outside of schools with young people? Or worked in a nursery? A youth club? I think anything like that you can include.
My mum (who's a teacher) was helping my aunty write hers the other day, and my aunty included her drama club she used to do.
Remember it does say "describe briefly" so don't make it too long, especially if there are other jobs you are going to mention.

Also, you can stalk me in Brighton too

You're not as pretty as he is bb .

Unfortunately I haven't done any of those things. Hmmm. I'll have a think today.

Purple - it made sense, don't worry

Former Member

say that working with younger children was really fulfilling and that you'd like to take what you learned and apply it to older children, which you feel you have the ability to do if given the right training. for my school job now they asked me if i had experience with teenagers and i had to say no, but i made what experience i do have with younger children relevant by saying that it had inspired me to try to help older children as well, in order to widen my knowledge and skills.

Former Member

omg hi wrote: »

say that working with younger children was really fulfilling and that you'd like to take what you learned and apply it to older children, which you feel you have the ability to do if given the right training. for my school job now they asked me if i had experience with teenagers and i had to say no, but i made what experience i do have with younger children relevant by saying that it had inspired me to try to help older children as well, in order to widen my knowledge and skills.

I have pretty much done that. Still got another 28 lines to do today. Sigh.

Thanks you lot .

Former Member

If you're still writing it, you can write something about transition (i.e. the transition children make from primary to secondary school). This is quite a big issue in education and you can write about how you found it interesting to reflect on the differences between primary and secondary education (same vs multiple teachers, same room vs moving around the school etc.) and something about how year 6 pupils perceive secondary school and their hopes and fears about changing schools.

The knowledge about SEN is also transferable from primary to secondary, so you can say the fact that you've had experience of children with various special educational needs means you have an awareness of what their individual conditions involve, what problems they might encounter in education and in the school environment, and how you as a teacher can personalise learning (they'll love that) to meet the needs of children you teach.

I did my secondary PGCE last year and am now an NQT, so if you have any questions or anything do drop me a PM good luck!