Hello All,

Has anyone out there done the flexible PGCE at Hallam Uni? I'm enquiring because I'd like to know how it compares to full-time PGCEs (esp York St John College) - I applied to do the F/T PGCE but through no fault of my own missed the interview at Hallam (the one letter that was sent to invite me to interview was lost in the post and I didn't find out in time…)

So I'm now considering the flexible/modular course but want to know how others found it - is there enough contact time, are there any lectures/seminars, is it lonely studying all on your own?!

I have contacted Hallam Admissions but they're very unhelpful and I'd like to know from someone who has done it! Or anyone else with some Hallam Horror stories - I've heard quite a few already…

Thanks people!
K xx

No info on Hallam as such, but my ex-wife did the modular PGCE at Wakefield remotley and found it difficult studying on her own. Not so much a lack of contact with tutors (her's happened to live in Sheff, which was handy), more the lack of contact/discussion with fellow students - they only had 3 or 4 group sessions in a year, though this included a week long residential.

I have Hallam horror stories........ I wouldn't go there if you have a choice.

However, don't despair over missing the interview- last year several people got places through clearing.

As a teacher I would like to welcome you into a career that can be enjoyable and rewarding. As far as the modular PGSE course goes, if it is run correctly by the school you work in, it can work very well. Just be careful of schools that do not provide you with adequate training. Unfortunately these schools do exist. More often than not it is simply because the school environment is extremely hectic and less pressing matters are put on hold. Your training can suffer as a result.
Be careful how you choose your school and make sure they have a mentoring system as well as a good NQT system. Hallam Uni can point you in the right direction if you have not already found a school.
Hallam reception is normally pretty good with admissions. Maybe you have caught them at a bad time. Try 'phoning the School of Education directly.
I hope this is of some help. Let us know on the board how you go on and if I can help anymore I will.

You might be better looking for a Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP). You get your PGCE while being a trainee teacher at a school. It's hard work but you get the backup of real teachers.

Thanks for all your comments so far, especially Goon! I did try the GTP route and contacted quite a few schools in Sheffield but had no joy. Does anyone know of any schools in the area which offer GTP? I know it's late in the year, but I really want to stay in Sheffield (I've only been here 6 months and I want to see more!) The more I hear about Hallam the more I don't want to go.. but they may be the only choice!

Any more info greatly appreciated.
Kxx

Steee is right... Avoid Hallam like the plague. I did my teacher training there, and lets just say they couldn't organise an orgy in a brothel. It really was laughable.

Sheffield Uni does PGCE courses, although not sure about the modular bit, and am sure that the Sheffield College has a hand in some elements of teacher training.

Good luck whatever you decide. It may be damn hard work at times, but it's a brilliant job.

Sheffield Uni does Secondary PGCE courses, but not Primary- which is why I am at Hallam.

To be fair, most of the tutors are genuinely nice people who will try to help you. If you are doing the flexi-route you should be fine as you have to organise placements yourself. The full-timers are stuck with the placement team who don't appear to have two brain cells to rub together.

Originally posted by Steee
I have Hallam horror stories........ I wouldn't go there if you have a choice.

However, don't despair over missing the interview- last year several people got places through clearing.

I completed the Cert Ed last year at Hallam. I found the Uni and all to staff I came into contact with very helpful.

Originally posted by stevie1957
I completed the Cert Ed last year at Hallam. I found the Uni and all to staff I came into contact with very helpful.

Unfortunately, since then the main co-ordinator of primary placements has left and the department is in total chaos. We have resorted to swapping placements amongst ourselves to get better matches!

Originally posted by Steee
Unfortunately, since then the main co-ordinator of primary placements has left and the department is in total chaos. We have resorted to swapping placements amongst ourselves to get better matches!

Thanks for the info Steee. I will pass this info on at work as some of my colleages are hoping to enrol at Hallam for the Cert Ed.

Kind regards Stevie

Mmm. Thanks for all responses again. My personal bellyache with Hallam is with admissions - they didn't pass on info to the GTTR to say I had an interview which would have avoided the whole lost letter problem and I also phoned them to see how things were going and they didn't mention I had an interview.... Doesn't sound as though placements are much better! BUT if I can at least sort these out myself, it might be better.

At least I'm prepared now - thanks for all your good advice!

True Hallam do mess you around with your GTP/Teacher Training/PGCE etc. How bloody difficult is it to get on to any of these courses when you expend shed loads of time effort money etc and the schools that you are volunteering at (even after working full time then working voluntarily at a school) then either get knocked back (this hurts the school to) and patronised by course leader etc ( you know who u are) sorry patronised, insulted is a better word. Infact I've rambled through that so quickly my spelling and grammer is terrible, no wonder they wouldnt let me or my ex partner (same story) on.

Every job interview with that place was the same. Took me 2 years of applications to get one interview even though I was and had been working in education for 3 years.

Hallam property developers/educators, what ever, do one!!!

Hi Angelnova,

Just read your posting about Hallam Flexible PGCE courses. I don't know what age/subject you want to teach, but it just so happens I have recently started a secondary flexible PGCE at Hallam.

I applied for the full time course at Hallam last year but, due in part to my own dithering and Hallam's seemingly inefficient admissions process, I was too late. I applied for the flexible route instead as they enrol throughout the year and it also offered flexibility if I decided I needed to work again for a bit to keep paying the mortgage.

I must say I have to agree with most of the comments on the thread about SHU's admissions department. I found them infuriating and virtually impossible to contact by phone. At one time they sent me a letter about my offer with a name and phone number to contact if I had any queries - I rang the number but nobody had even heard of the person I was supposed to contact!! Sadly, it didn't really surprise me. I also have a friend who recently applied for a place on a primary PGCE and she got 2 letters - one offering her a place and one turning her down! There certainly does seem to be a real problem with their admissions administration in general.

Having said all that, however, I persevered and got on the course eventually and I actually managed to get a placement in school the week after I enrolled! Also, I received my training bursary within about 2 weeks - something I expected to have to wait ages for. So, not all bad then.

As for contact with other students on the course, this does seem to be very limited with the flexible route and if you are the sort of person who may need a peer group for support, etc then you may be better off on the full time route. On my flexible course, there are a number of seminars where we get together, but these are only once every few months Also there is a short compulsory lecture based course sometime in September that may offer opportunities to get together with others on the course.

As far as I can tell, the flexible route has the same requirements for teaching practise as the full time route, but the majority of the course work involves a lot of 'directed' reading and a number of assignments - for which there are no time deadlines.

Also, note that if you are looking to do teaching practise in Sheffield then SHU will organise this for you - certainly for secondary and I think it is the same for primary - you do not have to organise this for yourself. They did say to me though, that there is a bit of a shortage of placements and they implied that the full time students tend to get priority over flexible students, as they have to get their course completed in a fixed time frame. Still, I managed to get my first placement immediately.

The course tutors do seem to be friendly and very approachable, although I can only speak for the secondary people.

If you want to do it, then I would say just go for it. Persevere with the admissions people and do keep pestering them until you get things sorted.

If you want any more info or advice please feel free to PM me.

Regards,
Norbo

Thank you so much Norbo, exactly the kind of advice I wanted!

It is rather depressing to hear how terrible Hallam admissions are - hopefully any future PGCE students will take note and not have to suffer the same fate! Make sure you phone and ask questions which need a yes/no answer - and then get them to double check! It would be lovely for them to admit their ineptness but this seems unlikely.

Good to know there are a few seminars & lectures on the flexible option (I'm doing Primary) - and I know I'll increasingly spend my time in schools by the end so that shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Having said all those horrible things about Hallam, my interview is next week, so fingers crossed!

Good luck with your interview.

If you need any help or advice about interviews, or anything else teaching related for that matter, take a look at the TES website if you haven't already.

In particular the following -

http://www.tes.co.uk/section/staffroom/