Hi everyone!
I'm Dan, I'm 19 and I really want to pursue a career in teaching (specifically as a primary school teacher).
I've decided I really would rather do an OU degree instead of going off to a university (due to funds), but I want to make sure the degree I have found will take me on my desired career path. The degree I chose was BA (Honours) Childhood and Youth Studies as it seems the best and most relevant, however I'm having doubts it would be what I really need to go into primary school teaching.
I understand this may be a silly question but I really want to know if this is the degree I need to be doing if I want to become a primary school teacher, or is there a better one?
I hope you all can help me, thanks in advance.
Hello Dan!
I think it might be a good idea for you to look at the Careers Advisory Service pages of the OU, there is a specific link to getting into teaching here:
http://www.open.ac.uk/careers/getting-into-teaching-applications.ph
You could also contact a course choice advisor in order to check the suitability of your intended degree, by calling +44(0) 845 300 60 90, or alternatively here's a link to an e-mail contact page:
http://www3.open.ac.uk/contact/contactus.aspx?cid=192
The above links should help you find out if your chosen degree path is the best one to take in order for you to realise your ambitions. If you want to discuss your options/plans with a careers advisor, the following link should point you in the right direction to enable you to do so:
http://www.open.ac.uk/careers/contact-the-ou-careers-advisory-service.php
I hope this information helps you to make an informed decision: good luck with your studies and your future career!
Best wishes
Sue
Hi Dan, I'm in the same position as you! I have chosen to do an open degree which included maths and education, from my research they recommend that a minimum one third of your degree should base on 1 of the core subject in order for you to get into teaching for example. Maths, English, 1Science, ICT. ect. I have copy and paste the specific paragraph here for you, hope it helps! GOODLUCK!
Primary teaching
All institutions offering PGCE courses must satisfy
themselves that the content of applicants’ previous
education provides the necessary foundation
for work as a primary teacher. It is therefore
very important that you check with a primary
PGCE provider that your proposed degree will be
appropriate. This does not mean that your degree
has to have covered all or even most of the subjects
in the primary curriculum, since it is the task of a
PGCE course to familiarise students with the National
Curriculum requirements and to prepare them to plan
and teach lessons in them.
Although not essential, it is advantageous to have a
degree which is clearly and substantially relevant to
at least one of the subjects of the primary curriculum.
Art and Design
• Design and
Technology
• English
• Geography
• History
• ICT
• Mathematics
• Music
• Physical Education
• Science
• Religious Education
For more information on the National Curriculum, see:
www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingand
learning/curriculum.
Please note that the change of government in May
2010 has led to some changes in policy. Although
the above website contains some useful information
on the curriculum, the government has indicated
its intention to conduct a review of the primary
and secondary national curriculum. Therefore
policy on the curriculum is liable to change.
Many teacher training providers recommend that a
minimum of one third of your degree should relate to
your chosen subject specialism and that at least half
your degree in total should be relevant to one or more
of the above subjects.
However, it may be helpful for an OU degree (360
credits) that you take at least 240 credits as a single
subject core. Although 180 credits can be regarded
as a minimum, many head teachers welcome job
applicants with a stronger subject background who
will be capable of taking the curriculum lead in a
specific subject area within the school. If you apply for
a primary PGCE, you will be asked to nominate your
subject specialism on your application form.
It is for you to decide whether to take your remaining
credits in other school subject areas, or further
strengthen your subject expertise in your main area
of study. We strongly advise you not to spread your
modules too widely across the school curriculum.