GTP as an alternative?

With my applications through PGCEs not going very well I looked into different ways into teaching

Still with PGCE though I wanted to apply to the PGCE at Open University

Cost £3375;

Entry requirements

The requirements may change as a result of government decisions. At present you must:

• Be able to attend school placements in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
• Be resident in the appropriate nation.
• Have a degree from a UK university or an equivalent qualification that is clearly and substantially relevant to one of the six secondary PGCE subjects. This means that at least half and preferably two-thirds of your degree (at least 180 credits) should comprise studies relevant to the subject you intend to teach.
• Have a GCSE grade A–C, or the equivalent, in English language and in mathematics.
• Show evidence in your application and at interview that you can communicate clearly and grammatically in written and spoken Standard English.
• Demonstrate at interview specific abilities related to the subject.
• If you are applying for a place in modern foreign languages, you will need to be able to offer two languages, one of which must be French.

Pros	Cons
Have a placement near home	Milton Keynes for interview
Cheap course	Maths
Student loan

Started looking at GTP courses though in case PGCE didn’t work out.

What would be good about GTP is I can get paid while I’m training I can get paid which will narrow the time it takes for me to save towards my MA

There were only 2 GTPS offering art PGCEs nearby

·       Nine stiles teaching consortium

·       King Edwards Consortium of Teaching

Both asked me to have my own placement sorted

King Edwards Consortium

Local authority: Birmingham

Information about our recruitment process
Applicants seeking salary and training grant places should apply to the King Edward's Consortium and do not need to find an employing school beforehand.  The strongest applicants are invited to an initial interview and, if selected, matched with one of our nineteen schools for second interview.
Applicants seeking self-funded places, often - but not always - from non-maintained schools, should contact the KEC directly before applying.  We offer a small number of self-funded places each year, usually to trainees in schools within ten miles of our training centre in Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Training:  We currently offer training places in: Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, ICT and Computing, MFL (French, German, Spanish, Urdu), Classics, Art and Design, Drama, English, History, Geography, Music, PE and RE.
Qualifications: 'Establishment 1' means your school (not university).  When asked for your GCSE Science grade, please choose: 'C or above equivalent' and then give us further details (e.g. of physics, chemistry, biology or double award science grades) in the 'other secondary qualifications' section.  In this section, please list all qualifications, including GCSE equivalents, earliest first.
Employment history: Use this section to include your complete employment history.  You do not need to repeat information in the Teaching Experience section, which follows.  (We will ask you to tell us about school experience - apart from employment - in your Statement later in the form).
Statement:  Please tell us (1) why you want to become a teacher, (2) what experience you have had in secondary schools in the past 24 months and what you have learned from this, (3) why you want to teach your chosen subject and (4) why you would like to follow the GTP route with the King Edward's Consortium. 
Once we receive your application we will email an acknowledgement.  In this email we will ask you to complete a KEC form and send it to us, in the post, with photocopies of your GCSE Maths and English certificates and your degree certificate (or overseas equivalents along with NARIC documentation).  Once these are received we will be able to process your application.

Nine stiles Teaching Consortium

Programme start dates

Information about our recruitment process
Should your application be successful you will be invited for interview. During the interview a series of skills tests will be undertaken as well as the personal interview with subject leaders. Should your application not be successful you would be informed.
Applications have now been closed for the follow subjects: 
Information about our relationship with employing schools
In most cases applicants approach an employing school and then apply to us as the training provider, occasionally we can help match applicants with employing schools.
Throughout the recruitment process we work closely with the employing schools to assess the needs of both the school and the applicant to ensure that the best match can be achieved.
Employing schools are part of the interview panel and have are pivotal in any offer made. Employing schools we have worked with are listed on this site and on our web site www.ninestiles.org.uk. We welcome working with new schools provided they have a good Ofsted result and are within easy traveling from Birmingham e.g. approx. 45 minutes travelling radius from Acocks Green, Birmingham.
If you already have an employing school you need to complete the 'Employing School Endorsement' section on the application form.
Should you be successful in gaining an interview you will need to bring two forms of photographic identification e.g. passport, driving licence (both parts). You will also need to bring your certificates from your GCSE's in Maths and English, your degree certificate and transcript, if possible. If you have passed your skills tests you need to bring proof of this.
Subjects we offer are:
Physics, Chemistry, Biology
Maths, English, Languages
Design Technology, Art, ICT, Business Studies, History, Geography, RE, Dance, Drama, PE

Having difficultly finding a placement. I have applied to

·      Wednesfield High School

·      Wolgarston High School –where I did my Student Associate Scheme

·      Codsall High School – where I used to go to school

·      Coppice Preforming Arts School

·      Great Wyrley High School

·      Cannock Chase High School

·      Castle High School

·      Cheslyn High School

·      Orminston High school

·      Cheslyn Hayes High School

Covering letter:

Dear MS King
I'm writing regarding gaining a placement with you as part of a Gtp programme.
I am currently applying to both king Edwards’s consortium and nine stiles graduate teacher consortium at the moment. As part of the application process I need to confirm I have a work placement within a school.
I have had teacher experience before on work experience within bilbrook middle school and as part of the student associate scheme at wolgarston high school in penkridge via my university, Staffordshire. I have also co-taught an adults belly dance class f or about a year and, as part of a re-enactment society, given demonstrations of weaponry and explaining the era.
I am interested in a placement with your art department but have had experience with design and photography.
Thank you for your time
Look forward to hearing from you,
Kind regards
Jenny hall

All of them but Coppice High School had no places/funding/teaching staff who could train me

Coppice replied:

Dear Jenny,

Thank you for your interest in a placement at Coppice Performing Arts School.

Unfortunately, we are not offering placements until the head has received her financial budget for 2012-2013. Then placements will be offered to areas of the curriculum which we feel would benefit from a trainee. We should know a little bit more around Easter time.

Regards,

M.Corcoran

Teacher Training Coordinator.

So I shall have to wait till Easter until I know whether I have a GTP placement