PGCE placements

[lulu_bucket]

My daughter has just done a year at Uni PGCE and although did not fail has been told she has to do another 7 week placement. They have since told her that it may not be in September - is this normal procedure etc - she has no where to live having moved out of her Uni house accommodation some 2 weeks ago - a bit in the lurch so to speak. Help, advice please.

[felinechums]

Hi, sorry to hear that your daughter is being asked to repeat her PGCE placement. This usually happens when the school a student has been placed in has submitted an unsatisfactory report on the student.
A student repeating a placement can be asked to do so at any period throughout the school year. Schools that take placement students will be arranging first-time placements for this year's PGCE students, so your daughter may have to wait until a space is available for her repeat placement, and this could be at any time during the school year. Unfortunately, she cannot graduate with her PGCE until she has completed her placement, so she is caught between a rock and a hard place here.
She might try talking to the Advisor of Studies or Course Director of her PGCE course, to see if she/he could offer any help with the timing of the placement. She should also talk to the accommodation officer in the university, who will be able to help her find somewhere to stay for the seven weeks.
Hope things work out ok.

[twinny_15]

The previous post gives good advice, you should also note there are a number of other problems that come with this situation (I am in a similar position!). She will not be entitled to job seekers (or any other benefit - unless she is a lone parent) during her course suspension unless the suspension is the result of specific circumstances (speak to citizens advice!!). Also, she may not get any additional bursary or loan to fund the repeated part! Since the repeated part is from the latter part of the course the training requirements differ to those provided for by schools in September and some schools will not allow 2nd/3rd placements to be done in the first part of the year! Hope this helps!