1. PDP Presentation
Slide 1: For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Susan Coles.
Slide 2: The main aim of my project was to eventually gain a place on a primary PGCE, with a
sub aim of teaching community theatre.
Slide 3: My first strand relates heavily to my main aim, looking at possible post graduate
programs that I could venture on to once I had graduated from this course. I’d always
wanted to become a teacher, and knew that I would be able to do a PGCE. I researched into
the typical requirements of getting on to a PGCE, for most you need a degree with a 2:2 or
above. And I’m currently on track to achieve a 2:1. All courses required experience within a
school, and although I was applying for a primary PGCE, my experience with children below
the age of 11 was very limited. I have a lot of experience with senior school children, but
knew I needed more with a relevant age group. With all PGCE’s they require you do to
several placements throughout the year, and as you quite often have to find your own
accommodation for these, I decided finically it would make sense to move to in with my
parents in Bristol and go to a close a university. I applied to UWE, Bath Spa and
Gloucestershire, as I knew I could commute easily to each of these campus’.
As well as looking at PGCE courses, I didn’t want to completely rule out the idea of sticking
with theatre, and also researched into the post graduate options offered here at Plymouth. I
looked into the MA and MRes and decided that if I was unsuccessful with PGCE applications,
I would apply to these courses.
Slide 4: Looking into applying for a PGCE, lead me into thinking about how I would support
myself finically whilst on this course. My second strand is financial. I looked into the loan
and bursary available for a PGCE and found out my entitlements if I were living at home and
if I were to move out. Ironically I get a bigger student loan living at home next year than I

2. have done for the last 3 years… but never mind. There’s a bursary available for students
going on to a Primary PGCE who graduate with a 1st or a 2:1. If I graduate with a 2:1 I’m
eligible for a £5000 bursary, which would help with any living costs when on placement and
also with travel costs.
Jobs. Getting on to a PGCE will involve being on placement 8-6, 5 days a week. Long days.
However keeping my current job is very important to me, as I’m able to pick up more hours
as and when I can. I currently work at Primark, and am able to cut down to a minimum of 4
hours a week, just to keep my hand in. Which would earn me around £100 a month. I intend
to do this whilst on to a PGCE… providing I gained a place on one.
With all of these in mind I decided to make a budget.
Slide 5: I put my money coming in, and my estimates of how much I would spend. The only
thing I didn’t factor in was rent for when I would be going away on placement, so let’s just
hope that I get placements close enough for me to commute to.
Slide 6: Strand 3 is my work experience and activities strand. As mentioned previously, I
knew I needed more experience working with younger children. What better way to work
with children of all ages than go to summer camp! I’ve always had a love for Canada,
heightened by an amazing exchange student we had last year, so I applied through a
company called CCUSA to work at a summer camp in Canada. I was offered a music and
drama specialist position at Easter Seals Camp Merrywood, a camp for physically disabled
children and young adults, aged 4-25. Always up for a challenge! I accepted the position and
spent 3 months in Canada caring for children in ways I’d never thought I would before, and
teaching music and drama. During my final month at Merrywood, I was offered to work for a
short period during the fall camp season at Nyquest family camp, where I would be in

3. charge of 5 year old activities. Perfect! I became involved straight away and found myself in
a wildly different environment to Merrywood. Anything for the experience!
As well as camp, I knew classroom experience would be a vital part when applying for my
PGCE. I emailed about 15 primary schools around Plymouth with no reply, when at
Christmas I bumped into my Infant school head teacher at church, I explained my situation
and she offered me a volunteer opportunity. I spent 3 weeks over the next few months in
different classrooms and assisting different children from reception to year 2. My final day
was on Friday and they’ve offered me a paid learning assistant job during the summer term.
As well as both camps, and working at a school, I’ve also been heavily involved with the
Barbican theatre since September. Whilst still at camp I saw the Barbican were advertising
for volunteering opportunities so I applied for a place on their theatre force, which trains
young people on how to create deliver workshops, how to budget when taking a show on
tour and other valuable skills. Along with theatre force, came working with theatre moves,
which is a program for 8-11 year olds creating theatre through play, as the months went on I
was allowed a larger role in theatre moves, and co-deliver the sessions with Mark Laville and
other members of Force. I also became a part of the barbicans young people company,
Company B. As well as being a part of the company, I sometimes am asked to run activities
such as voice and physical warm ups to the rest of the company.
The Barbican helped develop a program called Day of Difference. The program is taken to
secondary schools all around the country, usually to a whole year group normally aged 13-
15. The day involves first impressions of people from different races and with different
abilities, and then a role play of each tutor group being a country and then one country
having a ‘natural disaster’. Later in the day they meet the people from the pictures earlier
and are allowed to ask them any questions to find out about their background and their life.

4. Day of difference is designed to teach students about prejudice, and how they should not
judge people on first impressions. I’ve viewed day of difference from the childrens point of
view, and as a facilitator, and am being trained to facilitate this program in the future.
Slide 7: Here are some photos from Easter Seals Camp Merrywood. (Explain photos)
Slide 8: Strand 4 is called employability, because I needed to know how I would get jobs in
the future, not necessarily in teaching, but in general. I’d never written a CV before, as I
tend to fall into jobs, and decided that it would be a great idea to write an accessible CV for
many different job types. I also wanted to get a DBS, I attained a police check when going to
camp in Canada, and have gained a DBS through the Barbican theatre. Most organizations
will require a DBS in their name, however the school I volunteered at, allowed me to use
mine from the Barbican Theatre.
I don’t drive… I’ve had lots of lessons but never got round to actually taking a test. It’s vital
for me to drive for my PGCE, so I researched into intensive courses that I would be able to
do over the summer, to get that out of the way. I already have a car, so that’s not a
problem.
Slide 9: Strand 5 - The backup plan. I found myself spending a lot of time worrying about
WHAT IF I DON’T GET ON TO A PGCE MY LIFE IS OVER. But as this is my goal in life, I decided
I would spend a year giving myself a better chance if I applied again. I researched into
becoming a learning support assistant, which there are no academic requirements for. This
would give me a lot more experience with children and give me a good opportunity to get
onto a PGCE if I failed this time.
Slide 10: What happened with your application Susan I hear you cry! Gloucestershire
rejected me 48 hours after I applied. UWE rejected me the day of my first day volunteering

5. at Chester Park. And Bath Spa offered me an interview in February which I attended and
was offered a place 6 days after the interview. So in September, Bath Spa here I come!
Slide 11: During my project I had two Mentor’s, one for my main aim, and another for my
sub aim. Sarah Darling is a primary school teacher that I know through a friend, she helped
me with my PGCE application, and with writing my CV. She also gave me advice on what to
do and say during my interview at Bath Spa.
Mark Laville, as mentioned earlier, I work with at the Barbican Theatre. The man is a genius
and knows what he’s talking about. He’s very keen to get me involved in as many projects as
possible, and has been my mentor with everything I’ve done with the Barican theatre. He
wants to keep channels with me open in future, to possibly to work with primary schools
with them.
Slide 12: Advice. These are things that I wish I’d done… or things I did that went well. Start
now and use your summer. I’m so proud that I applied to camp and spent that valuable time
working with children I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to if I’d stayed at home working at
Primark all summer. Use your summer to get your hours in the bag, do more hours! DO ALL
OF THE HOURS.
Use the people you know. If it hadn’t have been for actually going to church, I wouldn’t have
bumped into an old teacher and got experience within a school, think about who you know,
or who your aunties, mums, cousins, ex wifes, brother knows. USE THEM.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a clear main aim yet. Just do work experience in an area that
you enjoy, it’s better to do something than nothing at all. You never know it might lead you
on a new path.
And finally, ask for help. I don’t just mean from your tutors and your mentors, but ask
someone who has already done the project.