Secondary PGCE with QTS

Entry requirements

You must be employed as a teacher in a secondary independent or state school and be teaching your subject for a minimum of 50% of a full timetable across two consecutive key stages.

Every year some of our applicants have arranged to work in a school for the specific purpose of gaining this training, others have worked in the school for a year or two, some for longer than that.

You will be expected to have the following qualifications:

• A degree from a UK university or equivalent.
• GCSE in English Language, Maths at grade C/4 or above or equivalent.

In addition, you must:

• Demonstrate competence in literacy and numeracy.
• Attend an interview.
• Provide a reference from your headteacher supporting your application to undertake a PGCE.
• Obtain the commitment from your school to release you for the second school placement and to provide a suitable mentor.
• Provide a satisfactory criminal record check and show the physical and mental fitness to teach.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Course outline

The Secondary Postgraduate Certificate in Education with QTS is the accreditation that enables teachers to teach in state-maintained and special schools in England and Wales.

This course is available to teachers who are currently employed in maintained or independent schools in England, or those who have a training placement under the School Direct Scheme, but do not yet hold a teaching qualification. You will be expected to undertake a teaching placement in a second school which must be a non-selective state maintained school. The duration of this teaching placement is determined upon interview and is usually for three weeks.

Course content

The PGCE is a 37 week school-based course during which time you will work under the guidance of a mentor and receive weekly tutorials to review your progress and to set targets. There are three residentials (nine days overall) to attend and these are supplemented by a weekly programme on the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). You will be assigned a University tutor who will visit once per term to assess your progress and guide your development. You will be assessed against the Standards by both your mentor and your tutor and there are three assignments to complete.

For teachers undertaking their first year of teaching we highly recommend your participation in our Ab Initio course in late August as an addition to the PGCE. This will provide you with some basic knowledge and skills to start teaching.

Your subject specialism

Different school subjects demand different teaching methods and resources, so part of the residential course will be taught by a subject specialist. Our subject specialists this year include Art, Music, Design Technology, Food Technology, Business Studies & Economics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Computer Science, English, Drama, Classics, Modern Languages, Geography, History, Politics, Religious Studies, Psychology and PE.

Fees and funding

You may be eligible for a Student Finance England loan. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/funding-for-postgraduate-study.