About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: GXDC
- Applications: GTTR
- Level: Postgraduate
- Department: Education
- Campus: Frenchay
- Duration: One year full-time
- Delivery: Full-time
- Study Abroad: No
- Course director: Bernie Fitzgerald and Alison Fletcher
- Programme leader: Alison Fletcher
Introduction
The Secondary Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a one academic year (36 week) course that trains graduates to be secondary school teachers of Mathematics.
The PGCE programme has been designed to train teachers for the full secondary age phase (11-18). Trainees are assessed against the standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in two key stages, normally KS3 and KS4. In the first half of the autumn term, some trainees may seek to change this to Key Stage 4 and post-16, this will be subject to discussion with the Programme Leader.
The course is active and practical allowing trainees to develop professional competence through work undertaken in schools and in the University. Trainees work with young people, develop their expertise in their specialist subject area, share and discuss educational issues and study relevant educational research. The course is just the beginning of what we hope will be a process of continual professional development throughout a challenging and rewarding career.
Our Secondary PGCE programme has recently been graded Outstanding by Ofsted (2011).
This is a recently added PGCE Secondary strand at UWE, run from September 2008. Teachers completing this route will be in a very strong position to gain employment. In the current climate of under-recruitment to mathematics teaching this course will enable participants to train to teach this shortage subject as well as being able to draw upon their knowledge of a Business/Economic/Finance degree.
Find out more about what PGCE Secondary Education at UWE has to offer in terms of teaching quality, staff expertise and your student experience.
Structure
Content
The course is part of the Department of Education's programme for Initial Teacher Training. Units studied are:
- Enabling Learning
- Meeting Curriculum Challenges
- Becoming a Teacher
These units are studied in both the school and the University-based parts of the course, the work on each site being complementary.
This course will prepare you for teaching mathematics across the 11-16 age range, at Key Stages 3 and 4/GCSE. It will also prepare you to teach Business Education in school to young people in the 14-19 age range, including at GCSE and A level.
This new combination will provide a versatile training route for those with a good level of competence in mathematics and specialist interest in Business Education in the curriculum. If you have enthusiasm and a commitment to teaching mathematics, an interest in offering an additional curriculum subject and enjoy working with young people, then we are looking for people just like you! The University blocks of the course will involve elements of learning and teaching in Mathematics and Business Education subjects.
Throughout the course you will need to work at developing your personal subject knowledge in mathematics, business and ICT. Trainees will also learn about how best to teach, explain, demonstrate, connect, and bring to life these subjects for pupils. During subject sessions at UWE, you will be introduced to ideas and resources for teaching, see a variety of teaching approaches and learning activities, observe and evaluate videos of lessons, be introduced to how to plan for effective learning, and spend time discussing the many issues relating to learning. You will also gain experience of the real-life community and business contexts where these subjects are applied.
Hear what our students think about their time at UWE.
Teaching and learning
Personal support
We recognise that embarking on a new course of study can sometimes be quite a challenging undertaking. Students have three main sources of support and information from the University during the course: firstly there is the Group Tutor in their subject area, secondly each student is allocated a Personal Tutor and thirdly any student can get support on a range of issues from the Department Student Adviser.
Find out more about our academic staff, their teaching expertise and research interests.
Assessment
In order to pass the course, trainees are required to pass each unit. They are assessed on a number of written assignments and also on classroom practice against the standards specified by the Secretary of State for the award of QTS. Before the end of the course it is recommended that trainees take the computer-based QTS skills tests in Numeracy, Literacy and ICT which are set by the Training and Development Agency (TDA).
Special Features
Placements
A substantial proportion of the PGCE course is spent in school, learning about the school environment, observing and teaching. You will gain teaching experience in two complementary school/college placements. You will be supported by a Subject Mentor and a Senior Professional Tutor.
These staff and other teachers and colleagues within the school will support you in your learning to teach, assess, and manage classes. You will have the opportunity to enhance your experiences of working with young people further during the PGCE year in UWE and through your school placements, for example by taking part in master-classes and other activities with pupils from Partnership schools, by attending educational visits, working with young people in out-of-school contexts, or by participating in cross-curricular and extra-curricular activities.
Careers/further study
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programmes now include 40 credits of assessment at Master's Level (Level M). For candidates who opt not to attempt the requisite credit at Level M, a Professional Graduate Certificate in Education will be available as an alternative award.
For information about the national curriculum and subjects taught in secondary schools, visit Directgov online.
Hear from past UWE students about how studying here has enhanced their career prospects and opened up new opportunities.
Entry
Entry requirements
Applicants normally have:
- An honours (normally 2:2 minimum) or equivalent with at least 50 per cent in a related subject (relating to the subject you want to teach)
- GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in mathematics and English language. (University tests in mathematics and English language may be available for some applicants)
- To have spent a minimum of 1-2 weeks in a classroom observing mathematics being taught in a comprehensive school, within the previous two years.
Applicants who do not meet the minimum academic entry requirements, but have significant life and/or work experience will be considered on an individual basis.
Additional requirements
Applicants must pass an initial selection process and short-listed candidates will be interviewed at the Department of Education. Entry is subject to satisfactory interview to assess professional suitability and subject to successful medical and Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) clearance. If you would like information regarding issues that could disqualify you from teaching training, please contact us on +44 (0)117 32 83333.
TDA Standards and requirements
Following the review of Standards and Requirements for Initial Teacher Training (ITT) by the Secretary of State in 2007, the Department of Education has designed its full-time courses to be compliant with the latest standards and requirements. For information on the latest standards please visit the TDA website.
General Teaching Council Registration
Please also note that since 1 September 2008 anyone commencing a course of Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in England leading to the award of Qualified Teacher Status is required to be provisionally registered with the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE). You will need to complete a suitability declaration to enable the Council to identify any reason which may prevent registration. At the point of the offer of a place on an ITT course at UWE, you will be sent a GTCE Suitability Declaration form which will need to be completed and returned to the University. Providing that this declaration meets the requirements you will be recommended to be registered with the GTCE. The Government has announced a proposal to abolish the GTCE but until Parliamentary legislation is enacted registration is still required.
For further information on Provisional Registration and the suitability assessment please visit the GTCE website.
Fees
Full details of fees for this course can be found on our postgraduate fees pages.
For funding options, please see our funding and scholarships information.
How to apply
Please apply online at: www.gttr.ac.uk.
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011