About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: V1X1
- Applications: GTTR
- Level: Postgraduate
- Department: Education
- Campus: Frenchay
- Duration: One year full-time
- Delivery: Full-time
- Study Abroad: No
- Programme leader: Dr Dean Smart (Group Tutor)
Introduction
The Secondary Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a one academic year (36 week) course that trains graduates to be secondary school teachers of History.
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.
If you believe that a study of History is central to the broad and balanced education of any young person, a good grounding in the subject and a history degree, if you have a passion for the subject - and are not afraid to work hard to share it in a lively and engaging manner then this might be the course for you!
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).
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.
The PGCE History is an active and interesting preparation for teaching History in the 11-18+ age range with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) assessment at two key stages. It is based on time in the University and placements across Bristol, South West England and South Wales.
In subject studies sessions, students get the opportunity to:
- Find out about the History curriculum
- Look at planning for stimulating, active learning
- Consider ways to stretch young people's curiosity and interest in history, including using:
- Historical sources
- Role play and drama
- Objects and artefacts
- Fieldwork (including optional residential fieldwork)
- Storytelling
- ICT
The course is taught using a wide range of resources and in partnership with diverse educational settings. Trainees will be prepared to work within the framework of the Key National Strategy, the National Curriculum and history exam specifications; will have opportunities to look at cross-curricular possibilities and will consider the Citizenship curriculum and cross-curricular links and opportunities. There are strong themes of inclusion, multi-cultural histories and teaching for learning running through the course.
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 academic staff, their teaching expertise and research interests.
Assessment
In order to pass the course, trainees are required to pass each of the five course assignments, and the classroom practice against the standards specified by the Secretary of State for the award of QTS. Trainees must also complete the TDA's online QTS skills tests in Numeracy, Literacy and ICT at a registered test centre.
Special Features
Placements
24 weeks are spent on placement: a total of eight weeks in one placement during the autumn term and either 12 weeks in a second placement with a further four weeks in an alternative setting (museum or heritage site, or archive education department or special school or ICT centre), or 16 weeks in a second placement during the spring and summer.
As well as teaching, the programme includes contact time with a Senior Professional Tutor and a Subject Mentor, directed study time and personal study time.
Fieldwork
We think it is important that you work as a close team, that History comes alive for you and the pupils you teach- and so the course has several planned sessions where you get the chance to go 'beyond the classroom'. In the Autumn we have a residential trip to York to consider the use of outdoor heritage sites (Clifford's Tower/the City Walls/the Minster) to think about scaffolding learning in 'the built environment' and in museums, (the Jorvik Centre, the multi-award winning Castle Museum, and the National Railway Museum); as well as occupying young people on 'residential visits' (the Ghost trail and time at the YHA) and risk assessment. We also visit the Empire and Commonwealth Museum and the Bristol City Museum and work with staff there and work with the Holocaust Education team at the Imperial War Museum in London.
During the year we work with local schools on widening participation and enrichment activities - for example supporting Revision Days for Bristol and South Gloucestershire GCSE Students at UWE, running Gifted and talented sessions on 'Hidden Histories' and leading a day at Chepstow Castle with an entire Year 7 from a local school - with some of the trainees in costume and in role!
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.
Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA)
For general information about teaching as a career, including teachers' salaries and the professional standards set out by the TDA in Qualifying to Teach, contact the TDA by calling the teacher information line on +44 (0)845 6000 991 or visit the website www.tda.gov.uk.
For information about the national curriculum and subjects taught in secondary schools, visit the National Curriculum online www.nc.uk.net.
Hear from past UWE students about how studying here has enhanced their career prospects and opened up new opportunities.
Entry
Entry requirements
Applicants should meet the following profile:
- A single honours degree in History (normally 2:1 minimum) - our expectation is that the content will be strongly related to topics taught within English state secondary schools in order to meet our subject knowledge requirements. Exceptional candidates, with other life experience, might have a joint honours degree at 2:2 or better - in recent years 90 per cent of successful candidates have been single honour 2:1 graduates;
- Experience of observing a minimum of 1-2 weeks, or working in at least one and preferably more than one, state secondary school in England or Wales, within the previous 2 years;
- GCSE grade C or above in mathematics and English language. (University tests in mathematics and English language may be available for some applicants);
- Strong subject knowledge of History from 1066 to present;
- A commitment to inclusion; raising achievement and widening participation.
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
For details about fees and the UWE Bursary, please see our fees and funding web pages.
How to apply
Please apply online at: www.gttr.ac.uk.
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011