Content
The History PGCE course is based on a range of practical workshops grounded in classroom experience and a rich body of disciplinary literature and research. We'll look at using texts and images, objects, artefacts, the physical environment, costume and sound. We explore the disciplinary nature of our subject while building practical strategies to engage, stimulate, stretch and challenge. We'll refine our understanding of how evidence, chronology, period, place, and provenance are understood by young people and how the quality of historical understanding, deductive and inferential reasoning and communication shapes quality of historical reasoning, response and criticality.
To develop substantive and conceptual knowledge, and a pedagogic skills repertoire, you'll:
- read about and discuss History as a discipline and as a curriculum component
- engage critically with History and History education research
- consider a range of active learning pedagogies and reflect on didactics
- work collectively and individually, create and critique, reflect and revise, assisted by practitioner derived evidence about History teaching and learning in schools.
You'll study the following modules:
- Curriculum, Pedagogy and Practice (Secondary)
- Becoming a Transformational Teacher (Secondary)
- Professional Practice A (QTS)
- Professional Practice B (QTS).
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we'll inform you.
This award leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The focus for achieving QTS is particularly in the practice modules. UWE Bristol has chosen Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) as our accredited provider for the QTS elements of the course. We work with SHU to provide high-quality courses and share excellent practice. Together, our teacher training will help you shape the future of children and young people.
Learning and Teaching
The PGCE courses are part of a broad range of specialist education provision in the School of Education and Childhood at UWE Bristol.
You'll be supported in school by a mentor, who liaises closely with your UWE Bristol tutor. You'll work with close support and encouragement to develop your understanding and skills, set targets, and evidence your progress. We'll challenge you to evaluate and improve throughout your course, and we'll help you to celebrate your achievements.
The PGCE course is designed so that your experiences on placement are complemented by university-based learning. You'll learn through lectures, seminars, directed tasks, school-based experiences, intensive training and practice opportunities, independent study, online learning and collaboration, subject-specific practical work, assessment tasks, reflection and debate. Research-informed practice underpins the course.
Throughout the course you'll be supported by your tutors, external specialists, and expert colleagues in schools to apply your knowledge and understanding in school to equip you to meet the Teachers' Standards, to teach and assess in Secondary History (11-16).
See our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.
Assessment
Assessment is based on professionally focused assignments and the final block school experience.
To gain the award of PGCE, you need to pass each academic assessment as well as pass classroom practice against the standards specified by the Secretary of State for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Learn more about assessments.