Secondary English PGCE
- Level(s) of Study: Postgraduate taught
- Start Date(s): September 2024
- Duration: One year full-time
- Study Mode(s): Full-time
- Campus: Clifton Campus
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Entry Requirements:
More information
Introduction:
Secondary teaching at Nottingham Trent University (NTU)
This teaching degree provides graduates with the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to teach English at secondary level. Time is spent in the University and in classroom placements, ensuring that by the end of the course, trainees are confident professionals ready to begin teaching in secondary schools.
The award is offered at two levels. Both are recognised teaching qualifications, but the postgraduate award will allow fast-track entry to Masters courses:
- Professional Graduate Certificate in Education
- Postgraduate Certificate in Education.
The choice of which qualification to take will be made while on the course. Successful completion of which will lead to a recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
The course aims to develop an understanding of the specialist subject in the context of the National Curriculum, the principles involved in the teaching and learning of the subject across the full age and ability range and the professional values and practice, subject knowledge and understanding commensurate with the particular subject specialism. This includes how children learn and how they develop cognitively, socially and physically and the understanding, skills and personal qualities necessary for managing the learning environment.
All trainees undertake a module concerned with the wider context of schools and education. This develops the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for your first teaching post in a secondary school. It also builds a foundation for further professional development. Elements of this module include both whole cohort keynote lectures and seminars, many of which are led by mixed groups of trainees supported by tutors. This allows you to meet the Teachers' Standards by making secure connections between issues in school and your own professional practice.
What you’ll study
The course provides an understanding of English, for age phases 11-16 or 11-18, in relation to the National Curriculum and other frameworks. This includes seminars and workshops on:
- learning theory
- developing reading
- writing
- speaking and listening skills
- poetry and fiction
- promoting literary and non-literary reading and writing.
Students engage with:
- language
- media studies
- drama
- ICT
- lesson planning
- schemes of work assessment
- special educational needs.
You will gain an appreciation of models of English teaching, classroom management, a range of teaching and learning strategies, assessment in English and the 14-19 curriculum.
This secondary English teaching degree is based around four modules which are core to all trainees. Despite this the course is designed to be flexible, allowing you to undertake some credit-bearing modules at either level 6 or masters level, allowing you a significant amount of choice in identifying the focus of your study within modules in order to meet your own development needs and appropriate to the context of your professional practice placements.
Trainees on the courses will complete 120 credit-points full-time over a school academic year. This spreads their total study hours over a longer period that that of a university academic year. Additionally, the professional focus of the courses will mean that much learning will take place in schools.
The curriculum has been organised so that you will gain substantial support for the study of all modules at the start of the course through front-loaded University-based sessions, before your placements begin. The Learning and Teaching in the Subject module will largely be completed in this period, meaning that you will have clarity about academic expectations and your tutors will have an insight into required support. The other modules will be completed at different stages during the year to ensure both reasonable workload and to allow for the progressive impact of the Learning and Teaching in the Subject and Learning and Teaching in the Wider Context modules (underpinned by the Skills of Enquiry module which is assessed across these two modules) on the Secondary Education Independent Study and Secondary Professional Practice modules which run right until the end of the courses.
Learning to be a teacher (60 credits)
This module aims to equip you with an understanding and experience of planning, setting high expectations and appropriate targets; monitoring and assessment; and teaching and behaviour management. It encourages critical reflection through personal development and evaluating professional and research-based resources, in order to develop your approach to teaching and learning.
Learning to teach (20 credits)
This module will help you become a teacher who exercises responsibility: for your pupils as individuals and as members of groups within and beyond the school community. It also promotes productive interaction, with professional colleagues including teaching and support staff in school, staff from external agencies, and with other adults, including parents and carers.
Learning to teach a subject 1 & 2 (2 x 20 credits)
Through these two related modules you will develop your understanding of the key concepts relating to education in your subject. You will reflect upon recent educational research and develop an understanding of what might be considered ‘best practice’ in schools. Each module encourages you to develop professional identity as a critically reflective teacher, able to interrogate professional practices and values. All four modules lay the foundation for your entry into the profession as an active contributor to the knowledge base of teaching and learning, enabling you to take responsibility for your continuing professional development.
Further information on what you'll study
Professional accreditation
We are accredited by the UK Government's Department for Education as a provider of initial teacher-training courses. Successful completion of the course leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), enabling you to commence a career in teaching as an Early Career Teacher (ECT).
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
How you’re taught
Assessment
University-based modules: Learning and Teaching in the Subject, and Learning and Teaching in the Wider Context, are assessed at the end of the modules with reflection against the Teachers' Standards. You will also conduct a piece of research-based, professional enquiry within the classroom, which is assessed by a formal written report and presentation of findings. A separate, formal assessment also takes place in practical teaching.
Placements
School or college experience is central to the PGCE degree and at least 24 weeks are spent on placement in at least two different secondary schools or colleges. During the first phase, two days of school or college experience each week for three weeks are spent in school leading up to a six-week block placement. Trainee teachers are gradually given more responsibility and increase their contribution in both the classroom and to the corporate life of the school.
The second phase begins with a two day, weekly attachment for the first three weeks of the spring term, leading up to the final assessed 13-week block placement. In both placements the training programme is planned by mentors to allow progressive acquisition of the skills, knowledge and understanding students need to be recommended for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Students are formally observed on a regular basis by their subject mentor as well as receiving a number of visits from the University, to monitor their progress, support their development and undertake their assessment.
Careers and employability
The vocational nature of the PGCE Secondary and the fact that successful completion of the course leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) means that graduates are ideally placed to pursue a career as a teacher in a secondary school or college.
Links with industry
We involve industry experts in our courses in a number of ways:
- We consult with employers when we design and update our courses.
- We ensure you are prepared to meet the demands of the workplace by continually checking the currency and validity of our courses with employers.
- You will have the opportunity to have a work placement (if not already in paid or voluntary employment).
- Employers may input directly into your course through guest lectures, projects, and other work-related activities.
Campus and facilities
Entry requirements
What are we looking for?
You will need:
- A UK honours degree or equivalent with a 2:2 - at least 50% of which is in the subject you wish to teach or in a closely related subject.
- GCSE English and Mathematics at minimum grade C or equivalent, We accept the GCSE equivalency taken via equivalencytesting.com or astarequivalency.co.uk. Applicants with pending qualifications will be considered.
- an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check, and any other safeguarding checks that may be necessary
- Two references - one academic and one vocational.
It may strengthen your application to have had some experience in a classroom in a UK mainstream school, setting or college, although this is not an entry requirement. If you do wish to gain some experience prior to your application, you can find out more about how to arrange this online.
In exceptional circumstances applicants may be considered who do not have a strong degree match, but who have other relevant qualifications, including an A-level in the subject and extensive professional experience. We do not accept Ordinary degrees. The key consideration is if you are able to demonstrate knowledge of the subject that is commensurate with graduate level understanding.
There is no longer a requirement to complete Department for Education Professional Skills Tests.
After interview, strong candidates who are not able to demonstrate graduate level subject knowledge may be offered a place on the course, dependent on successfully completing a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course in that subject prior to commencing their teacher training year.
If necessary, you can take a relevant GCSE as a private candidate.
NTU may admit a student with advanced standing beyond the beginning of a course, through an assessment of that student's prior learning, whether it is certificated or uncertificated. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available to these prospective students, such as recognising experiential learning or transferring to a similar course at another institution, otherwise known as credit transfer.
All prospective students who wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning should initially contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.
What are we looking for?
You will need:
- A UK honours degree or equivalent with a 2:2 - at least 50% of which is in the subject you wish to teach or in a closely related subject.
- GCSE English and Mathematics at minimum grade C or equivalent, We accept the GCSE equivalency taken via equivalencytesting.com or astarequivalency.co.uk. Applicants with pending qualifications will be considered.
- an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check, and any other safeguarding checks that may be necessary
- Two references - one academic and one vocational.
It may strengthen your application to have had some experience in a classroom in a UK mainstream school, setting or college, although this is not an entry requirement. If you do wish to gain some experience prior to your application, you can find out more about how to arrange this online.
There is no longer a requirement to complete Department for Education Professional Skills Tests.
International qualifications
We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:
Postgraduate preparation courses (Pre-Masters)
If you don’t yet meet our entry requirements, we offer Pre-Masters courses through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC), based on our City Campus:
English language entry requirements
You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
Fees and funding
For guidance, course fees for 2023 are:
| Course | Home (UK students) |
|---|---|
| PGCE Secondary English | £9,250 |
Home students can apply for a student loan for tuition and maintenance fees. In addition students may be eligible for maintenance or special support grants.
Alumni Discount
If you've graduated from NTU in the last 5 years, then you may be eligible for a 20% discount on postgraduate courses. As long as you've met the conditions and accepted your offer, the discount is automatically applied at enrolment.
All correspondence prior to this will show the full course fees. Please contact ntu.scholarships@ntu.ac.uk if you have any additional questions or queries. You can view the terms and conditions here.
For guidance, course fees for 2023 are:
| Course | International/ EU students |
|---|---|
| PGCE Secondary English | £16,800 |
Tuition fees are payable for each year that you are at the University. The level of tuition fees for the second and subsequent years of your postgraduate course may increase in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government.
Scholarships
We offer scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for your scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.
Living costs
Get advice on the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget:
Paying fees
Find out about advanced payments, instalment plan options and how to make payments securely to the University:
Would you like some advice on your study plans?
Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.
- Complete this simple form to keep in touch with the International Office.
Alumni Discount
If you've graduated from NTU in the last 5 years, then you may be eligible for a 20% discount on postgraduate courses. As long as you've met the conditions and accepted your offer, the discount is automatically applied at enrolment.
All correspondence prior to this will show the full course fees. Please contact ntu.scholarships@ntu.ac.uk if you have any additional questions or queries. You can view the terms and conditions here.
How to apply
Applications to this course are made through the Department for Education. Click Apply Now at the top of the page to be redirected.
Please read our notes on the University's commitment to delivering the educational services advertised.
Applications to this course are made through the Department for Education. Click Apply Now at the top of the page to be redirected.
Please read our notes on the University's commitment to delivering the educational services advertised.