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Secondary English (QTS) PGCE

Start date

  • Level(s) of Study: Postgraduate taught
  • Start Date(s): September 2024
  • Duration: One year full-time
  • Study Mode(s): Full-time
  • Campus: Clifton Campus
  • Entry Requirements:
    More information
Information for 2024/25

Introduction:

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.

Course 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 recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), enabling you to commence a career in teaching as an Early Career Teacher (ECT) and then to complete your induction period.

  • DfE logo

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.

Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves

Student Profiles

Kay Power

Secondary English (QTS)

The camaraderie on the course with my fellow trainees was a highlight. We truly supported each other every week.

Tom Clarke

I have benefited from NTU's links with schools by having two contrasting placements.

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 third class UK honours degree or equivalent
  • GCSE English and Mathematics at minimum grade C / 4  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, if you accept an offer
  • two references.

Other requirements

  • Strong applicants are invited to an assessment centre, which incorporates a number of tasks and an interview. Candidates who are not able to demonstrate graduate level subject knowledge may be offered a place on the course nevertheless, dependent upon successful completion of a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course in that subject prior to commencing their teacher training year.
  • 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 explore a number of options. Existing students at Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham can access our Students in Classroom service. You can use your contacts through family or friends, or contact schools directly to ask for work experience or you can access the DfE’s School Experience service.

Other qualifications and experience

  • Applications will be considered from individuals who do not have a strong degree match to their chosen curriculum subject. We will take into account your other relevant qualifications, including your A-levels or equivalent qualifications, and any relevant professional experience. Our key consideration is whether you are able to demonstrate knowledge of the subject that is commensurate with graduate level understanding.
  • If necessary, you can take a relevant GCSE as a private candidate.

Getting in touch

If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form

What are we looking for?

You will need:

  • a third class UK honours degree or equivalent
  • GCSE English and Mathematics at minimum grade C / 4  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, if you accept an offer
  • two references.

Other requirements

  • Strong applicants are invited to an assessment centre, which incorporates a number of tasks (including an English assessment) and an interview. Candidates who are not able to demonstrate graduate level subject knowledge may be offered a place on the course nevertheless, dependent upon successful completion of a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course in that subject prior to commencing their teacher training year.
  • 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 explore a number of options. Existing students at Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham can access our Students in Classrooms service. You can use your contacts through family or friends, or contact schools directly to ask for work experience or you can access the DfE’s School Experience service.

International qualifications

We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:

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.

Fees and funding

2024 course fees

Course Home (UK students)
PGCE Secondary English £9,250  

*Please note that if you are considering a course that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for the first year of study. The course fee for the second year may be subject to annual review.

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.

Bursaries

In order to support recruitment to teaching, the Department for Education are offering significant bursaries which students may be eligible for to help fund their studies.

Your eligibility for financial support, and the amount you can expect to receive, will depend on the subject in which you train and your degree classification, or highest relevant academic qualification.

2024 course fees

Course International/ EU students
PGCE Secondary English £17,500

*Please note that if you are considering a course that runs over more than one year, the tuition fee stated is for the first year of study. The course fee for the second year may be subject to annual review.

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.

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.