PGCE Secondary (School Direct) with Qualified Teacher Status
Why choose this course?
- We received ‘Outstanding’ results from the most recent Ofsted reports and were in the top ten for primary education teacher training in the prestigious Good Teacher Training Guide 2011. So you can ensure you'll receive an excellent teaching experience.
- At the end of the course you will receive 60 credits towards a masters degree, such as our MA Education.
- We're one of the major providers in the East Midlands for Initial Teacher Education with opportunities to extend and develop your role as a teacher in today's society.
- You'll be taught by a team of university and school based tutors who have a strong national and international reputation for the quality of their training and research.
Fact file
Start date: September
Course length: Full time: one year (with the possibility of study up to three years for those holding a 'flexible' place). Our Flexible Route allows students to complete approximately half their modules in Year 1 and half in Year 2, with one assessed placement in each year. For at least 12 weeks in each year (during induction and school placements) 'flexible' students are required to attend full time. During the remainder of the years, standard university weeks will demand the equivalent of 2 days attendance. Applicants are not required to express interest in our Flexible Route until and unless they are invited to interview. You will complete a training plan, which outlines the length and content of your programme (in most cases this will cover the full range of modules). If you take the flexible route, you will be able to tailor your programme within the opportunities offered at the University.
Campus: Mainly based in local schools with some study at the University's Kedleston Road site.
Faculty: Education, Health and Science
School: School of Education
About this course
You're on the threshold of making one of the most exciting decisions of your life - to teach! This course will give you a PGCE, Qualified Teacher Status and 60 credits at masters level. You will be mainly based in one of our partner school alliances. This means that you will be very well prepared for the practical demands of teaching, including the teaching of your chosen subject. You will have the opportunity to develop your experience of teaching children from a wide range of backgrounds including the opportunity to gain experience in a special school. You will have the opportunity to enhance your subject specialism and study of school-related issues at masters level.
School experience is a key element of the PGCE course and we work closely with our partnership schools in the East Midlands to provide you with effective and practical experience. You'll spend most of your time in schools where you'll be supported by our outstanding trained school mentors and link tutors.
Our course aims to be intellectually challenging whilst fully preparing you for the practical demands of teaching. It takes full account of current national developments in education.
What you will cover
You can study over one year or choose the flexible route which will take between two and three years. If you choose the flexible route, we will develop a personalised training plan for you. You'll take half the modules in one year and the other half the next, with one teaching block per year.
The following is an indication of the modules you will cover over the year:
Semester 1
- An Introduction to Reflective Teaching
- Effective Subject Learning and Teaching
- Developing Learning and Teaching in School
- Understanding the child as a Learner
Semester 2
- Specialist Subject Enhancement
- Understanding the School as a Learning Community
- Reflective Practice in Action
Entry requirements
You will need an undergraduate honours degree (preferably 2:1) or an equivalent qualification where at least 50% will need to be in the subject you would like to teach. You will also need GCSE grade C or above in English Language and Maths, plus several week of recent experience in UK secondary schools. You will need to have successfully completed the National College for Teaching and Leadership’s skills tests in literacy and numeracy.
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is required at the point of accepting a place at the University. The Disclosure and Barring Service was established when the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) merged in 2012 and will now provide the criminal records checking service for this programme.
How to apply
You will need to apply to schools through the National College for Teaching and Leadership's School Direct application system.
Fees and finance
This is a premium course.
UK/EU students
- Full time: £9,000 (each year)
For September 2013, DfE (Department for Education) bursaries are to be re-introduced for all Primary PGCE programmes. Successful applicants with First class honours degrees will qualify for £9,000 whilst those with a 2.1 degree classification will be entitled to £4,000.
*These fees apply if you're starting this course between September 2013 and August 2014. We recommend you check fee details with us though, as they can change. Costs can increase each year.
How you will learn
You will spend most of your time learning how to teach in schools linked to our network of partner teaching schools. You will also spend time here at the University working in our excellent facilities with University and school-based tutors in order to develop your growing understanding of what it takes to become a great teacher.
How you're assessed
All assessments relate to your school placements; you will complete two assessed teaching placements and additional enhanced school opportunities, which will provide you with the challenging and exciting experience you need. There will be in-depth project-based reports on school based issues. You will also have the opportunity to reflect and discuss your developing knowledge of teaching your subject.
Careers and employability
Upon completing this course you'll have gained Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). By choosing teaching as a career, you will have chosen an important and satisfying profession. When you have completed this course you will have gained 60 credits at masters level, which means you can fast track to stage two of a masters degree, quickly progressing your professional development.
What our students say
Jo Stringer, graduate
“I needed a new challenge, this course certainly provides that. It is hard work but ultimately, very rewarding.”