Secondary History - PGCE

Entry requirements

You must have a good degree (normally a 2:2 or above) in a relevant subject from a UK higher education institution or equivalent.

You must have a GCSE grade 4 (C) or above (or equivalent) in both English language and mathematics prior to enrolment and if you are offered an interview you will take a written test to assess your standard of English.

If you do not already have GCSEs in English language and mathematics, or their equivalent, and are not registered to take them, you should visit Equivalency Testing. We also offer our own in-house equivalency tests. If you are successful at interview and need to pass an equivalency test to meet the entry requirements, our Admissions team will refer you to the details of our test. It should be noted that applicants taking the equivalency tests need to have passed prior to enrolment.

The selection interview will assess your subject knowledge and personal qualities such as the potential to relate well to secondary age students, enthusiasm, sensitivity, communication skills and robustness and resilience for teaching. You will also take a written test to assess your standard of English.

Successful candidates must meet Department for Education requirements for Initial Teacher Training prior to enrolling on this course. This includes obtaining a satisfactory occupational health check and an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, as well as prohibition and children’s barred list checks in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance.

Months of entry

September

Course content

This course will enable you to use your degree level skills in the teaching of history so that the young people you work with can explore and engage with the history and cultures that have helped shaped our present.

We believe that history is a crucial element in the education of all pupils, and will work with you to enable you to become the inspirational secondary school teacher that today’s young people deserve.

Our course provides you with the knowledge and understanding that will enable your current creative skills to grow into exciting and engaging teaching for the classroom. The course is a practice-based programme that will fully support you into becoming a confident, dynamic and creative teacher committed to making history accessible for all. Central to the curriculum is the study of history pedagogy and professional practice, which you will access through a synthesis of practical workshops, lectures, seminar groups and individual study.

Curriculum workshops are a key element of your course. Dedicated, full-time history lecturers and teachers deliver these in our specialist education classrooms and lecture theatres. The workshops enable you to experience and develop your understanding of subject pedagogy through topics such as: History and British values, teaching controversial issues, teaching the Holocaust, using the National Archives as a teaching resource, learning outside of the classroom, use of artefacts inside the classroom, as well as Key Stage 3 National Curriculum topics, GCSE and A Level History topics.

Information for international students

A minimum IELTS score of 7.0 is required with no individual component less than 6.5. Candidates who have undertaken IELTS will also need to successfully pass our GCSE English equivalency test.

Fees and funding