PGCE - Further Education

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

• Honours degree normally (2:2) or higher from a United Kingdom higher education institution or equivalent qualification, in a relevant subject area. Applicants with a 3rd class degree will be considered on an individual basis.
• All entrants have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 (formerly grade C) in the GCSE examinations in English Language or English Literature and Mathematics (applicants must have these qualifications by the start of the course). Alternatively, we offer an equivalency test if you don’t have the required GCSE grade to apply for our courses. Trainees who begin courses before providing evidence of the required GCSE standard (or equivalent) will not be eligible for financial incentives, such as bursaries or grants until they achieve the required standard.

Additional requirements

• An Enhanced DBS check. You will be sent details of how to apply for your DBS in the summer term. You will need to pay for this.
• A check against the Prohibition List.
• If you have lived, studied or worked overseas for three months or more in the last five years a Certificate of Good Conduct from the country of residence will be required.
• An online occupational health check. All those on a teacher training programme must be certified as meeting national requirements for physical and mental fitness to teach, as set by the Department for Education.

Please see the University website for more details.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The PGCE in Further Education at Worcester is a teaching qualification. It provides access to excellent learning and training opportunities across the FE sector: further education colleges, work-based learning and adult and community settings.

The course is suitable for graduates who want to train to teach in the post 14 sector which is celebrated for the diversity of its learners, learning locations and subjects on offer.

Trainees who complete the course will be eligible to apply for QTLS (Qualified Teacher Training and Skills) with the Society for Education and Training. This is an additional qualification that is undertaken after the PGCE. It is equivalent to QTS and is suitable for those who may consider teaching post-14 learners in the schools sector. Please note that to apply for QTLS through SET (Society for Education and Training) you would need a recognised Level 3 or above qualification in the subject area you are teaching.

The course is designed to provide generic core content on teaching, learning and assessment. This is complemented by subject specialism training and development days which are delivered in smaller subject groups.

Collaborative working features across all aspects of course teaching and teaching practice; this approach is key to making the course successful, stimulating and enjoyable.

Key Features

• Teaching placements in relevant settings to support effective subject specialism development
• Focus on current National Occupational Standard Teacher Learning and Skills throughout the programme
• Possible progression route to Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) - equivalent to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Please note that to apply for QTLS through SET (Society for Education and Training) you would need a recognised Level 3 or above qualification in the subject area you are teaching
• Highly skilled and experienced tutors
• A cohesive programme that successfully links theory and practice through carefully chosen teaching, learning and assessment activities
• Collaborative, research-informed learning tasks
• The course offers the following subject specialisms: Sports PE and related subjects; Special Educational Needs and Disabilities; Art and Design; English and ESOL; Performing Arts and Health and Social Care

Teaching

The PGCE in Further Education Programme enables you to become a research-informed, reflective and professionally confident practitioner. The course is designed to support trainees of varying experiences, needs and backgrounds. Teaching brings together the different strands of collaborative learning with peers, mentors and university tutors to support learning and development in professional studies and subject specialist contexts.

You are supported to reflect on your learning within theoretical frameworks and develop assignments and an electronic portfolio of evidence for assessment. This model enables you to effectively acquire the knowledge and skills needed to teach within your subject specialism and meet the National Occupational Standard Teacher Learning and Skills.

Approaches to learning are reflective, experiential and participatory. They include teaching and tutorial sessions, work-based learning including mentoring and observation.

The majority of teaching sessions will be face to face. 6 days will be dedicated as multimodal learning or synchronous online learning. Typically contact hours for the centre-based training will be structured around:

• Interactive small group seminars on campus
• Practical skills sessions on campus
• Scheduled online lecture/discussions.

In addition, you will be expected to engage in tutorials, online research, completing learning activities and accessing learning materials each week. This includes independent study preparing for assessments.

Meetings with Personal Academic Tutors (subject tutors) are scheduled usually once every month. Tutors also visit you in your settings to quality assure the process and offer tutorial support.

Careers

Career planning is a key focus of the course and is supported through tutorial activity, individual career planning, networking events and generic career sessions.

Course qualifications provide opportunities to gain teaching employment in a wide variety of settings, depending on your teaching subject and level. Additionally, you will be able to apply for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status through the Education and Training Foundation’s Society for Education and Training. Please note that to apply for QTLS through SET (Society for Education and Training) you would need a recognised Level 3 or above qualification in the subject area you are teaching.

You will be able to progress to further Level 7 qualifications depending on your aspirations.

Information for international students

IELTS 6.5 or equivalent