Secondary (School Centred) PGCE

We are committed to providing the highest quality education and training for our student teachers. Spending most of your time learning at your placement school, you will develop both a strong subject knowledge and your wider professional identity.

This will prepare you to become an outstanding and employable Secondary School teacher upon graduation with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Course overview

We are proud that York St John University's heritage is anchored in teacher training and education, having being established in 1841 as a teacher training college. We have a strong record of contributing to our local and national teaching community.

Primarily based at your placement school, you will build your professional experience working in a school environment. You will have opportunities to engage with issues related to both your subject and education more broadly.

We ensure that the training you receive is underpinned by knowledge and understanding of educational theory and current local, national and international research. Combining both theory and practice means that you will become an informed, reflective and critical teacher.

You will develop knowledge, understanding and skills in:

• Planning, teaching and assessment of learning for pupils in the 11-16 age range

• Managing and organising teaching and learning to promote inclusion for pupils from various backgrounds and with a range of individual needs

• Ensuring pupils are safe and healthy

• Promoting good progress in learning for all pupils

• Appropriate subject knowledge to support teaching and learning

• Using existing research and conducting your own research in schools

Course structure

How you will study

This is a full time course and will take 1 year to complete.

You will study:

5 compulsory modules, including 3 school experience modules

On this School Direct course, you will be linked to a base school and experience at least one other school throughout the course. School experience at one of our partnership schools will form the majority of your course.

The first school experience placement is in the autumn term at your base school. The second placement is in the spring term and will be at a different school. Your third and final school experience module takes place in the summer term back at your base school.

You will have close links to the university throughout the course, with link tutor visits to make sure the placements are going well.

Modules

Learning and Teaching in Subject Studies

On this module you will focus on building the specialist knowledge needed to teach in your chosen subject area. You will develop your confidence in your subject knowledge and build the essential pedagogical skills relevant to the secondary school age range.

Alongside this you will also consider your chosen subject area from a historical perspective, and build your awareness of curriculum developments.

The Developing Professional (secondary)

On this module you will explore professional issues in relation to education within secondary school settings. You will develop an understanding of schools as organisations within the context of local and national policy. We will support you as you build your professional ability, and autonomy, in a secondary school setting.

School Experience (Secondary)

The PGCE School Direct is a school-based course. It is made up of 3 school placements. You will be based in one school for the majority of the time, with a shorter second school placement. Each placement must be successfully passed in order to proceed to the next.