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PGCE Secondary English with QTS (Full-time) (PGCE)

Swansea
1 Year Full-time

The Secondary English PGCE pathway at UWTSD is an exciting and innovative programme, fully committed to preparing student teachers to be highly effective in supporting young people in the development of essential language and communication skills as well as a love of great literature.  

The central aim of the course is to educate confident, reflective and highly competent teachers of English, with a secure knowledge of effective approaches to teaching, based firmly on robust national and international research. It further seeks to develop teaching skills and dispositions conducive to engaging all pupils in their learning and supporting them in improving their skills, knowledge and enthusiasm for English. 

The Athrofa Professional Learning Partnership has secure and well-established links with its partner schools that together will support you in becoming a critically reflective practitioner, committed to establishing a creative and innovative classroom environment that supports, challenges and engages all of our young people.  

Successful applicants will have access to a holistic support network, including Professional, Curriculum and Personal Tutors, as well as school-based mentors, committed to the enhancement of their theoretical, pedagogical and professional practice.  

The course also provides several enhancement opportunities, including teaching in different phases and learning contexts.

* This degree will undergo a revalidation and review in the academic year 2023/24 to ensure the course content is and remains current. Should any changes to course content be made as a result of the review, all applicants will be informed once changes are confirmed.

Course details

Start date:
Study modes:
  • On-campus
  • Full-time
Language:
  • English
  • Welsh
Institution code:
T80
UCAS code:
2X5X
Course length:
1 Year Full-time

Tuition Fees 2023/24 and 24/25
Home (Full-time): £9,000 per year
Overseas (Full-time): £13,500 per year

This programme is subject to revalidation.

Why choose this course?

01
Yr Athrofa is one of a select few teacher education providers to have been accredited by the EWC with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
02
Innovative and dynamic programmes using the latest Sony Vision Exchange technology to support high-quality teaching and learning in a digital age.
03
Study on our new state-of-the-art £300m Swansea Waterfront campus (SA1) and the historic Carmarthen Campus.

What you will learn

The PGCE is a full-time academic and professional programme, broadly comprising university-based provision of approximately 12 weeks, and at least 24 weeks based in school.

Across our suite of ITE programmes, we have a newly accredited and innovative core curriculum which includes:

  • Compulsory modules
  • Research skill development
  • Professional pathway for Qualified Teacher Status
  • Welsh Language Development Pathway
  • Bridging – activities which bring together theory and practice
  • Electives – a school-based experience following a chosen area of interest
  • Alternative setting – an opportunity to experience non-school education settings

As we work in a collaborative partnership, we offer you a wide range of opportunities from a variety of schools, including primary and special schools.

We also offer an opportunity to participate in our well-respected Athrofa Professional Learning Partnership: Aiming for Excellence Conference, write blogposts and benefit from one of our centres of research. 

Disclaimer

  • We listen to student feedback and insights from industry and from professionals to ensure that course content is high-quality and up-to-date, and that it offers the best possible preparation for your future career or study goals. 

    For this reason, there might be modifications to the content of your course over time, to keep up to date with changes in the subject area or in the sector. If a module is no longer running, we’ll make sure to keep you informed, and work with you to choose a different suitable module.

Ratings and Rankings

Staff

Our People

You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for assessments and feedback (NSS 2023) meaning the comments you get back from your work will help you learn. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students us as Top 10 in the UK for Lecturers and Teaching Quality. Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses. 

Accommodation

example of student bedroom

Swansea Accommodation

Swansea has a huge student population, and the variety of accommodation available will leave you feeling spoilt for choice. Various purpose-built student accommodation providers provide accommodation in Swansea, and the accommodation team can guide you through your options. It will offer ongoing support throughout your time as a UWTSD student.

Further information

  • Undergraduate Degree

    Applicants are required to hold a good honours degree (2:2 minimum) in an area related to chosen secondary subject.

    GCSE qualifications

    • Grade C (grade 4 in England) or above in GCSE English Language or Welsh Language or a standard equivalent.
    • Grade C (grade 4 in England) or above in GCSE Mathematics or GCSE Numeracy or a standard equivalent.

    Student teachers studying to teach in Welsh medium schools will also need a GCSE grade C or above in Welsh (First Language).

    A-Levels/Level 3 Vocational Qualifications

    If applicants do not hold an undergraduate degree in a curriculum subject, successful study at appropriate higher levels must be evidenced.

    Work Experience

    You should be aware of the realities of being a teacher and life in a classroom and so we ask for recent and relevant experience in a secondary educational setting. This may be through employment or volunteering in a school and should be for a minimum period of two weeks.

    Gaining experience in a school classroom will help to strengthen your application and better critically inform your personal statement. It will also prepare you for our selection process and give you some experience from which you can draw in your interview.

    Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

    If accepted into our programme, you will be required as soon as possible to obtain a clearance check via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS, formerly known as CRB, Criminal Records Bureau). Please note there is a fee associated with the service and you should ensure also that you opt for the ‘update’ service to maintain the validity of your clearance check.

    For further information please contact PGCE secondary admin: 01792 482111 at TeacherEd@uwtsd.ac.uk

    What we are looking for?

    • A positive view of education as a means to transform lives
    • Motivation towards becoming an excellent teacher
    • An empathetic desire to make a difference to young people’s lives
    • Positive attitudes to social justice, inclusion and equity
    • Ability to work individually and as part of a team
    • Energy, enthusiasm and flexibility
    • Resilience and reliability
    • Professional attitudes and behaviour
    • Willingness to be a life-long learner

    How we select our student teachers?

    • Quality of personal statement
    • Evidence of subject expertise
    • Recent and relevant experience in an educational setting
    • Quality of individual interview
    • Performance in selection tests – e.g. literacy, numeracy and dispositions
  • Your Professional Teaching Experience (PTE) will take place over 24 weeks in school, with two substantive teaching placements. These will be in an APLP network consisting of a Lead school and a number of partnership schools where experienced mentors and university tutors will support you in achieving QTS.

    Each teaching experience is in different settings to give you a range of experiences and the opportunity to engage with a variety of approaches to teaching and learning.

    During your school-based experience, you will be supported to integrate theory and practice so that you can develop the reflective skills needed to become a highly successful teacher.

    You will have a graduated introduction to teaching to give you time to develop your confidence, knowledge of the curriculum and skills of classroom organisation. This will include working with small groups of learners before moving to being responsible for the whole class.

    Seminars hosted in school and delivered by mentors and university staff will give you the opportunity to meet with other students in your network and engage in collaborative discussion. Such shared reflection is a powerful tool in moving your practice forward.

    Our partnership of networks offers urban and rural placements as well as placements available in either English or Welsh-medium schools.

    University provision

    Post-graduate university provision takes place on our new state-of-the-art campus located in the marina quarter in Swansea. Equipped with the latest teaching technology and spacious areas for student study, you will be engaged in creative and innovative sessions that will prepare you for the new curriculum.

    Your time in university focuses on learning high-quality pedagogy that makes a positive impact in the classroom. Working with teacher educators who are experts in their field of education, you will become skilled in understanding how children and young people learn and how they can become ambitious and capable learners.  

    Our teaching philosophy is one of engaging our student teachers in lively debate and active learning that develops your critical thinking and engagement. This will prepare you to be a research-informed and research-active teacher, ready to make a difference to young people’s lives.

    School-based experience

    Your Professional Teaching Experience (PTE) will take place over 24 weeks in school, with two substantive teaching placements. These will be in an APLP network consisting of a Lead school and a number of partnership schools where experienced mentors and university tutors will support you in achieving QTS.

    Each teaching experience is in different settings to give you a range of experiences and the opportunity to engage with a variety of approaches to teaching and learning.

    During your school-based experience, you will be supported to integrate theory and practice so that you can develop the reflective skills needed to become a highly successful teacher.

    You will have a graduated introduction to teaching to give you time to develop your confidence, knowledge of the curriculum and skills of classroom organisation. This will include working with small groups of learners before moving to being responsible for the whole class.

    Seminars hosted in school and delivered by mentors and university staff will give you the opportunity to meet with other students in your network and engage in collaborative discussion. Such shared reflection is a powerful tool in moving your practice forward.

    Our partnership of networks offers urban and rural placements as well as placements available in either English or Welsh-medium schools.

  • The programme offers 60 credits at Masters level and 60 credits at Graduate Level. These are awarded on successful completion of module assessments which include:

    • Case studies
    • Portfolios
    • Video presentation
    • Research Project

    All assessments are closely linked to practice and are designed to offer you the opportunity to develop teaching and learning that has a positive impact on children and young people.

  • Additional Costs

    Our students have access to a diverse range of equipment and resources, which in most cases are sufficient to complete their programme of study. However, it is likely that students will incur some unavoidable additional costs over and above the cost of their university tuition. These are as follows:

    Mandatory Costs:

    • Travel to placement schools and University
    • Travel to off-site specialist provision (including schools and other training providers)
    • Travel to schools for ‘Bridging Days’ and other whole-cohort initiatives as per calendar
    • Use of a laptop (MS Office is free to students)
    • Art students - trips to London galleries and National Museum of Wales. A3 spiral-bound sketchbook, A1 portfolio

     Necessarily Incurred: 

    • Travel to participate in subject enhancement activities organised by Subject Tutor
    • Teaching resources, for example, A Level/ GCSE text books
    • Travel to Electives placements

    Optional:

    • Printing costs
    • Optional study trips
  • You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available, please visit our Bursaries and Scholarships section.

  • Yr Athrofa has excellent graduate employment rates with 99% of graduates going into employment or further study.

    Many schools and college departments, both locally and nationally, are staffed with several of our teachers and many have gone on to forge successful teaching careers at strategic, professional and management levels at home and abroad.

    Our PGCE graduates usually remain in close touch with Yr Athrofa as they make their careers in the teaching profession and they often become subject mentors on the programme.  This creates a very strong, sustainable professional network of teachers, which is a rich source of continuing professional development.

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