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PGCE Postgraduate Certificate in Education for Independent Schools

  • DeadlineStudy Details:

    PGCE 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time (in schools)

Course Description

The Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is a teacher training course tailored for trainee teachers, teaching assistants and learning support assistants, who are employed in independent schools (junior, preparatory and senior) in the UK, and wish to have the opportunity to train on the job.

The course aims to develop teachers who are confident, inspiring and highly effective in transferring knowledge and skills to their pupils. In doing so, the course aims to:

  • Enable you to explore wider perspectives in education and have the opportunity to deepen your understanding of codes of practice and contemporary issues affecting schools.
  • Equip you with the skills to reflect on your personal and professional development and respond positively to feedback through critical analysis of your practice.
  • Support you to develop an inquiry-led approach to research of your own practice and reflect on strategies for effective teaching and learning.
  • Foster a culture of independent learning and self-awareness so you can take responsibility for your own professional development while understanding your strengths, weaknesses and how to progress your own teaching.

Entry Requirements

Prior experience in teaching or in schools is not a pre-requisite of acceptance onto the course. Trainees can include recent graduates who have secured a teaching or teaching assistant job in a school, career changers and teachers/assistants who have worked in a school for a time but have no formal teaching qualification.

To gain entry to the course, all trainees must: 

  • Hold an undergraduate degree or equivalent as assessed by NARIC
  • Be employed in a school for the duration of your study.

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Fees

For fees and funding options, please visit website to find out more

Programme Funding

Funding opportunities including scholarships available

Student Destinations

The course is designed for teachers, teaching assistants or learning support assistants, who are employed in independent schools in the UK but have not undergone any formal teacher training. The course aims to prepare trainee teachers for the ongoing changes and demands in schools, as well as the need for continuous professional development in teaching, upon successful completion.

While this course does not provide Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) – the recognised award to teach in state-maintained schools in England – the course has been designed to sit alongside the national Teachers’ Standards in England and national guidelines for Initial Teacher Training (ITT), so may significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to gain QTS at a later stage.

Successful completion of the course will result in 60 Level 7 credits that may be transferred as prior learning credits for future study at master’s degree level.

Module Details

  • Behaviour and Classroom Management
  • Curriculum Delivery and Assessment
  • Development of the Teachers’ Standards
  • Practical Teaching Practice

The PGCE course is school-based, which means that you will study while in employment in a school as a trainee teacher, teaching assistant or learning assistant, under the supervision of an in-school mentor and university tutor. It combines the flexibility of online learning with practical in-school experience, which aims to provide you with relevant study to complement your work in-school. You can choose to study solely online but also have the opportunity to attend up to six days of face-to-face sessions at the university.

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