PGCE Secondary English with QTS

Our one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) prepares you to teach the secondary school English curriculum for the 11-16 age range. You’ll learn how to teach both English language and literature, covering subjects such as media, drama, and phonics. You’ll look at a variety of short texts and poetry – perhaps Shelagh Delaney’s play, A Taste of Honey, the poetry of John Agard or prose such as Conan Doyle’s The Sign of the Four – and you’ll focus on how you can turn literature into learning. During the course, you’ll explore ways to teach literature, to develop oracy and spoken language confidence and proficiency. You’ll also learn how to prepare a novel for teaching and the role literary theories might play in our approach to teaching works of literature. And, you’ll typically have language lessons to help you develop your skills in areas such as grammar. You may go on a trip to a local art gallery to reflect on art as a stimulus for writing and have guest lectures from practising English teachers and people working for exam boards. The course is taught by our highly experienced subject experts who have been both practising teachers and are researchers in the field.

Degree You will normally have a minimum of a 2:2 undergraduate honours degree awarded by a UK university, or an equivalent higher education qualification. Your degree needs to support the subject knowledge requirements of the national curriculum for your subject . For exceptional candidates, particularly those with a higher-level degree or substantial relevant work experience in schools or relevant occupations we will consider applications from those who hold a 3rd class degree. GCSE You will also need GCSE at grade C/4 or above in English language and mathematics. You can apply with GCSEs pending for this course and sit the relevant equivalency tests approved by Manchester Met (see our admissions tutor team for approved equivalency providers). As per government requirements for teacher training courses, we are not able to accept key skills, adult numeracy and literacy or functional skills as an alternative to GCSE English language and mathematics. We are not able to consider Level 3 qualifications (eg A-levels, BTECs) as an alternative to GCSE English language and mathematics. Successful candidates will demonstrate a good understanding of teaching and learning within a secondary school setting. You may be able to evidence your understanding by drawing on related examples or experiences, such as time spent in schools, other educational settings or wider research and reading. If you are due to graduate or have graduated within the last three years your principal referee must be a university lecturer from where you graduated.