Language is at the heart of everything we do. It sustains thought; it provides clarity of instruction and develops community. As an excellent written and verbal communicator, this is your chance to strengthen young people's English skills through writing, reading, and spoken language. Whether chairing a lively debate or navigating a class through a complex Shakespeare extract, or developing transactional writing for a real audience, you'll become an inspiring influence for all pupils.
On the English PGCE course, we are passionate about language and literature in all its forms. We will equip you with the skills and experience necessary to both educate and inspire secondary English pupils. Through interactive workshops, tutorials, seminars and lectures, this one-year full-time course enables you to meet and exceed the national standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status. We are passionate about training teachers who see English as central to pupils' education.
During your studies, you will undertake teaching placements in at least two complementary secondary schools, acquiring a range of diverse skills in English pedagogy. We have excellent relationships with schools in and outside London and through this highly personalised programme, schools are carefully selected to suit each individual. Key experts from our partner schools are on hand to offer invaluable mentoring and support. We are proud of the comprehensive support we offer our English trainees in every aspect of the course.
The programme provides an understanding of English across all key stages. This includes an in-depth coverage of:
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You will critically evaluate the effectiveness of a wide range of resources and your own lesson plans. You will analyse research data and critically evaluate how research has contributed to the knowledge and understanding of how to teach English effectively.
We’ve made sure that the skills and knowledge that you’ll gain on your course will not change during the coronavirus outbreak. Your module information is below.
This module aims to introduce the professional secondary school environment. You will demonstrate your progress in developing your understanding and skills necessary to operate as an effective English teacher in a secondary school. As such, it supports you to progress towards the achievement of current requirements for the award of Qualified Teacher Status.
This module aims to consolidate your professional practice in a second secondary school environment. It aims to ensure you can demonstrate the understanding and skills necessary to operate as an effective English teacher in a secondary school. As such, it supports you in the achievement of statutory requirements for the award of Qualified Teacher Status.
This module aims to develop your understanding and skills necessary to operate as a critically reflective English teacher in a secondary school. You will be assessed by undertaking a small scale research assignment that compares theoretical perspectives in education with the reality found in school.
This module builds on the learning and skills developed in the Professional Knowledge and Pedagogy and the Secondary Professional Development 1 modules and aims to deepen your understanding and skills necessary to operate as a critically reflective English teacher in a secondary school setting. You are summatively assessed through a Monitoring and Assessment assignment. Here you design, resource, teach and evaluate a scheme of work that reflects best practice in English education and assessment.
More information about this course
See the course specification for more information:
Optional modules are usually available at levels 5 and 6, although optional modules are not offered on every course. Where optional modules are available, you will be asked to make your choice during the previous academic year. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.
The programme is designed to provide 120 days in schools with two school experiences (Secondary Professional Development 1 and Secondary Professional Development 2). Each placement provides a sustained teaching experience over the complete teaching week.
The remaining 60 days of the programme is university based, where lectures, seminars and practical workshops in a blended learning environment. The course will comprise of a range of presentations, discussions and practical workshops where exemplar material can be selected from a specialized subject context.
The two school experiences are assessed against the professional requirements under the Teachers’ Standards:
If you’re starting university in 2020, we’ll be teaching you in different ways to make sure you get the best learning experience possible. You’ll learn through live sessions with teaching staff and have the chance to study independently too, with access to all the online resources you need through our globally available student portal.
We’re planning different scenarios for teaching so that we can be flexible. While we’re social distancing, we’re aiming to teach you through some practically focussed sessions on campus, with the majority of your theoretical teaching and larger lectures delivered online. If you’re unable to make it to campus at first, or we need to limit access to campus in the future, your course can be delivered fully online.
Please note that attending classes on campus and placements are compulsory parts of the course, so if you are unable to attend due personal circumstances, please get in touch with us so we can work with you to resolve your situation.
You’ll receive final arrangements for your teaching and a full course timetable before you start.
Read more about our scenarios for returning to campus and what they might mean for your teaching and learning experience, and how you’ll be able to access student support.
Support
You’ll have a strong support network available to you to make sure you develop all the necessary academic skills you need to do well on your course.
Our support services will mainly be delivered online and you’ll have access to a range of different resources so you can get the help you need, whether you’re studying at home or have the opportunity to come to campus.
You’ll have access to one to one and group sessions for personal learning and academic support from our library and IT teams, and our network of learning experts. Our teams will also be here to offer financial advice, and personal wellbeing, mental health and disability support.
Read our guide to what’s been happening in your subject area recently and more about what to expect this autumn.
Graduates will look to move into a position as a Newly Qualified Teacher in a secondary school setting. Our course gives you Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Teaching is a profession with excellent progression and benefits and our graduates have an excellent reputation within the profession.
Our employment rates are extremely high with around 97% of our PGCE graduates in employment or further study six months after graduation. The starting salary of a qualified teacher in inner London is £30,480.
As a former Professional Coordinating mentor at a London school, Gareth is very familiar with training programmes and the needs of both schools and trainees.
Alexandra is a Senior Lecturer and her other responsibilities also include oversight of students registered with the dyslexia and disabilities unit at Middlesex University.
We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.
Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.
Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.
At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.
Start: September 2021
Duration: 1 year full-time
Code: Drama with English: 2N9G, English and Drama: X14E
