PGCE
Our programme leads to a Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE), the gold standard of teacher training.
Two Masters level assignments are interwoven through our programme to secure the PGCE which is delivered by Sheffield Hallam University in local training spaces or via online learning platforms. You will not be required to travel to Sheffield. Excellent online support is offered by university tutors.
PGCE Assignments
For the PGCE element of the course you submit two assignments, each worth 30 credits at Master's degree level.
Exploring Professional Development
For your ‘Exploring Professional Development’ assignment, you initiate a Collaborative Professional Development project with one or more colleagues in your school. You identify a form of intervention or teaching approach as the focus of your inquiry and collaboratively plan, implement and review one or more research lessons with the focus on the learners and learning, not on the teacher and teaching.
The submitted assignment has two strands:
• a pedagogic focus on the issue or aspect of teaching and learning that you addressed in your research lesson(s) and on the development of pedagogic practice in your setting.
• a focus on the processes involved in professional collaborative development activities and their effectiveness in developing professional practice in your setting.
You identify your pedagogical focus through an initial 500-word proposal which includes a rationale for your choice of focus and how you intend to collaborate in your placement to develop the project.
This will be followed by a 5,000-word structured report in which you address a series of prompt questions, looking at your rationale for the project, how the research has influenced your thinking and the wider implications for your age phase or subject.
Reflecting on Pedagogical Approaches
The ‘Reflecting on Pedagogical Approaches’ assignment will focus on the way you use a specific aspect of pedagogy to support learning.
You will be asked to complete one initial 500-word formative piece, linked to Part 1 of the assignment and based on initial readings and guidance from your mentor. The formative piece will allow you to receive specific feedback to support your writing of the assignment. This will be followed by an essay in three parts, detailed below.
Introductory literature review of your chosen focus, including elements of scholarly articles or similar materials. (1500 words)
Reflective analysis of your pedagogical approach based on interactions with pupils/children in your placement setting and the impact on learning. (1500- 2000 words)
A summary of what you have learned which draws together part 1 and part 2 with reference to the Teachers' Standards. (1500 – 2000 words)