Completion of this qualification will enable successful students to apply for the professional status of Qualified Teacher, Learning and Skills (QTLS), with the Society for Education and Training.
What can this course lead to?
Who is it for?
The Level 5 Certificate in Education (CertEd) and the Level 6 Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) offer education, training, and development to those who are practising teachers in the education, training, and skills sector, such as further education colleges, private sector training providers, and offender education.These qualifications provide a route into teaching in the training and skills sector for both non-graduates and graduates, leading to a robust teaching qualification that is recognised in the sector. The programme develops participants’ knowledge and understanding of the theory and practice of teaching, learning, and assessment, as well as teachers’ wider professional engagement in the sector.The programme offers a challenging, supportive, and rewarding experience to promote informed, reflective, and effective teaching and professional development.The CertEd and PGDE offer three specialist routes for students wishing to specialise in Vocational, Academic, or SEND delivery in the sector.
What is covered?
Year One
Teaching My Specialist Subject
This module will equip you with initial and essential skills to enable you to prepare and ready yourself for initial teaching practice in your subject. During this module you will be introduced to the theories and principles of teaching, learning and assessment relevant to Vocational, Academic and SEND teaching. You will be encouraged to make connections between theory and practice. This module is the initial introduction to teaching practice, which is designed to prepare you to promote inclusive attitudes and values in their learning environments and within the content that you prepare and teach. This module looks at the skills needed to enable the trainee teacher, tutor or trainer to be a successful teacher in the Education and Training. The module content is designed to introduce you to the skills and knowledge required for everyday teaching and learning in your subject area will include:
- The roles, responsibilities and boundaries of the teacher
- The context of the education sectors
- Legislation, regulations and policy and procedure
- Inclusive teaching and learning strategies
- Equality of opportunity
- Effective planning to mitigate factors influencing learning
Learners and Learning
This module looks at ‘Who my learners are’ and is intended to explore the breadth of FE learners and their journeys into FE. It is predicated on the idea that teachers who are aware of where learners are coming from, are more able to adapt teaching to their needs. Additionally FE is a very broad sector this modules endeavours to alert trainees to the scope of the potential role in FE. This module is designed to develop your skills in your own professional context to be able to design, plan and assess learning. This will be based on the principles and theories of assessment, including:
- Principles of assessment
- Enabling learning through assessment
- Planning to meet the needs of learners
- Understanding inclusive learning and teaching and barriers to achievement
Teachers and Teaching
This module will build on ‘Learners and Learning’. The progressive rationale is that consideration of “who my learners are”, feeds into how they learn, and similarly, discussion runs into “how do I choose to teach”?
This unit will develop your sense of the responsibility for making decisions as to what takes place in the classroom/workshop. You will have opportunities to look at the psychological theories surrounding learning so that you have an appreciation of the parameters of human learning. You will be expected to have a familiarity with established theory (Piaget, Vygotsky, Skinner/Watson, Guilford, etc), and the relevant critiques. Likewise, in terms of teaching, you are expected to explore contemporary pedagogy and to engage with current work in the area: Thomas, O’Leary, Hattie, etc.
You should have a grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches, recognising that none is a formula and all approaches have nuances.
Professional Practice 1 in Post 16 and Further Education
The content of this module focuses on supporting you to develop and demonstrate the required skills to teach effectively in the Further Education and Skills (FES) Sector. You will be given a range of tasks and opportunities that will contribute to the development of the required portfolio as outlined by the Education and Training Foundation. Specific content of the module and approaches will reflect the emerging needs of the cohort and the sector. You will reflect upon and track the progress of their professional practice and digital literacy skills regularly, drawing upon planned experiences, feedback, theory, and current research taught in Modules 1-5 to inform practice.
Through regular reflection, you will develop focused actions and creative solutions to develop your professional practice and enhance the learner experience. Throughout the professional Professional Practice module, you will develop the skills and knowledge required to make judgements as to the suitability of learning, teaching, and assessment strategies, and learn how to identify and respond to the needs of learners. You will develop the knowledge required to take appropriate action to guard the safety and well-being of learners, the skills required to promote a positive view of inclusion, and confidence in promoting positive student behaviour and attitudes.
You will engage in a variety of experiences to broaden your understanding of the sector and wider roles of a teacher, and have the opportunity to experience and practise a variety of delivery methods, including face-to-face, blended, synchronous online, asynchronous online, and hybrid delivery.
Learning from the experiences and specific events or scenarios you encounter will be captured in a Professional Practice Portfolio and through the completion of a series of themed reflections. You will be supported to reflect upon general pedagogy and approaches to teaching of your subject specialism in regular meetings with a Subject Mentor and Personal Tutor. The summative assessment tasks reflect the national requirements of the profession, these need to be passed alongside meeting the placement requirements as indicated by the Education and Training Foundation in order to gain the teaching qualification.
Year Two
Responsive Teaching
This module positions the teacher in education and training as an agent of change, building resilience and self-efficacy in learners. The module emphasises the holistic nature of learner needs, to enable you to promote learners’ personal attributes of confidence, autonomy and long-term employability. The concepts of inclusivity and differentiated approaches to teaching and learning are fundamental to becoming a responsive teacher, and depend upon a foundational understanding of how people learn.
This module builds upon the previous modules by further developing your understanding of established and emerging theories and models of teaching and learning. You will draw upon this knowledge to evaluate the affordances to effective learning and the impact of potential barriers, both internal and external.
The module considers ways in which to challenge and mitigate barriers to learning in the context of day-to-day practice, including behaviour management and safeguarding. This module reinforces the application of theoretical knowledge to effective, responsive teaching, learning and assessment.
Effective Digital and Online Pedagogies
This module will look at your own personal digital skills, the range of Ed Tech available to teachers and how to manage managing digital delivery (i.e how tutors can create both synchronous and asynchronous learning materials). It will introduce you to the key approaches and theories relating to online teaching and learning.
You will critically engage with the principles of online pedagogy in both theory and in practice, studying the recent work and learning theory of academics such as Diana Laurillard and Richard Mayer, before examining how these frameworks can be applied in practice.
This holistic approach ensures that, by the end of the module, you will have developed the appropriate level of competence in Digital Skills and Educational Technology for your own practice.
Professional Practice 2
This module complements and builds upon the first year Professional Practice module.
The student will reflect upon and track the progress of their professional practice and digital literacy skills regularly, drawing upon planned experiences, feedback, theory, and current research taught inform practice. Through regular reflection, the student will develop focussed actions and creative solutions to develop their professional practice and enhance the learner experience.
Throughout the Professional Practice modules, the student will develop the skills and knowledge required to make judgements as to the suitability of learning, teaching, and assessment strategies, and learn how to identify and respond to the needs of learners. The student will develop the knowledge required to take appropriate action to guard the safety and well-being of learners, the skills required to promote a positive view of inclusion, and confidence in promoting positive student behaviour and attitudes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You must meet the following entry requirements:
Applicants are required to have access to a minimum of 150 hours teaching over two years with no fewer than 75 hours in one year.
Recognised Level 2 qualification in Mathematics and English
For the Certificate, typically you will have a minimum of a Level 3 qualification (e.g. A-level / BTEC) in the subject(s) that you intend to teach.
For the Professional Graduate Diploma, typically you must hold a UK first degree.
Mature students or students who do not have the above qualifications can contact our admissions team on 01733 214466 or admissions@ucp.ac.uk to discuss equivalent qualifications or relevant work experience.
Recognised Level 2 qualification in Mathematics and English
An enhanced DBS check is required.
EU STUDENTS AND OVERSEAS QUALIFICATIONS
We can accept a wide range of overseas qualifications and use UK NARIC to compare qualifications. For advice about overseas qualification conversion call the Admissions Office on 01733 214466 or email admissions@ucp.ac.uk.
UCAS TARIFF
To find out more about UCAS tariff points and how they work, visit ucas.com/tariff-calculator.
We accept a wide range of qualifications such as A-levels (you must have grades for at least two A-levels), BTEC, Cambridge Technicals, International Baccalaureate (IB), NVQ Level 3, Access to Higher Education and Scottish Advanced Highers.
The tariff points for qualifications can be added and combined together (e.g. A-levels plus BTECs).
The UCAS points for A-level General Studies, AS-levels and the EQP (Extended Project Qualification) are accepted when combined with other full qualifications.
ACCREDITATION OF PRIOR CERTIFICATED LEARNING (APCL) FOR ENTRY
APCL relates to learning completed through an earlier course of study. If you have previously completed a course which is relevant to your proposed course you should make this clear when you apply. For this to be eligible for consideration you must be able to provide certification, which shows your success in a final assessment for that course. Learning must be completed in the last five years or further evidence of updating will be required. Simple participation in a course or an attendance certificate is not sufficient.
EXEMPTIONS BASED ON ACCREDITATION OF PRIOR LEARNING (APL)
We offer students flexibility in their studies, by recognising learning they may have completed elsewhere before they apply. The Accreditation of Prior Learning process ensures that we can take this into account when determining the modules you must study. It is important that you identify any relevant prior learning when you apply. If your previous study specifically relates to modules on the course you wish to undertake we may approve a reduced programme of study, thus shortening the time it takes to obtain your award. Where this relates to learning completed through an earlier course of study, this is called Prior Certificated Learning, and where learning has been achieved through relevant work or experience, this is referred to as Prior Experiential Learning. Claims must be approved before you commence a course.
EXEMPTIONS BASED ON ACCREDITATION OF PRIOR EXPERIENTIAL CERTIFICATED LEARNING (APEL)
It is important to understand that the APEL process does not award academic credit for experience alone, but for learning which can be shown to have been achieved through that experience. Students are required to prepare an individual case for the credit arising from their learning experiences. This normally means that a student receives support in the preparation of a portfolio, which evidences their claimed exemptions for entry. This portfolio of evidence is then submitted for assessment and the possible award of academic credit. Alternative methods of assessment of evidence may be available but needs to be discussed with the Admissions team or Course Leader.
When studying this course we will timetable your lectures into one evening a week over two semesters per year (see Duration and delivery for exact details). We are able to offer this convenient timetabling to our students as we are a smaller institution so we can timetable our staff and resources more efficiently.
Throughout the programme, modules are delivered concurrently to your teaching practice, allowing you to make robust connections between theory and practice and develop the habit of reflective evaluation. All modules re-enforce the concept of reflective practice as essential to effective teaching and learning, as well as the personal and professional development within your chosen specialist subject.
Each programme provides a route into teaching in the training and skills sector, and leads to a robust teaching qualification, which is recognised in the sector. The programmes develop participants’ knowledge and understanding of the theory and practice of teaching, learning and assessment, and teachers’ wider, professional engagement in the sector. They offer a challenging, supportive and rewarding experience to promote informed, reflective and effective teaching and professional development.
The modules included in the course are designed to be pragmatic in content, and assist in strengthening pedagogical approaches for new and existing lecturing staff. The design of the course is authenticated by the ‘College of the Future’ and the Government ‘Skills for Jobs’ Whitepaper, both published in 2021, highlighting the need to develop a skilled Post 16 & FE workforce, operating as dual professionals within the sector. This course validates that increasing demand.
The programme is a pass/fail award. It is assessed through two means, teaching practice and assessed assignments.
The guiding principle of the assessment strategy is based on a combination of both formative and summative assessment. It seeks to enable the trainees to engage with and evaluate a range of professional, authentic assessment techniques. Each module carries one or two assessment components, utilising a range of assessment techniques. Assessment will typically include such tasks as case studies, reflective reports, individual presentations, peer reviews, action planning and evaluation of day-to-day teaching practice.
Teaching practice is integral to the successful completion of the programme. The programme assessment strategy requires that each trainee undergo ten teaching observations of their practice across the duration of the programme (the majority of which should be to a group of at least 10 learners).
Applicants are required to have access to a minimum of 150 hours teaching over two years with no fewer than 75 hours in one year.
The modules in the course link directly to teaching practice and provide you with the opportunity to develop your confidence and skills over the two-year period.
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Stamford - Thursday 5pm - 8pmPeterborough - Monday 5pm - 8pm
September
The tuition fees for part-time students will be £2,500 per year.
There may be additional costs for this course which are not covered by the tuition fee.
Part-time: 2 years (1 evening a week over two semesters per year)
Bishop Grosseteste University
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