Course summary
If you are interested in teaching a diverse range of students in the post-16 sector, this full time, pre-service PGCE programme equips you with the knowledge and practical skills you need to teach your subject specialism in the following education settings: Sixth Form Colleges Further Education Colleges Adult and Community Learning Prison and Young Offender Education The programme will help you to develop the professional skills needed to teach in the post-16 sector and provide you with an enhanced understanding of the qualifications taught in the sector such as GCSEs, A’ Levels and vocational qualifications as well as adult literacy and numeracy and Access to HE programmes. You could be eligible for the highest range of tax-free training bursaries. In addition to developing your professional skills, you will be able to demonstrate a secure understanding of your subject specialism (‘subject-ness’) and the academic and/or vocational contexts in which it is taught. Through research-informed, socially just and inclusive pedagogy, you will also develop an enhanced understanding of what effective teaching looks in the education sector you train in (‘sector-ness’). Many of our trainees go on to gain employment with the college or learning provider they trained with. As our UEL alumni have progressed in their teaching career, many have also taken on a mentoring roles for our PGCE trainees.
Modules
Year 1 The Further Education PGCE blends theoretical understanding with practical teaching experience. Through the Pedagogy and Professional Practice module, you'll deepen your grasp of pedagogy and its impact on learning within your subject specialism. This equips you to confidently plan lessons, implement diverse teaching and assessment strategies, and refine your professional approach through focused development and reflection. The Active Enquiry and Intervention module hones your ability to critically engage with educational research and action research. You'll develop evidence-informed pedagogical approaches to design, implement, and reflect on classroom interventions that genuinely enhance learner progress. Finally, the College-Based Learning module requires you to build a comprehensive portfolio showcasing your progress and development throughout the year, drawn from your teaching placements and ongoing reflective practice. Pedagogy and Professional Practice (Core Modules) This module is designed to develop your understanding of pedagogy and its impact on learning within your subject specialism. It will introduce you to different theories of learning, strategies for teaching and assessment, which will enable you to plan lessons and develop your practice to teach confidently within the context of your subject specialism. The course will provide opportunities for you to reflect on your knowledge and select one area of development to improve your expertise, and to contribute to developments at your placement. Active Enquiry and Intervention: Impacting upon Learner Progress (Core Modules) The aims of this module are: To develop knowledge and understanding of critical thinking, reflective practice and educational research; To develop an awareness of action research - its processes, practices and relevance for reflective educational practice and change; To develop knowledge of pedagogy, through primary research and the critical evaluation of theory and literature; For trainee teachers to carry out a classroom intervention informed by reading and research activity and to reflect critically on the process; To demonstrate a practical appreciation of evidence-informed teaching; To identify appropriate classroom strategies to develop learning and teaching which are informed through educational research, evidence and scholarship. To apply classroom strategies informed by scholarship to a specific educational context and setting. College Based Learning (Core Modules) The module requires you to produce and maintain a portfolio of evidence of your progress and development through the training year. This evidence is gained progressively through the teaching you do in placement and the reflective practice you engage in on an ongoing basis.
Assessment method
Coursework in three modules: Pedagogy and Professional Practice (30 credits) Active Enquiry (30 credits) College-Based Learning (60 credits) Successful completion of the three modules will result in a Level 7 Post Graduate Certificate in Education (Further Education) qualification. 60 of these credits may be carried forward onto further postgraduate level study, e.g MA Education or MA Leadership in Education.
Entry requirements
Accepted Qualifications Bachelor's degree with minimum Second Class (2:2) or equivalent in any subject. GCSE English and Maths grade A*-C/9-4. Satisfactory references. Satisfactory personal statement. International Qualifications We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications. Please visit our International page for full details. Mature applicants and those without formal qualifications As an inclusive university, we recognise those who have been out of education for some time may not have the formal qualifications usually required. We welcome applications from those who can demonstrate their enthusiasm and commitment to study and have the relevant life/work experience that equips them to succeed on the course. However, please note that PGCE teacher training courses require applicants to meet the minimum entry requirements outlined above.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Provider information
University of East London
Docklands Campus
4-6 University Way
Newham
E16 2RD