Course summary

This Postgraduate Diploma is for those who are currently working as teachers but lack a full teaching qualification. Those who teach Literacy, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) or Numeracy can also achieve a specialist Diploma in their subject. Students will be able to gain QTLS (Qualified Teacher, Learning and Skills) status from the Society for Education and Training once they have completed the Postgraduate Diploma. Learners on these programmes are described as trainees. This helps distinguish new teachers on these programmes and their students and emphasises the development of the professional practice of teaching. These programmes provide an efficient and effective training and education for those who wish to be teachers and those who have started teaching. They provide focussed teaching and learning sessions at times that those in practice find accessible. The teaching team supports the development of both academic and teaching skills and works alongside a team of mentors who support trainees in their workplace. For those that are pre-service carefully selected placements provide this experience. The masters level requirements of this programme require the development of personal academic skills as well as teaching skills. Written work must be evidenced using a broad range of reading from a wide variety of appropriate academic sources. Trainees will be required to participate in research-led thinking and questioning and always apply theory to practice. This will enable them to evaluate such theory both in terms of its merits as an academic approach and on its usefulness in developing teaching practice. Critical reflection is a key element of the development academically and professionally. Trainees will be assessed and graded on their teaching practice in collaboration with mentors. This enables tracking of progress using OFSTED criteria. The impact of training on trainees and therefore on the their students is carefully monitored. Trainees are required to apply theory to practice and to develop the ability to be critically reflective. The learning and demonstration of theories and concepts is at masters level and therefore requires breadth and depth of reading appropriate research and academic texts. Modelling of practice is a key feature of the programme and this ranges from the provision of individual tutorials, monitoring of teaching practice, target setting, constructive feedback and the use of technology to support teaching and learning. The programme also enables teachers to also become qualified in a range of specialist areas: ESOL, Literacy, and Numeracy. These pathways are taken by students who either already work in the skills for life sector or aspire to work in these areas. Each is taught by specialist in this area and trainees are supported by qualified mentors in the workplace.