Course summary

Have you always wanted to teach in a primary school and make a real and positive impact on children’s lives? If you are a graduate with a passion for innovative learning and teaching, then this PGCE course is for you. This one year course leads to the award of qualified teacher status. You will study in both University and primary schools to inspire learners to achieve the four purposes of the Curriculum for Wales. You will work in partnership with schools which have been selected for their excellent provision and high-quality mentoring of student teachers. You will be supported to develop your skills in research and inquiry, critical reflection, digital technology, pedagogy and the Welsh language as you build your own, unique teacher identity. The content of the course is arranged into two core modules which run throughout the three terms of the one-year course. A blended learning approach is utilised to provide student teachers with a range of felxible learning opportunities and to highlight effective pedagogical principles through modelling the impact of a range of approaches. Lectures draw your attention to current research, curriculum refoprm and development and pedagogical approaches. Specific subject study practical sessions support student teachers to develop in the Areas of Learning and Experience. Tutorials provide opportunities for academic and school-based discussion and personal reflection. Directed study enables student teachers to prepare appropriately for assessments; to refine their knowledge and understanding by investigating a variety of resources for skills development and intellectual enhancement. Independent Learning encourages student teachers to develop further subject knowledge, to improve research skills and to take responsibility for development of personal targets. Student teachers make use of the excellent facilities including simulated learning opportunities. School Experience is structured into blocks of intensive learning and practice throughout the programme. This supports student teachers to benefit from structured opportunities to work on specific areas of their practice through the ‘meshing’ of theory, research and practice. Learning is focused, rather than dispersed. In each block of School Experience, student teachers teach, observed by a qualified member of school staff, their lecturer, or both. Teaching starts with small group teaching, or teaching of a short activity to larger groups, building to teaching whole lessons and then sequences of lessons. Successful completion of the course will equip you with qualified teacher status (QTS) and you will be eligible to register as a primary teacher with the Education Workforce Council (EWC). You will be eligible to teach in Wales, the UK and internationally.