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PGCEs: Your Route to Becoming a Teacher

Teachers play a key role in inspiring, motivating and shaping the lives of children and young people. If you have the capacity to listen, enthuse, and build strong and positive relationships whilst conveying your knowledge and understanding to others, then teaching is the career for you.

To work as a teacher you need to have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). One way of achieving this is to successfully complete a PGCE programme which leads to a recommendation for QTS.

All of our PGCEs are available on a one-year full-time basis but many can also be studied flexibly, meaning we can tailor a programme to meet your individual needs and take any existing knowledge and experience into account.

Why train to teach at Edge Hill University?

A centre for teacher training since 1885, Edge Hill's Faculty of Education is the second largest provider of teacher training in the country and the largest provider of secondary teacher training. By choosing Edge Hill for your PGCE, you will be joining a University offering:

  • Outstanding training - Grade 1 'Outstanding' results across all 33 areas covered by the Ofsted Initial Teacher Education inspection, 2011;
  • A stimulating learning environment - based in a £9 million purpose-built Centre of Excellence, comprising of a 300-seat lecture theatre, five well-equipped ICT suites, 18 further teaching rooms and a popular lakeside cafe;
  • Expert tuition - in addition to providing a high level of support our tutors are experienced and research-active practitioners who share their knowledge and experience with trainees;
  • A first-rate placement experience - strong relationships established with over 3,000 partner schools, colleges and other settings to ensure our trainees gain extensive professional experience in a variety of settings, with placements matched to their training needs;
  • Diverse student population - PGCE programmes attract people from many different age groups and backgrounds, adding valuable enrichment and diversity to the learning experience and making for an inclusive and supportive community.

What programmes are available?

You can study for a PGCE at Edge Hill University in early years or primary education, or choose from our extensive portfolio of specialist secondary education subjects. A PGCE for the post-compulsory education and training sector is also available.

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Early Years Education


Positive early years experiences are essential in giving children the best start in life, making early years teaching a very powerful and rewarding responsibility. Teachers in early years settings help children to develop social and communication skills as well as providing a safe and secure environment in which children can learn.

The Early Years PGCE will train you to become a leader of learning in a wide variety of early years settings, including primary schools, nursery settings and children's centres. You will teach the areas of learning and development of the Foundation Stage Curriculum and all the subjects of the National Curriclum at Key Stage 1. The Early Years PGCE is available over one year on a full-time basis, or up to two years flexibly.

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Primary Education


Helping children to learn and develop into confident young people gives a great deal of satisfaction to primary school teachers and seeing pupils respond positively to lessons is often just reward for hours of careful planning.

One of the joys of primary teaching is that it provides the opportunity to be creative about how to make learning come alive for children. Another key attraction is the diversity - you will teach all the subjects of the National Curriculum and keep finding new ways to stimulate children's curiosity and develop their understanding.

The highly popular Primary PGCE at Edge Hill University will train you to teach across the 5-11 age range in Key Stages 1 and 2. You can study the Primary PGCE in one year on a full-time basis, or up to two years flexibly. We recommend an early application as there is strong competition for places.

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Secondary Education


Educating young adults and being able to inspire them to share your passion for a particular subject is one of the main reasons why people choose to train as a secondary teacher. Imagination is crucial, as is the need for patience and the ability to develop and sustain excellent relationships with pupils, communicating clearly with them and breaking down complicated concepts into manageable building blocks for learning.

Seeing a child evolve into a mature and confident young adult and helping them to begin to shape an idea of their chosen vocation in life is a very powerful and rewarding responsibility. As a trainee, you will study in one of the following curriculum subject areas, with standard and flexible routes available as indicated:

PGCE Secondary Modern Foreign Languages includes pathways in French, German, Mandarin, Spanish and Urdu.

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Post-Compulsory Education and Training (PCET)


If you want a career that provides variety and opportunity, combined with the ability to help people achieve their potential, then teaching in the Post-Compulsory/Lifelong Learning sector could be for you.

Teachers and trainers working within the Post-Compulsory sector deliver learning sessions to individuals from the age of 16 upwards, although many colleges now also cater for learners from the age of 14. Many of the subjects taught have a vocational bias and are often employer-linked.

As learners in the sector often bring with them an existing knowledge base, PCET teachers can find themselves in a class full of lively debate and discussion. This can enable you to create a learning environment where learners are able to discuss their views and opinions openly and freely in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect. This can be a stimulating experience for both learner and teacher and you will find from such dialogue that mutual learning occurs.

The PGCE in Post-Compulsory Education and Training (DTLLS) at Edge Hill University carries eligibility for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status. This new Lifelong Learning qualification means that on successful completion of the PGCE you can take your place on a national register of qualified teachers for the sector. The PCET programme takes one year to complete on a full-time basis and is also offered over two years studying part-time.

Future Teachers Graduate Teacher Programme

In addition to our PGCE portfolio, Edge Hill University also offers an innovative Future Teachers Graduate Teacher Programme for graduates with excellent subject knowledge in physics, chemistry or mathematics who also have a real interest in working with young people.

The programme is delivered in school by a cluster of Edge Hill partners. All aspects of the course are taught by school and university trainers, providing strong links between theory and practice. Students are immersed in school life and trained to become leaders of learning and outstanding teachers of chemistry, physics or mathematics. Successful completion of the Future Teachers Graduate Teacher Programme leads to recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Next Steps

If you are interested in joining a PGCE, you will need to apply through GTTR. Applications for the Future Teachers Programme are made directly to Edge Hill University.

You can visit the Ormskirk Campus to meet course tutors and current students at an open day or discover how we have been successfully training the teachers of tomorrow for over 125 years at an education open evening.

For further information , contact the Course Information, Advice and Guidance Team by calling 01695 657000 or email study@edgehill.ac.uk.

Contact

Edge Hill University
St Helens Road
Ormskirk
Lancashire
L39 4QP
United Kingdom
GEO: 53.559704; -2.87388
+44(0)1695 575171
+44(0)1695 579997

Shortlisted for

Times Higher Education Awards 2011: University of the year

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