Example Routes to PGCE Study

Sarah

Sarah has a degree in English. She worked in a primary school for three months as a temporary Teaching Assistant before applying for a Primary PGCE. She chose to follow the standard, full-time programme so that she could qualify as quickly as possible. Sarah had a particular interest in special educational needs, so during her training she arranged to spend a few days working in a special school and shadowing an educational psychologist. She gained a PGCE with QTS after three terms.

Tariq

Tariq was an accountant with a degree in History. He had helped voluntarily in several primary schools before applying for a Flexible Primary PGCE. As he didn’t have an English Language GCSE, he also took and passed the Edge Hill Equivalency Test before he applied. He chose the six-term Pathway C option so that he could work part-time while he trained. He gained a PGCE with QTS after six terms.

Alison

Alison has worked for a number of years within the telecoms industry during which time she completed her Business Management degree part-time and undertook a variety of management courses and qualifications. She has completed the PGCE Business Education by way of the Flexible Pathway C whilst working part-time. She needed to enhance her subject knowledge in certain key areas and therefore studied two modules online before undertaking any placements. Her placements have been arranged using the opportunities for flexible working that her employer has provided and her own holiday entitlement. The programme has taken the full three years that a trainee is allowed to use on the flexible route.

Paul

Paul completed his degree in Business Studies three years ago and has been working in industry ever since. The lack of job satisfaction within industry together with positive experiences dealing with young people in sport has caused him to re-think his career aspirations and he has decided to come into teaching. He enrolled on the full-time PGCE Business Education course and after having successfully completed this, has obtained a teaching post.

Carl

After completing his Business Studies degree, Carl had been teaching for a number of years within the FE sector and has a PGCE Post-Compulsory Education and Training. He had also been teaching in an 11-16 school on a supply basis. In order to improve his employment flexibility he chose to train using the Flexible PGCE Business Education Pathway B and obtain QTS status. To do this he completed a 10 week placement within a school environment where he developed his Key Stage 4 experience, both in terms of KS4 qualifications and dealing with KS4 pupils. Additional modules were studied to enhance his understanding of teaching this age range. In these circumstances the programme was completed within a term.

Eleanor

Eleanor has a degree in Interior Design. She spent a year as a retail manager in a large department store; however she had little job satisfaction so began some voluntary work on a play scheme. She then worked as a teaching assistant in a secondary school – it was this experience that confirmed her desire to teach and apply to study a Creative and Media PGCE.

Christine

Christine has a Fine Art degree. She moved back home to be a carer and took up full-time employment in a government agency. She became interested in teaching through her involvement with the Girl Guides where she worked on craft activities at the residential camps. She sought more experience with primary school pupils and is now on the Creative and Media PGCE course.

Oliver

Oliver has a degree in Fashion and Textiles. On graduation he did an MA then worked in the fashion industry for four years both here and in Italy. From his fashion experience in the industry he then became involved in working with other artists to inspire young people and held a joint exhibition in a city gallery. It was through engaging with these young people that he was inspired to pursue a career in teaching and apply for the Creative and Media PGCE course.

Laura

Laura is a graduate of Furniture Design and Craftsmanship. She spent ten years running her own business before deciding on career in teaching. Prior to the start of her PGCE Laura studied additional subject knowledge modules in resistant materials. As part of her full-time PGCE course in Design and Technology she undertook placements in two different schools. These provided her with an abundance of practical teaching skills. On completing her programme she took up a teaching position in a challenging inner city school in London, something that she had always set her sights on.

Kathryn

Kathryn is a Textiles undergraduate whose ambition is to teach Design and Technology. In order to gain experience in a classroom setting she undertook a three week subject specific school placement organised through the Design and Technology Association and Student Associates Scheme. This gave her an insight into the curriculum, making her aware of areas for development in her own subject knowledge. After the placement, a subject audit took place. She is now carrying out research and gaining skills in garment construction, her identified area for development, via a Subject Knowledge Enhancement module.

Daniel

Daniel is a mature applicant with a wealth of industrial experience in the field of engineering. He worked for many years in the Aerospace Industry for a large multinational company. He completed his PGCE using the flexible Pathway C whilst continuing to work part-time. This involved him developing his subject knowledge using the online modules available before he undertook his placements in schools and colleges. He is now employed and teaches Manufacturing and Engineering in a local specialist technology college.

Joshua

Joshua is a mature teacher who has a PhD in English Literature and experience of teaching adults on a part-time basis at Oxford University. He wanted a more permanent career in which he could find genuine job satisfaction and intellectual stimulus and enrolled on a PGCE programme. He enjoyed discovering how educational theory and classroom practice linked together. Joshua completed placements in a comprehensive school, a special educational needs school and a sixth form college where he was offered, and accepted an NQT post.

Teresa

Teresa has a young child and had previously started a PGCE programme in 2005. Due to personal circumstances, she was unable to complete the PGCE programme, but has continued to work in various education settings. The Secondary Flexible PGCE Programme allowed Teresa to produce an endorsed portfolio to show her previous teaching experience. Teresa will complete the Secondary Flexible Pathway B programme in two terms.

Samia

Having completed a degree in English, Samia chose to apply to Edge Hill for the PGCE in Secondary English. She was to be married within a year, but the marriage was brought forward to the spring, and involved her relocating to the Midlands. She deferred her final PGCE placement, and, in order for her to be able to return after a term, an appropriate school placement was found in a Midlands school. Samia successfully completed her programme, and became an NQT in another local school. She now continues to teach, and has decided to pursue a modular MA.

Neil

Neil is a mature trainee and completed Edge Hill’s Fastrack course prior to starting his degree. He had not been in education since 1988 so was a little daunted about starting a degree programme. After completing an enjoyable three years studying for a Geography degree, he decided to remain at Edge Hill and undertake the PGCE programme. Neil appreciated the great support from the tutors at Edge Hill, along with that received from the mentors in the placement schools, and he now has a full-time job in a partnership school.

Petra

Petra has a degree in Physical Geography and Geology. She worked in a secondary school for one year as a teaching assistant before applying for a Secondary PGCE. She had a particular interest in special educational needs, so during her training she arranged to spend some of her placement in the Special Needs department in the school working with specialist teachers. She gained a Secondary PGCE in Geography and is now working as a full-time Geography teacher.

Leanne

Leanne has a degree in Geography and had been working as a manager in a call centre. She initially hoped to be a primary school teacher however, after spending several days in a primary school, she decided that teaching in a secondary school would better enable her to make use of her subject knowledge. She arranged a visit to a secondary school and very much enjoyed the experience. She gained a Secondary PGCE in Geography and is now working as a full-time Geography teacher.

Lai

Lai has a First Class honours degree in History and was a very astute PGCE trainee, enjoying the challenge of the taught element of the Edge Hill programme which highlighted the real connections between University History and the History she would be expected to teach as part of the national curriculum. Lai completed both placements in Liverpool schools and proved to be an innovative teacher who was willing to take risks. Lai was able to demonstrate that no matter what level History is being taught it can be highly relevant, frequently challenging but always rewarding and enjoyable.

Philip

Philip worked for a number of years as a learning support assistant in a centre for pupils with learning difficulties. He came to the programme with a real understanding of the needs of these pupils and an awareness of the challenges that teaching can present. He was a very active participant in the University sessions and keen to gain a deeper understanding of the secondary classroom and develop a more extensive range of teaching approaches. In his two placements he proved more than capable of meeting the needs of very able students who rose to the challenge of active, thinking History and of less able students who he motivated to learn.

Sylvia

Sylvia worked as a nurse for a number of years before leaving the profession to look after her two children. Whilst helping out at her children’s secondary school she developed a desire to move into teaching, specifically History. She learnt about the curriculum through using WebCT and was able to get used to the demands of teaching in a gradual way, which meant that by the time she completed her developmental placement she was skilled enough to meet the requirements of the final placement.

Ian

Ian, an unqualified ICT teacher, teaches across Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 5 and has experience of working in Further Education and Higher Education institutions. His school encouraged him to apply for the Flexible PGCE Secondary ICT programme and were prepared to fully support him throughout his training. As Ian already has a PGCE Post-Compulsory Education and Training he decided to opt for the ‘assessment only’ route leading to QTS. Following his Needs Assessment and after producing a scheme of work and lesson plan, Ian was eligible for Pathway A which would comprise a primary placement and a 50 day full-time Synoptic Placement. Ian expects to complete his studies in one term.

Imran

Imran gained an honours degree in Computing three years ago. He became an ICT technician and then a Network Manager with a local school. He was often asked by ICT teachers to demonstrate software, or to explain to pupils how the school network operated. He particularly enjoyed helping out with the school computer gaming club after school. When he expressed an interest in teaching, the ICT department at the school were particularly supportive. When he completed his PGCE, he returned to the school as an ICT teacher.

Melissa

Melissa started work as a teaching assistant in a secondary school and decided that she wanted to train as a teacher. She investigated the Secondary Flexible programme Pathway C, which would enable her to continue working alongside her studies. She then gained support from her school to pursue this route. Melissa was assessed as needing to complete all elements of the standard PGCE programme. Her school has mentored her through the Initial and Developmental placements and is arranging time for her to complete her Synoptic Placement early next year. In the meantime, she is working to complete all of the assignment work for the programme. Melissa expects to complete her studies over three years.

Charlotte

Charlotte graduated with a Mathematics degree and, despite being interested in the profession, was unsure as to whether a career in teaching was really for her. She decided to sample a short spell in the classroom via Edge Hill’s Student Associates Scheme which gives prospective PGCE trainees the opportunity to spend time in a school environment at the end of the summer term. Following a three-week period in school – organised and paid for by the scheme – Charlotte was convinced that she did want to become a teacher and, safe in the knowledge that she was well prepared for what the future held, signed up to study a PGCE at Edge Hill straight away.

Nasreen

Nasreen moved to the United Kingdom from Pakistan having already qualified as a teacher in her home country. She began to study through the Open College, achieving GCSE equivalent qualifications in Mathematics, English and Computing before proceeding to further qualifications in English and Mathematics and attaining an ‘A’ grade in A level Urdu. Her studies culminated in the accomplishment of a degree in Mathematics and she has since been working as a supply teacher in an FE College, undertaking a range of short and longer term posts. She then decided that the PGCE programme would offer the scope to teach in schools on a longer term basis and joined the PGCE Secondary course in Mathematics.

Gordon

Gordon was a non-qualified Mathematics teacher, with a degree in the subject, who had substantial experience teaching in a school. He wanted to obtain Qualified Teacher Status and after a successful interview he completed his needs assessment which established his training plan placing him on the Flexible route Pathway A. This required him to undertake a week’s observation in a primary school, a 10 week synoptic placement at a secondary school, the three key skills tests and, at the end of the placement, the Career Entry Development Plan. Gordon successfully completed all elements of his training plan in a 13 week period and is now a qualified Mathematics teacher.

Andrew

Throughout his time at university studying languages, Andrew worked on a voluntary basis with children. This experience and his love for languages have inspired him to apply for the Secondary PGCE in Modern Languages programme. He is currently on placement in schools and it is this “hands-on” element of the programme he enjoys most. After finishing his PGCE, Andrew intends to make a major positive impact on children’s lives, focussing on pupils with special educational needs.

Anne

Caring for a child and an infirm parent, Anne was unable to contemplate a full-time course. She had completed her languages degree on a part-time basis with the Open University but had no previous teaching experience. She was accepted onto Pathway C to do the full Flexible PGCE programme. She attended university alongside standard route PGCE trainees and did her initial placement successfully but was then taken seriously ill. The flexible programme allowed her to have two terms off and she has now restarted her studies and is on her second placement.

Peter

Peter graduated over 20 years ago and went to live in Germany where he taught successfully for many years but wanted to return to England to teach and therefore needed QTS. He decided to go for the Flexible route, Pathway B with QTS only. He was able to gather evidence of all his teaching experience and will complete some training on the National Secondary Strategy, some subject knowledge development of a second foreign language and two teaching placements only.

Debbie

Debbie gained her BMus before working as a peripatetic instrumental teacher for five years. She opted to follow the flexible route as it allowed her to undertake some part-time work whilst she was training. Her previous teaching experience meant that she was well-suited to this pathway and she completed her PGCE over two years. Debbie, who undertook her 40 day developmental training at an 11-18 Arts College and a continuous 50 day synoptic experience at a Grammar school, is now employed in a school where she combines peripatetic teaching with classroom-based teaching.

Sarah

Sarah started her PGCE directly after graduating with a BA (Hons) in Music. She undertook training in an 11-16 Roman Catholic High School and an 11-18 Technology College over the course of the year and these contrasting placements allowed her to develop a rounded teaching competence. Sarah felt so confident after completing her training that she was appointed to the post of Head of Music in a large and successful secondary school.

Winston

Winston had worked in the music industry as a producer and frustrated musician for 20 years. He had gained a degree in management but really wanted to share his love of music with others. He contacted Edge Hill and an appropriate training plan was agreed that would allow him to complete some formal Level 6 accredited modules as part of a Flexible PGCE. Whilst on the programme Winston undertook teaching both in a specialist Arts College and a single sex comprehensive school. The mentors supporting him on his final placement were so impressed that they offered him a position within the department before he had completed his training.

Susan

Susan has always wanted to teach PE after studying the subject at both GCSE and A level. She then went on to take a degree in PE and in her spare time carried out voluntary work in both primary and secondary schools. She has now applied for the PGCE PE course and feels that she is near to achieving her goal of becoming a teacher of the subject.

Stephen

Stephen qualified as a physiotherapist and has been working in the NHS for the last five years. He now feels that he would like to teach PE as he has always had an interest in physical activity. His work as a physiotherapist has made him realise the importance of regular exercise for all children and he now feels that he could contribute to this goal more directly by teaching children Physical Education. As his first degree is not in the subject he has gone into a number of schools on a voluntary basis to help out and now feels that this is the right career move to make. He intends to apply to Edge Hill University to complete a PGCE in Physical Education.

Liz

Liz, who has a degree in Sports Science from Edge Hill, had thought about becoming a PE teacher but was not completely certain that it would be the right choice for her. She has always been interested in sport and physical activity and has particular strengths in netball and swimming. To see if teaching was right for her she gained employment as a teaching assistant in a secondary school where she worked with a variety of children, including a number with behavioural issues. She has also supported extra-curricular clubs and has observed a number of lessons in dance and gymnastics. This experience has made her realise that teaching is the right career move to make and now hopes to secure a place on the Edge Hill PGCE.

Stacey

Stacey has been teaching Psychology for 15 years in colleges and now works in a school with a sixth form. She now needs to gain QTS but clearly has a lot of relevant experience of teaching A Level and GCSE Psychology. Stacey has applied to study a Flexible PGCE for experienced Psychology teachers. She will spend 8-10 weeks in a different school on a synoptic placement and will provide a portfolio of evidence that she has met the QTS standards.

Joanne

Joanne has applied for a full-time PGCE programme after finishing her Psychology degree. While studying she spent several weeks in a secondary school supporting pupils with special educational needs. She has also done voluntary work with a youth club in her spare time and taught children to swim as part of her job at a sports centre. Her experience in school before applying for the PGCE course provided her with invaluable opportunities to plan and prepare for the interview and gain an insight into the work of a secondary school teacher.

Hassan

Hassan spent some time mentoring first year undergraduates at university and then went to Japan to teach English for a year. This gave him an opportunity to plan, design and deliver lessons as well as learn how to motivate pupils. Hassan has also coached an under-11 football team in his home community. He is well-prepared for the challenge of studying for a PGCE.

Ashifa

Ashifa has an MA in Theology from an American Institution. She taught RE in an elementary school in the USA and has also been employed at a sixth form college as a general RE teacher, been Head of RE, and has experience of teaching A level. She would like to gain QTS and her Head Teacher fully supports her application by releasing her for her required teaching placement. She will be able to complete her training in one term due to her previous experience and her ability to produce an endorsed portfolio to show evidence of meeting the Professional Standards for the Award of QTS.

Jenny

Jenny went straight from school to do a degree in Religious Studies during which she did the Student Associates Scheme and spent some time observing RE in a local High School. As her home was in Northern Ireland she lived on campus at Edge Hill whilst doing her first two school placements. She is now working at a Specialist Humanities College.

Suzanne

Suzanne has a background in retail management and has a degree in Philosophy. She has wide experience of training adults, but limited school-based experience. She has a very young family and can only arrange childcare for three days each week. Suzanne’s subject knowledge was enhanced by completing a range of online subject knowledge enhancement modules in RE prior to her first teaching placement. She also attended some standard route taught sessions where these fitted in with her childcare arrangements, and is using the online Flexible support materials to complete the remainder of the programme. She will complete all three placements in 120 days and will therefore finish within 18 months.

Nazira

After completing a degree in Environmental Science, Nazira took up a teaching post in a local sixth form college teaching GCSE and A level Biology. She then undertook a PGCE in Post-Compulsory Education and Training and continued to teach three days a week at the college and did substantial long-term maternity cover in several local schools. With the offer of full-time employment at one of these schools, she wished to achieve QTS. She was inducted on to the Flexible programme and chose to follow Pathway A – the ‘assessment only’ route which requires assessment on one placement and no further training.

Owen

Owen worked in a variety of jobs after leaving school, including a stone mason and warehouse operative. He studied for his Science A levels over a number of years on a part-time basis and then decided on a degree in Genetics. After working with his own secondary school aged children, Owen decided to become a teacher. He enrolled on the Edge Hill Physics Enhancement Programme prior to his PGCE so that he would have all the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to teach Physics. He also studied a Chemistry module online to enhance his specialist knowledge base.

Frank

Frank is a mature trainee with seven years teaching experience abroad. He was educated in England and has a BSc (Hons) in Electronic Engineering. After taking employment overseas he was asked if he could help teach Physics at a local English run boys school that followed the International GCSE and A level courses. He found teaching so rewarding that he took the post full-time. He later became Head of Physics at the school before moving back to England to continue his career in teaching. He was inducted on to the Secondary flexible programme Pathway B, giving him credit for his experience but recognising the need to study the National Secondary Strategy in Science.

Susan

Susan previously worked as an unqualified ICT teacher in an FE college, has a HND in IT and worked as an IT technician in the NHS for six years. She taught students aged 16 to 50 across a range of course and levels. In order to improve her chances of working full-time she decided to study the PGCE in Post-Compulsory Education and Training on a part-time basis. As she is not currently employed in a college she is eligible for a bursary for those teaching a shortage subject as well as a repayable loan and a non-repayable maintenance grant. She should achieve eligibility for QTLS in two years.

Nathan

Nathan worked as a youth and community worker for 12 years and has a degree in Youth Work and an NVQ in Play Leadership. Within the voluntary organisation he works for he has a training and development role which involves him providing certificated training courses for other youth workers. However he would like to work in an FE college, specifically in Early Years and Health and Social Care. He needs to continue working so decided to take the PGCE in Post-Compulsory Education and Training part-time. He will be able to make use of his existing work for most of his assessed teaching practice and should achieve eligibility for QTLS in two years.

Beverley

Beverley studied for a degree in Sports Science and decided on a career in teaching in the post-compulsory sector because of the range of learners and the breadth of courses available. She was interested in being involved with younger learners through the 14-19 diplomas but also wanted to teach at a higher level. She applied to Edge Hill for the PGCE in Post-Compulsory Education and Training. She will be eligible for a repayable loan, a non-repayable grant and a bursary as Sports Science is listed as a shortage subject. She should achieve eligibility for QTLS in one year.