Courses and Prospectus

Introduction 

This is a flexible programme, which can take between 1 and 3 years, depending on circumstances and your experience and needs. The Modular PGCE is ideal for those students who are not able to commit to a full-time or fixed part-time route to teaching, or who wish to have some recognition taken of existing experience as a teacher or lecturer. There are pathways for English, Music and Maths 11-18. Much of your studying is taken independently through online and distance learning.

The programme has been designed for all students to meet the TDA Standards for Qualified Teacher Status.

The programme runs in partnership with schools and colleges across the region and beyond. Unfortunately, the University cannot guarantee to offer support to students in schools which are more than two hours’ drive from Canterbury. Please contact Student Recruitment for clarification on this.

Secondary students spend 120 days in school as part of this programme.

Attendance at the university is compulsory for 12 full days of teaching, and for individual tutorials as arranged with your tutors.

There is one starting point in January. Student teachers may finish at any point in the year.

Teaching and Learning Methods

Advice will be given on the options for teaching and learning available within the modular programme, and the existing full-time and part-time PGCE programmes. The types of learning experienced will be a combination of independent reading, reflecting, note-taking and writing assignments, integrated at points with school practice.

There are also 12 ‘Core Teaching Days’ at Canterbury Christ Church University which all student teachers must attend. These are mainly on Fridays and Saturdays, so that student teachers can make the most of their time on the course in terms of intensive, stimulating seminars, access to tutorials, the University Library, and social networking with other modular student teachers!

In addition there are regular tutorials for advice, support, and assessment. These can be face-to-face, by telephone or online with the Pathway tutor, depending on circumstances. Students will also have frequent, informal contact with tutors and student teachers via email and the programme’s virtual learning environment.

Content

Professional Placement
You will spend variable amounts of time in school depending on your training needs. All student teachers must undertake placements in at least two schools. Secondary students must demonstrate that they have experience of 24 weeks in school. However, prior experience can lead to a reduction in these totals.

For those with little school experience there will be three school placements in total, the first being around four weeks, and a second practice of between five and ten weeks before the final professional placement. This must be a full-time continuous block placement of between seven and ten weeks.

Student teachers in Kent, East Sussex, Essex and South London will be placed in one of our partnership schools. Students outside these areas need to locate schools geographically near to them. The University tutor will then make a formal approach to these schools. In all cases there will be a teacher in the school, called the mentor. The mentor will be trained to work with student teachers and will offer support, act as a model in the classroom, give help on lesson planning and evaluation, and act as observer and assessor as the student teacher moves towards independent teaching.

Module 1 – Needs Analysis
At the start of the programme you and your pathway tutor map out existing qualifications, skills and experience. This helps tutors to assess any prior experience and to map out a programme for your time on the course. Evidence (in the form of schemes of work, lesson plans, CPD courses completed, qualifications, experience from work) will need to be collected to demonstrate coverage if you are claiming exemption from any aspects of the programme.

A short professional placement (4 weeks) also forms part of the Needs Analysis Module where a trained school mentor, together with a University tutor, will observe and assess you in the classroom to ascertain how long further school placements should be, and their particular focus.

Modules 2-5
These modules each cover a cluster of Standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status. Each module comprises between five-seven themed units.

You are given a set time to complete each module, with a possible extension of three months available if required.

There is a mix of independent learning (including reading and reflecting upon key texts, relating theory to practice, tasks and essay type submission from materials printed online) and professional placement and learning. The programme has an interactive approach to teaching and learning, with sound educational theory underpinning all practice.

Module 6 – Professional Studies
In this module, you have the opportunity to undertake a more detailed investigation, using research methods, of a particular professional issue. The assessment of this module is available at masters level.

Entry Requirements

In addition to the entry requirements you will need the following:

• A good honours degree of at least lower second class standard.
• For secondary subjects (English, Music, Maths), if your degree does not directly relate to your chosen subject, it is recommended that you are able to demonstrate awareness and commitment other than through degree content.