PGCE Secondary - English Durham University

Overview

Key facts

The first phase of the entitlement is the Core Content Framework and this is embedded into all of our ITE courses. The PGCE Secondary English course is accredited by the DfE, and upon successful completion, you will be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). During our last Ofsted Inspection, we were graded as “Outstanding” for all aspects of our provision.

Subject pedagogy (how to teach the subject for understanding) is explored in an innovative university/partnership model known as the POD (Professional Opportunities and Development). The POD involves a ‘hybrid space’ where university tutors and classroom practitioners work together. This model provides trainees with the ‘best of both worlds’, opportunities to work with research relevant university professionals with an abundance of experience in teacher training and school practitioners with experience of delivering the National Curriculum and experts in current classroom practice. The ITE course is delivered using a blended approach and follows a ‘knowledge rich’ curriculum that is current and evidence based.

The Durham University curriculum is known as the RRPP – Research Related Professional Practice. It develops key ITE themes that reflects the Core Content Framework; starting through a genric lens and progressing to a subject specific viewpoint which is then supported with concrete examples in a school environment (POD).

The main POD schools are Sedgefield Community College and King James 1 Academy in Bishop Auckland however there are a number of regional schools who contribute to the overarching programme.

Beginning teachers work in classrooms in POD schools with expert staff to develop teaching skills, knowledge and understanding that are observed, deconstructed and analysed and that can the be applied during their own teaching placement. Learn more with this programme in PGCE Secondary - English from Durham University.