PGCE Education (Postgraduate / Professional Graduate Certificate in Education) - Primary - 2012 entry

PGCE

Trainees who successfully complete the course, including success in the prescribed QTS skills tests, will be confirmed by the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) as newly qualified teachers.


Overview

The course prepares you to teach children in either the 3-7 or 5-11 age range, including an insight into the pedagogy of both age ranges as part of the taught course. This one-year full time course provides you with professional attributes, professional knowledge and understanding, and professional skills required to become an effective classroom practitioner. You will qualify with Qualified Teacher Status. The course content is based on a reflective and critical approach to theory, policy and practice, through university-based teaching sessions and school-based professional training.

A key element of this training consists of three periods of practical placement across the age ranges (totalling 18 weeks). With the support of a school mentor and university tutor you will integrate the professional knowledge and understanding developed through university-taught sessions with school-based learning and through practical application enable the development of professional skills in teaching.

 

Why Brookes?

The School of Education at Oxford Brookes is one of the largest schools of education in the UK, combining high quality teaching and significant research and consultancy activity in an outstanding location, with superb sporting, recreational and study facilities.

As a Postgraduate student you will be joining a university which is widely regarded as a major contibutor to the improvement of education and learning, locally and nationally. The School of Education is a focal point for lively, informed debate on education through its seminar and lecture programmes, including the high profile Oxford Education debates. We are proud to be co-sponsors of the Oxford Academy, a community secondary school, where Oxford Brookes staff and students provide practical support to pupils and teaching staff.

We work in close partnership with hundreds of schools and colleges and other organisations.

Our 110-acre Harcourt Hill campus offers all the benefits of a complete academic community on one site. You will be  working with highly regarded academics who are at the forefront of their subjects. Drawing on our cutting-edge, research-led teaching, our courses will advance your knowledge and develop your professional skills. Academics work alongside students from a wide range of backgrounds, and with the support of a caring and efficient administrative staff, provide a rich and diverse intellectual and social environment.

In detail

CONTACT US

Caroline Westell
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0)1865 488546

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Carrick Cameron

The course is very intensive, but it’s great to learn a range of subjects again – it’s like being back at school! I love maths now, which certainly wasn’t the case before coming to Brookes!

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Course content

You will have the opportunity to complete up to two of the eight module credits at Level 7 (Master's Level) within this course.

  • Curriculum Studies develops knowledge and understanding of the primary curriculum and the requirements of the national curriculum. Modules cover English, mathematics, science, information and communication technology, design technology, geography, history, art, music, drama, physical education and religious education. Information and communication technology is addressed within other curriculum elements, as are further cross-curricular aspects of the course such as special educational needs, multicultural education and citizenship.
  • Researching Effective Practice gives you the opportunity to study an area of your interest in more depth.  If you are on the Early Years pathway, you will consider an area within your specialism.
  • Developing Professional Practice is concerned with the development of attitudes, skills and knowledge required to build understanding of the full professional life of a teacher.  It also applies your knowledge and understanding of the curriculum guidance to classroom practice through explanations of planning, teaching and assessment.
  • School experience - the Oxford Brookes Primary Partnership of schools is well established and mentors and teachers are involved in all aspects of your training. You will undertake three periods of school experience, totalling 18 weeks, teaching across classes within your chosen age range, within at least two partnership schools.

All elements of the course are compulsory.

As our courses are reviewed regularly, course content may change from the details given here.

Teaching, learning and assessment

Approaches to learning include lectures, directed reading, workshops, seminars, and practical and project work with professional tutor support. Assessment is based on coursework, assignments and the achievement of the standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Attendance at lectures, workshops, seminars and school experience is a compulsory component of successful completion of the course and is monitored throughout and reflected in trainee references.

Quality

Ofsted feedback:

  • the good attainment and outstanding progress of students, irrespective of their varied starting points
  • communication across the partnership, which ensures high expectations and consistency
  • very effective team working among enthusiastic, committed and knowledgeable trainers at all levels
  • the committment and enthusiasm of trainees, their outstanding professional attitudes to their development, and the capacity to identify their own learning priorities
  • the outstanding support provided for individual trainees, particularly those who are at risk of failure.

The 2010 full Ofsted inspection graded Oxford Brookes' primary teaching courses as 'outstanding', the highest rating possible.

Teaching staff are drawn primarily from the School of Education. Visiting speakers from partnership schools, teaching unions, newly qualified teachers (NQTs) and other experts within the field of education provide further input.

Free language courses for students - the Open Module

Free language courses are available to all full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students who are studying any course on our Headington (including Marston Road), Harcourt Hill or Wheatley Campuses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

Key facts

CONTACT US

Caroline Westell
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0)1865 488546

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Faculty

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department

School of Education

Course length

Full-time: Up to 38 weeks

Teaching location

Harcourt Hill Campus

Start date

September 2012

Apply / Entry reqs

CONTACT US

Caroline Westell
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0)1865 488546

RELATED COURSES:

International Students

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Entry requirements

  • Recognised UK degree, or degree equivalent, typically at second class honours or above.
  • Passes at GCSE grade C or above in English language, mathematics and science (or equivalent). There will be brief assessments of English and mathematics competence at interview.
  • The ability to demonstrate awareness of the current primary school context through recent experience in school. This will be discussed at interview. A condition of starting the course is ten days experience in a UK state primary school, with a satisfactory report, some of which could be after the interview.
  • Satisfactory health and criminal record audits.

English language requirements

Please see the university's standard English language requirements.

English language requirements for visas

If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Border Agency's minimum language requirements as well as the university's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.

Preparation courses for international and EU students

We offer a range of courses to help you meet the entry requirements for this course and also familiarise you with university life. You may also be able to apply for one student visa to cover both courses.

  • Take our Pre-Master's course to help you to meet both the English language and academic entry requirements for your master's course
  • Take our University English course to help you to meet the English language requirements of your master's course

How to apply

Apply online for this course through the Graduate Teacher Training Registry.

We are fully committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, from people at all stages of life, and seek to make all our courses as inclusive as possible.

Conditions of acceptance

When you accept our offer you agree to the conditions of acceptance. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.

Credit transfer

Oxford Brookes operates the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). All postgraduate single modules are equivalent to 10 ECTS credits, double modules to 20 ECTS credits, and treble modules to 30 ECTS credits. A full master's course will carry 90 ECTS credits. More about ECTS credits.

Fees / funding

CONTACT US

Caroline Westell
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0)1865 488546

RELATED COURSES:

International Students

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TUITION FEES

UK/EU

Full-time: £9,000

International

Full-time: £11,140

Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
+44 (0)1865 483088
finance-fees@brookes.ac.uk

Scholarships and funding

For general sources of financial support, see:

Oxford

CONTACT US

Caroline Westell
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0)1865 488546

RELATED COURSES:

International Students

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Leanne Moore

I knew a few people from home who had been to Brookes and highly recommended it. After researching Brookes myself, coming to the open day and seeing Oxford, It felt like a place I would be happy in.

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Why Oxford is a great place to study PGCE Education (Postgraduate / Professional Graduate Certificate in Education) - Primary

As a student in Oxford you'll be at the heart of the UK's most successful economic region and in a centre for leading industries which provides you with a host of learning opportunities.

Because Oxford is one of the world's great academic cities, it is a key centre of debate, with conferences, seminars and forums taking place across education, science, the arts and many other subjects.

In addition to our own excellent libraries and resource centres, our postgraduate students have access to the world-renowned Bodleian Library, the Bodleian Law Library and the Radcliffe Science Library.

Support

CONTACT US

Caroline Westell
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0)1865 488546

RELATED COURSES:

International Students

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How Brookes supports postgraduate students

Supporting your learning

From academic advisers and support co-ordinators to specialist subject librarians and other learning support staff, we want to ensure that you get the best out of your studies.

Personal support services

We want your time at Brookes to be as enjoyable and successful as possible. That's why we provide all the facilities you need to be relaxed, happy and healthy throughout your studies.

Research

CONTACT US

Caroline Westell
education@brookes.ac.uk
+44 (0)1865 488546

RELATED COURSES:

International Students

Find out more about learning resources, culture, the social scene and career opportunities.