CAT Institute of Education Biology (38VS)

Postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) with qualified teacher status (QTS)

• Accredited body: University of Derby
• Financial support: Bursaries and student finance are available if you’re eligible
• Qualification:
  PGCE with QTS

  A postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) with qualified teacher status (QTS) will allow you to teach in state schools in England and may allow you to teach in other parts of the UK.

  It may also allow you to teach overseas, though you should always check what qualifications are needed in the country you’d like to teach in.

  Many PGCE courses include credits that count toward a Master’s degree.

• Age range: 11 to 18 - secondary
• Course length: 1 year - full time
• Date you can apply from: 11 October 2022
• Date course starts: September 2023
• Website: https://catteachingschool.org/introductionfutureteachers/

Contents

Course summary

GCSE study in the sciences provides the foundation for understanding the material world. Scientific understanding is changing our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity, and all learners should be taught essential aspects of the knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science. They should be helped to appreciate how the complex and diverse phenomena of the natural world can be described in terms of a small number of key ideas relating to the sciences which are both inter-linked, and are of universal application.

These key ideas include:

• the use of conceptual models and theories to make sense of the observed diversity of natural phenomena

• the assumption that every effect has one or more cause

• that change is driven by differences between different objects and systems when they interact

• that many such interactions occur over a distance and over time without direct contact

• that science progresses through a cycle of hypothesis, practical experimentation, observation, theory development and review

• that quantitative analysis is a central element both of many theories and of scientific methods of inquiry.

Many schools are now offering Triple Science, and it is a good idea to gain a basic knowledge across all the sciences. We offer a Subject Knowledge Enhancement Course in all three Sciences, which you can access once you have a conditional offer of a teacher training place in any route. Our SKEs are bespoke, tailored to your availability and requirements and can bring you a generous tax free Bursary whilst you train.

School placements

The major benefit of School Direct is being able to select the school in which you are going to do the majority of your training. This choice is often influenced by location and distance travelling from home.

Usually you will spend most of your time at your base school, with one day a week spent at your university (weekly with Warwick and fortnightly with Derby).

We also have a number of Alliance Days where we deliver part of your training to all trainee teachers from across the partnership.

Your complementary placement takes place after Christmas, usually during the first half of the Spring Term. This is usually set up within the partnership schools and in many cases will be a straight swap between trainees doing the same subject. All the schools within the partnership are within a 30 minute drive of The Polesworth School, which is the Lead School in the Partnership.

Trainees are also required to undertake a minimum of 5 days in a primary setting.

As well as your university mentor, you will have access to a professional mentor and subject mentor at your base school. You will have support every step of the way and will not be expected to fly solo until you feel you’re ready to do so. The expectation is that by the time you finish your course you should be teaching around 70% of a teacher’s full timetable.

You will also be required to undertake a number of written tasks set by the university that will contribute towards a Masters Degree should you wish to complete one. Also, you will be collecting evidence throughout the year to complete your personal learning portfolio which you will use to demonstrate your learning journey.

Locations

You can select one of the following locations to indicate a preferred placement when you apply.

Location	Vacancies
Holly Lodge High School of Science Holly Lane, Smethwick, West Midlands, B67 7JG	Yes
Main Site The Polesworth School, Dordon Road, Polesworth, Tamworth, B78 1QT	Yes
The Wilnecote School Tinkers Green Road, Tamworth, Staffs, B77 5LF	Yes

Entry requirements

Qualifications needed

An undergraduate degree at class 2:2 or above, or equivalent.

Your degree subject should be in biology or a similar subject. Otherwise you’ll need to prove your subject knowledge in some other way.

Grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths, or equivalent qualification.

We’ll consider candidates with pending GCSEs.

We will not consider candidates who need to take a GCSE equivalency test.

Personal qualities

We are actively seeking good quality honours graduates with excellent communication skills; who have the ability to enthuse young people about their chosen subject; are able to demonstrate resilience and who are self-starters with the ability to use their initiative.

Other requirements

Whilst not a necessity, recent, relevant school experience, or experience of working with young people, is strongly encouraged. We offer Taster Days and School Experience across most subjects.

The successful candidate will need to satisfy the necessary safeguarding and prohibition checks and satisfy the HEI provider that they are proficient in maths and English skills prior to QTS being awarded.

Fees and financial support

The course fees for UK students in 2023 to 2024 are £9,250.

Maintenance grants are available to support living costs during the training year for Home students in England. These are available to trainees whose total household income is less than £42,600. To check eligibility and to apply visit (https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-salary/overview)

Home and EU students may be eligible for a tuition fee loan to cover the costs of the course. Home students in England may be eligible for a student maintenance loan to help towards living costs and accommodation.

Financial support from the training provider

Subject Knowledge Enhancement Courses may be available in this subject.

These courses usually bring with them generous tax free Bursaries and are available to applicants holding a conditional offer of a teacher training place.

Information on availability of these courses should be available at the end of December 2020.

About the training provider

Each of the schools working with the CAT Institute of Education has its own distinctive character, reflecting its local community and history, but all share the same commitment to the partnership’s ethos.

Outstanding Teaching We believe strongly in the personal growth of all staff within the school and take professional development seriously.

During your initial year of training with us you will receive rigorous and regular professional development so that you can progress to being an outstanding teacher.

Our Young People We believe all young people have the potential to achieve great things. Intelligence can be developed regardless of emotional and social background, given appropriate teaching and bespoke, individualised support. They should be equipped with a crucial sense of possibility based on a well-developed self-awareness and ambition, not only for themselves but for the communities in which they live and work.

Our Values extend to how we challenge, support and work with each other. All staff (non-teaching and teaching) play a crucial role in the education of young people. We all understand how our work has a direct influence on the life chances of the young people in our care. In the same way that we all have a duty of care to them, we have a duty of care to each other and have regard for each other’s professional and personal well-being.

Interview process

Potential to Teach You should demonstrate high expectations for your pupils, be passionate about your subject and engage your pupils.

Potential to Reflect You should be able to reflect on all aspects of your planning and teaching so that you can constantly update and amend lessons accordingly to further improve your performance and delivery.

Interview Process Whilst every effort will be made to accommodate your choice of campus, staffing capacity changes and for this reason your application may also be circulated to other schools within the partnership. It may be that several schools will express interest in you. This method ensures you have an increased opportunity of a successful outcome.

You will usually be invited to interview where you will be asked to teach a 20 minute learning activity to a class of pupils. Following the learning activity, you will have an interview with the Professional Mentor and Head of Department. Some schools may ask you to take part in a Student Panel, or to undertake an activity involving students.

If all goes well, you will be told the decision and the UCAS website will be updated accordingly.

International candidates

You’ll need the right to study in the UK. You already have this if, for example, you:

• are an Irish citizen
• have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme (you may still be able to apply)
• have indefinite leave to remain in the UK

If you do not already have the right to study in the UK for the duration of this course, you may need to apply for a Student visa.

To do this, you’ll need to be sponsored by your training provider.

Before you apply for this course, contact us to check Student visa sponsorship is available. If it is, and you get a place on this course, we’ll help you apply for your visa.

Alternatively, check if you’re eligible for a different type of visa, such as a Graduate or Family visa, that allows you to train to be a teacher without being sponsored.

Find out more about training to teach in England.

International qualifications

If your qualifications come from a non-UK institution, we may want to see a ‘statement of comparability’ from UK ENIC. This will show us how they compare to UK qualifications.

You can call Get Into Teaching on 0800 389 2500 for:

• guidance on the UK equivalents of your qualifications
• a free statement of comparability once you’ve submitted your application (if we ask you for this)

Training with disabilities and other needs

Working closely with our partner schools and with our University partners, reasonable adjustments can be put in place for students with a disability or specific learning differences, to ensure they can successfully complete their course and get the most out of their time with us.

Contact this training provider

• Email: catts@thepolesworthschool.com
• Telephone: 01827 702205
• Website: https://catteachingschool.org/introductionfutureteachers/
• Address: The Polesworth School, Dordon Road; Polesworth; Tamworth; Staffs; B78 1QT

Support and advice

You can speak to a teacher training adviser for free, dedicated advice. They are all experienced teachers who can give you one-to-one support with your application. They can also help you get school experience, and find events where you can speak to training providers and teachers.

Call Get Into Teaching free of charge on 0800 389 2500, or chat online Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm (except public holidays).

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