Hales Valley Teaching School Primary (K280)

PGCE with QTS full time

Accredited body
Birmingham City University
Financial support
Student finance 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.

Course length
1 year
Date you can apply from
13 October 2020
Date course starts
September 2021
Website
http://www.hvts.org.uk

Contents

About the course

This course will give you the skills and understanding needed to successfully meet the needs of children in the classroom.

The course will begin in September 2021 and last for one academic year with a trainees time being divided between school based placements and structured training days, workshops and group discussions which will take place at either Birmingham City University or Hales Valley Teaching Hub and focus upon key educational theory and practice.

The setting of this course also provides you with the opportunities to understand the urban context and experience working with children from a wide range of social, economic and cultural backgrounds. While the PGCE is an academic qualification, the emphasis is very much on practical experience, with around two thirds of the course spent in school.

This course is practical and very hands-on in its approach.

School placements

School direct is a school-led training course which gives you the chance to learn ‘on the job’ in a school. You work as part of the teaching team from day one, learning from experienced, highly-skilled colleagues and you immediately put your new skills into practice.

You will spend two-thirds of your time – at least 120 days – working in schools on block placements gaining valuable real-life experience in schools. The 120 days will be split over a minimum of two placements in different schools. You will gain direct teaching experience and work with experienced practitioners in the classroom. You will be placed within one of our 22 partnership schools. You will be assigned a trained mentor while on placement, who will support and guide your work, as well as provide training and feedback.

We have worked very closely with our partnership schools over the last seven years and have excellent relationships with them. They share our ethos, understanding the importance and value of school led teacher training.

You will have two school experiences throughout the year ensuring you gain experience in both EYFS and key stage 1 enabling you to teach 3-7 year olds. You spend your first and last school experience in the same class, in the same school. Your second school placement is in different school ensuring you gain a wider experience in your training.

You also spend time in Key Stage 2 in order to gain experience of both the key stage above where you will be qualified to teach.

Entry requirements

Qualifications needed

  1. An undergraduate Honours degree at 2:2 or above from a UK higher education institution, or a recognised equivalent, in a relevant subject.
  2. GCSEs at grade C/4 or above (or its equivalent) in English, mathematics and a science subject at the point of enrolment.

Full entry requirements can be found on the page for each course on our website: www.bcu.ac.uk/education

Personal qualities

Add anything relevant that relates back to your chosen course and shows how your skills will contribute towards your learning. What extra-curricular activities have you taken part in? What awards have you won? What employment or voluntary experience do you have that has helped you develop transferable skills?

Other requirements

Applicants must meet the Department for Education’s Initial Teacher Training Criteria, which includes being fit to train to teach, to successfully completing an enhanced disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and satisfying any other safeguarding check required for your course.

While not essential, you may wish to gain some school experience before attending interview.

Fees and financial support

The course fees for UK students in 2021 to 2022 are £9,250.

Financial support from the training provider

Once individuals have accepted a place, they can then make applications for tuition fee loans through Student Finance England, to cover the cost of their training.

About the training provider

School Direct and SCITT courses are school-led training which gives you the chance to learn ‘on the job’ in a school. You work as part of the teaching team from day one learning from experienced, highly-skilled colleagues and immediately put your new skills into practice.

Here at Hales Valley Teaching Hub, we offer four different routes into teacher training.

The two routes we offer which are validated by the University of Birmingham are:-

  • Primary Postgraduate Certificate of Education award (Level 7), 60 Masters level credits and QTS.
  • Early Years Postgraduate Certificate of Education award (Level 7),60 Masters level credits and QTS.

The third route we offer is in partnership with Haybridge School Centred Based Initial Teacher Training is:-

  • Primary Postgraduate Certificate of Education award (Level 7), 60 Masters level credits and QTS.

The fourth route we offer is validated by the Birmingham City University is:-:-

  • Primary (3 - 7 year old) Postgraduate Certificate of Education award (Level 7), 60 Masters level credits and QTS.

Why choose Hales Valley Teaching Hub?

  • Excellent support and bespoke provision to meet the individual needs of our trainees.
  • 22 primary partnership schools.
  • 100% pass rate at good or above and 100% employment rate once qualified since we began offering the programme.
  • Experienced Hales Valley mentor designated to each trainee throughout the year.

For more information on one of our three courses, please email hpickles1@lutley.dudley.sch.uk or bhale@lutley.dudley.sch.uk

About the accredited body

Our student teachers will be ‘the village’ it takes ‘to raise a child’. Training more teachers than anyone else in the region (HESA, 2016). We’re ranked 3rd in the UK for our undergraduate education courses (Guardian League Tables 2020). Our courses are taught by staff who are experienced professionals and maintain links with their sector to ensure you get the most up-to-date learning during your course. Our aim for when you graduate is that you can think for yourself, critically and reflectively determining what’s best, not what’s easiest.

Interview process

You will be required to attend one interview. Interviews include:

  • exploration of curriculum knowledge
  • discussions about relevant experiences
  • a presentation or small teaching exercise
  • written task

We also look for:

  • good communication skills
  • potential / suitability to be a good teacher
  • robustness to cope with the demands of the course

Training with disabilities and other needs

Hales Valley Teaching Hub strives to be an inclusive learning community. Whatever your disability, mental health or learning support needs, we’re here to help make sure you that you can access appropriate support to take advantage of the School Direct and SCITT experience.

How we support our teacher trainees depends on your condition and other circumstances. Support is individual and personalised to you and responsive to how your needs may change throughout your time with us.

Contact this training provider

Email
hpickles1@lutley.dudley.sch.uk
Telephone
01384 818220
Website
http://www.hvts.org.uk
Address
Lutley Primary School
Brookwillow Road
Halesowen
West Midlands
B63 1BU

Support and advice

For support and advice, you can speak to a Get Into Teaching adviser for free. They’re all experienced teachers who can help you to prepare your application, book school experience, and access exclusive teaching events.

You can also call Get Into Teaching free of charge on 0800 389 2500, or speak to an adviser using their online chat service Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm (except public holidays).

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