Stour Vale Academy Trust
Geography (2GKC)

PGCE with QTS full time

• Accredited body: University of Worcester
• Financial support: Scholarship, bursary or 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: 8 October 2019
• Date course starts: September 2020
• Website: https://stourbridgetsa.org/

Contents

About the course

Stour Vale Academy Trust (SVAT) offers primary and secondary school direct training. SVAT includes a number of excellent training schools across the Black Country and trainees will spend the majority of their time in these schools. We work with a number of providers, including University of Worcester, University of Wolverhampton and Haybridge Alliance SCITT (accredited through Birmingham City University).

We offer a comprehensive professional studies package which includes training in all aspects of school life, from assessment to work-life balance. Our programme is delivered by practising professionals and incorporates the latest pedagogy. It also includes visits to other schools alongside sessions from guest speakers to enhance your understanding of contemporary practice.

Secondary Training: all trainees will be fully supported by both their subject and their professional mentor. The subject mentor will provide subject specific support, including access to the latest teaching and learning strategies in order to become a confident teacher. Trainees will spend up to 70 days in their main school (autumn and summer term) and up to 35 days in their second placement (spring term). Autumn term will consist of observing lessons and working collaboratively with other teachers, and trainees will be teaching independently by October half-term. Teaching allocations will then be increased gradually over the next two terms. Alongside their teaching commitments, trainees will also spend approximately 45 days with their Higher Education provider where they will receive expert training in their subject specialisms as well as attending supplementary professional studies sessions and other enhancement activities. There will be two assignments plus a presentation assessing a trainee’s subject and pedagogical knowledge and which together form part of the PGCE Secondary offer (which also includes 60 Masters credits).

Primary Training: Trainees will spend up to 23 weeks in their base school (autumn and summer terms) and up to 8 weeks in their second placement (spring term). In addition to this, they will also spend up to 7 weeks either at university or on enhanced placements. One day per week will be devoted to professional studies which will take place either at university or in school. For their PGCE accreditation, trainees will have to complete 2 assignments plus a presentation.

Interview process

Applications through University of Worcester: candidates will attend an interview at the university which will include a presentation and a formal interview with subject and course leaders from the university and Stour Vale. They will also spend a morning at their host school where they will conduct an activity with a group of pupils and take part in a subject knowledge discussion. For applications through University of Wolverhampton and Haybridge Alliance SCITT, the process will be similar to the process for Worcester, but there will be additional literacy and numeracy tasks for Haybridge candidates.

How school placements work

Stour Vale Academy Trust works with a number of schools (see our web-site for further details) and candidates are usually allocated according to capacity and need. In all cases, the candidate’s own circumstances will be considered so that travel times are not inconvenient. All our schools are mainly in the Dudley Borough and at secondary level they are predominantly 11-16 intake. You will spend the autumn and summer terms at your host school and the spring term in your second placement.

Applicants through University of Worcester, University of Wolverhampton or Haybridge Alliance SCITT will be allocated through the same process. Applicants to salaried placements through University of Wolverhampton will train at the host school specified in the course information.

All trainees are allocated a subject mentor and a professional mentor within school. Teaching timetables are staged and trainees will be expected to be teaching independently by the end of the first term. Weekly meetings and observations will be designed to fully support the trainee’s needs and help them to develop as classroom practitioners.

Fees

The course fees for 2020 to 2021 are as follows:

UK students	£9,250
EU students	£9,250
International students	£13,700

Fee amount pending confirmation from the University of Worcester.

Financial support

You could be eligible for either:

• a scholarship of £17,000
• a bursary of £15,000

To qualify for a scholarship you’ll need a degree of 2:1 or above in Geography or a related subject. For a bursary you’ll need a 2:2 or above in any subject.

You can’t claim both a bursary and a scholarship - you can only claim one.

Find out how to apply for a scholarship. You don’t need to apply for a bursary - if you’re eligible, you’ll automatically start receiving it once you begin your course. Find out how you’ll be paid.

You may also be eligible for a loan while you study – note that you’ll have to apply for undergraduate student finance.

Find out about financial support if you’re from outside the UK.

Requirements

Qualifications

Secondary: You will have attained a degree in your subject area. We will consider other relevant and related degrees providing the necessary Subject Knowledge Enhancement Programme is completed. You should have a Grade C/4 or above in both English and Mathematics; however, we will consider candidates who need to take an equivalency test as well as those with a pending GCSE.

Primary: In addition to a relevant degree, you will also need GCSE to Grade C/4 or above in English, Mathematics and Science.

Personal qualities

We are looking for people who first and foremost believe in the power of education to transform the lives of young people, whatever their background and ability. You will be hard-working, with an enquiring mind and have the resilience to stay the course. Teaching is the most rewarding job in the world, but it is also, like all professions, a challenging one. You will be supported all the way, but we also want you to be independent, a critical thinker, reflective and self-aware. You will also need to be a confident communicator who will contribute to a great team spirit.

Other requirements

• Full criminal/DBS checks will be carried out upon application.
• Trainees without the relevant degree may well be expected to take a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course.
• Fitness to Teach: Admission to the course is subject to a satisfactory medical report, as you are required to meet the standards for Fitness to Teach. We endeavour to meet the needs of trainees with disabilities and you are welcome to discuss any needs or disabilities with us at any time during the application process.

About the training provider

Stour Vale Academy Trust is a group of primary and secondary schools offering school direct training across a range of specialisms. Teaching and learning is our core purpose and our course is built on principles of knowledge, inquiry and challenge.

Whether you opt for primary or secondary training, you will be part of an exciting and comprehensive training programme. Supported by our experienced and talented mentors, you will quickly become an integral part of a supportive and aspirational environment that is committed to outstanding outcomes for all, assuring you of the best possible start to your teaching profession.

Our secondary schools: Redhill School, Stourbridge; The Earls High School, Halesowen; Ridgewood High School, Stourbridge

Our primary schools: Olive Hill Primary, Halesowen; Northfield Road Primary, Netherton

We also work closely with a number of other schools in the Black Country, including Oldbury Academy, The Crestwood School (Dudley), and St Matthias School (Wolverhampton).

Our courses are accredited by University of Worcester, University of Wolverhampton and Haybridge Alliance SCITT (c/o Birmingham City University), and all our tuition fee courses award a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) to all successful trainees. Salaried courses award Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) to all successful trainees.

We offer places for secondary and primary trainees.

About the accredited body

We have worked closely with University of Worcester for a number of years and together we have built a strong and impressive course which guarantees quality outcomes for our trainees. Applications through University of Worcester will require an interview at the university and at one of Stour Vale’s schools.

Training with disabilities and other needs

We are a fully inclusive Trust and pride ourselves on our provision for all our stakeholders’ needs. Wheelchair access is excellent with lift access to all areas of our site. We take care to ensure the mental health and well-being of staff and pupils and have recognised this in our ITT handbook.

Contact details

• Email: teachingschool@svat.org.uk
• Telephone: 01384 816632
• Website: https://stourbridgetsa.org/
• Address: Junction Road; Stourbridge; West Midlands; DY8 1JX

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