Ashlawn Teaching School Social Sciences (DF89)

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
https://ashlawn.org.uk/about/teaching-school/train-to-teach

Contents

About the course

This non-salaried route means you will be working alongside experienced colleagues in school 4 days a week plus one day in university. During the autumn term, after a few full time weeks at university you will build up the number of hours you are observing lessons and begin to take over some parts of lessons. After Christmas you will have another few weeks full time in university then move to a second placement as a contrasting experience where you will continue to increase your teaching hours.

You will:

  • have a school-based subject mentor, a professional mentor and a university teaching fellow for support
  • observe other lessons with colleagues to help formulate your individual style of teaching
  • be provided with a teaching timetable within ITT requirements
  • plan and evaluate taught lessons with the support of your mentor
  • be formally observed and discuss in a follow-up meeting (once per week)
  • create a portfolio of evidence during the year to evidence you have met the teaching standards for QTS
  • attend university day once a week and several alliance days across the year
  • be required to submit assignments, spread across the year, which will be assessed at Masters Level for your PGCE

Please see the BCU website for course information (https://www.bcu.ac.uk/education-and-social-work/initial-teacher-training/school-direct) or please feel free to call Mrs. Dixon on 01788 573425 between 9am and 3pm Mon - Fri to discuss your routes, options, and what’s involved.

School placements

You will have two contrasting placements, one before Christmas and 1 after. You’re required to attend lectures at university full time for a few weeks at the beginning of each placement and 1 day a week and will also experience one week in a primary school during the course. You will be supported by a subject mentor, professional mentor, the teaching school and a teaching fellow from the university.

Entry requirements

Qualifications needed

You should be a graduate, with an honours degree grade 2:2 or above or equivalent qualification. It is preferred your degree is in the subject you wish to train to teach, if not, a strong A level grade B/ level 5 is needed. You require a standard equivalent to a grade C/ level 4 in GCSE English and mathematics. Your qualifications must be completed before the commencement of your training place. Equivalency tests are accepted at the university’s discretion. NARIC equivalency certificates are required for any degree or school qualifications gained outside the United Kingdom.

Personal qualities

We require:

  • a desire to teach, motivate and enthuse young people
  • interest in and commitment to the education of children
  • a flexible approach to learning and teaching
  • good oral and written communication skills
  • a readiness to listen and share
  • a love of your subject

Other requirements

Previous experience of working with young people strengthens an application

Fees and financial support

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

Financial support from the training provider

You may be eligible for financial support while you study, including bursaries, scholarships and loans please check the government website.

About the training provider

Ashlawn Teaching School (Innovation Learning and Leadership Alliance) is a partnership of schools in Rugby, Coventry, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire. Together we seek to provide teacher training opportunities based in local schools with a common core of development opportunities focussed on the wider educational community. We create personalised training programmes with a breadth of experience and outstanding support to develop balanced well-rounded teaching professionals. At the heart of our alliance is the desire to provide learning communities where students can experience outstanding learning. Our School Direct Alliance is led by Ashlawn School, an outstanding bilateral secondary academy, which has an outstanding record of training teachers with experienced mentors across a wide range of primary age groups and secondary subjects.

“Very supportive department in Ashlawn School. Ashlawn School is very professional and treat their trainees as ‘’human-beings’’, provide appropriate advice when necessary and the quality of training and mentors provided is splendid.” - 2019-20 maths trainee

“Ashlawn Teaching School has been incredibly supportive and fundamental to the successful completion of my teacher training. Without their advice and support at vital times throughout the year, I would have struggled to stay on track and meet targets. I would recommend Ashlawn Teaching School to anyone looking to complete their ITT” - 2018-19 history trainee

“The teaching schoolfacilitates individual learning needsfor pedagogy in an outstanding manner.”2017-18 art trainee

About the accredited body

The School of Education and Social Work has a long and established history when it comes to delivering initial teacher training (ITT). Our graduates are very successful in finding employment and many take jobs in the West Midlands. Courses are taught by a range of experienced practitioners, many of whom have been exceptional teachers or have worked as senior managers in education. (https://www.bcu.ac.uk/education-and-social-work/initial-teacher-training/school-direct)

Interview process

Interviews will be conducted by the Head of Teaching School and a course/subject leader from BCU either at Ashlawn School or in a partner school, depending on where you wish to be hosted for your main placement. You will complete a few written activities (1 hour) then you will participate in a lower school (KS3) lesson in your subject, we will ask you to prepare a 10min starter activity (details given prior to interview), followed by an interview with the Head of Teaching School, BCU course/subject leader (and a senior member of staff from the host school if not Ashlawn).

Training with disabilities and other needs

Ashlawn Teaching School team tailor our training process to the specific needs of each trainee and we work closely with our partner schools and universities to ensure this critical training year runs as smoothly as possible for each trainee’s individual needs. If you have a disability, including a specific learning difficulty, we strongly recommend you include this in your application form, so we can support you right from the beginning of the process.

Contact details

Email
greenwaya@ashlawn.org.uk
Telephone
01788 573425
Website
https://ashlawn.org.uk/about/teaching-school/train-to-teach
Address
Ashlawn Road
Rugby
Warwickshire
CV22 5ET

Support and advice

For questions about this course you should contact the training provider using the contact details above.

Get support and advice about teaching

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You can also call Get Into Teaching free of charge on 0800 389 2501, or speak to an adviser using their online chat service Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm (except public holidays).

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