PGCE Secondary Geography with QTS (11-16)

Program Overview

---

Course Overview

The PGCE Secondary with QTS supports students through their journey from student to newly-qualified teacher. This program includes QTS (Qualified Teacher Status), allowing students to apply for their first teaching position while studying. The program is accredited by OFSTED Rated 'Good' 2023 and the Department for Education.

What Our Graduates Say

• "When I think of my studies here, I look at each course with a real sense of achievement. Each has helped pave my career pathway to date, providing me with a first-class education and the necessary foundations to excel professionally." - Kerryann Wilson, PGCE Secondary English, Alumnus of the Year 2021 and Winner of Pearson National Teaching Award 'Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School' 2021

Key Details

• Recruiting to: UK / RoI / Settled in UK, EU / EEA / International
• Course Location: Lancaster or School-Based
• Institute: Institute of Education, Arts and Society
• DFE Code: F8X1
• Delivery Style: In-person
• Course Duration: Full-time: 1 Year
• Course Start Point: September
• Award: PGCE

Course Structure

What You Will Learn

The program ensures that students learn all the skills needed for effective teaching, from structuring and planning lessons to developing personal skills and confidence. The school-based program is delivered through dedicated sessions with trainees and school mentors, allowing students to learn from working alongside experienced school colleagues.

Modules

• PGSC7011 Investigating Teaching and Learning in Geography
• PGSC7012 Investigating Teaching and Learning Across and Beyond the School Curriculum
• PGSC9011 Developing Professional Skills, Knowledge and Practice

Teaching and Assessment

How You Will Learn

The program creates a dynamic and facilitative learning environment that recognizes diversity. Students will have opportunities to learn by interacting with others in a collegiate setting. Teaching, assessment, and student support will allow equal and equitable opportunities for students to optimize their potential and develop autonomy.

The Secondary PGCE Curriculum Overview

The curriculum has six themes:

• Behavior
• Curriculum
• Pedagogy
• Assessment
• Professional Behaviors
• Challenging Disadvantage

These themes are informed by and align with the Core Content Framework (CCF), a Department for Education (DfE) publication outlining the minimum entitlement that students can expect from their Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course.

Overview

The program welcomes applications from students who have achieved a 2:2 or above in Geography or a related discipline, GCSE English Language or Literature, and GCSE Maths at grade C/4. A satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) background clearance check and Occupational Health check are required prior to starting the course.

What We're Looking For

The program seeks motivated applicants with the potential to work at a Masters level, evidence of commitment and appropriate professional values, a strong personal statement conveying an enthusiasm for the subject, for working with young people, and for teaching and learning.

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

• 2025-2026: £9,535 (UK), £14,900 (International)

International Finance

The University of Cumbria offers affordable tuition fees for international and EU students. Students are also eligible for student finance support provided by the UK government, which covers tuition fees and maintenance costs.

Funding

The program offers scholarships, bursaries, grants, and funds to support students throughout their studies. The Cumbria Bursary is a non-repayable bursary designed to support first-year students with a household income of less than £25,000. Student finance is also available to help with living costs and tuition fees.

Additional Costs

There will be some additional costs, including stationery, textbooks, and travel expenses for placement. Students should budget for these costs, which can range from £30-£40 per year for stationery and £50-£100 per year for textbooks.

Student Life

The University of Cumbria provides a comfortable and safe living environment for students. The Lancaster campus offers top-quality facilities tailored to the needs of life-savers, world changers, and future leaders.

Research

The program recognizes that gaining a PGCE and achieving QTS is not the end of a student's professional learning journey. It is with this in mind that the contributory modules have been planned to allow students to undertake a seamless transition to a University of Cumbria MA in education.

Institute

The Institute of Education, Arts and Society at the University of Cumbria offers a range of programs that support students in their educational journey. The institute is committed to providing high-quality education that prepares students for their future careers.

Program Outline

---

Degree Overview:

This specialized PGCE pathway provides students with the skills to teach Geography in a secondary school setting, delivering engaging lessons and nurturing scientific discovery in students aged 11-16.

---

Objectives:

• Develop the skills needed to effectively teach Geography in a secondary school setting.
• Instill a love of science and the natural world in students.
• Inspire young people to care for our planet.
• Prepare students to apply for their first teaching position while studying.

---

Outline:

---

Content:

• The course blends theory and hands-on experience within the National Curriculum Framework.
• Students will explore key concepts and themes of the PGCE curriculum.
• Students will confidently devise and deliver engaging lessons.
• Over half of the course will be spent on assessed placement in various schools and settings.
• School-based enrichment activities complement university-based study.

---

Structure:

• The course is delivered through dedicated sessions with trainees and school mentors.
• Students will work alongside experienced school colleagues, initially with individual groups and gradually progress to teaching whole classes.
• There are two phases to teaching on this course:
• September-December:
Develop understanding and implementation of key teaching strategies, with initial teaching steps with individual groups of pupils. Focus on individual learner needs.
• January-June: Hone whole-class teaching experience, fostering achievement and a love of learning in students, in line with the requirements of the Teachers’ Standards.

---

Course Schedule:

• The course is a full-time, one-year program.
• It begins in September.

---

Modules:

• PGSC7011 Investigating Teaching and Learning in Geography: Explores concepts and structures within Geography in-depth, along with the connections between key subject themes.
• PGSC7012 Investigating Teaching and Learning Across and Beyond the School Curriculum: Develops a secure understanding of the curriculum and how practitioners can contribute to the school community.
• PGSC9011 Developing Professional Skills, Knowledge and Practice: Draws together school-based experiences and helps students achieve their QTS.

---

Assessment:

• Assessment includes both summative and formative methods.
• Summative Assessment: Involves making judgments on student work, such as essay writing.
• Formative Assessment: Provides feedback that does not count towards the final grade but helps students develop their professional learning.
• The program recognizes that gaining a PGCE and achieving QTS is not the end of professional learning, and the modules are planned to allow for a seamless transition to a University of Cumbria MA in education.

---

Teaching:

• Students are part of an inclusive learning community that recognizes diversity.
• They will have opportunities to learn by interacting with others in a collegiate, facilitative, and dynamic learning environment.
• Teaching, assessment, and student support are designed to provide equal and equitable opportunities for students to optimize their potential and develop autonomy.
• The learning environment is stimulating, innovative, and well-equipped, whether encountered on campus, at a distance, on placement, or in the workplace.

---

Other:

• The University of Warwick provides accreditation for the QTS element of this program.
• The program is accredited by OFSTED and rated 'Good' in 2023.

---

Additional Information:

• The program is delivered in person at the Lancaster campus or on a school-based basis.
• The DFE Code for this program is F8X1.
• The course is designed around individual student needs.
• The program has small class sizes and a dedicated personal tutor for each student.
• Graduates of the program have been recognized for their achievements, such as Kerryann Wilson, PGCE Secondary English, Alumnus of the Year 2021 and winner of the Pearson National Teaching Award 'Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School' 2021.

---

Tuition Fees 2024 - 2025 £9,250 - UK The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs. Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.