Program Overview

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Secondary Music (Lead School Partner Route) PGCE with QTS

Overview

This course is designed to provide you with the knowledge, understanding, and skills that you need to be an outstanding teacher. You will be taught in conjunction with Lead Secondary Partnership Schools. We aim to nurture teachers who are passionate about the development of their own and their pupils' learning.

Study Options

• Full-Time at Exton Park, Chester

Level

• Postgraduate

Start Date

• Sept 2025, Sept 2026

Duration

• 1 year

Location

• Exton Park, Chester

UK Fees

• £9,535 per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

International Fees

• £14,450 per year for a full-time course* (2025/26)

PGCE Open Day

If you're looking to study a PGCE course with us and would like to visit us, book your place at our PGCE event running in conjunction with our Open Day on Saturday 21st June.

Our ‘Lead Partner Route PGCEs’ were previously named ‘School Direct PGCEs’

Recent changes within the government’s Department for Education have led to a change in nomenclature, but the courses remain the same in both build and delivery. The way we work with our partners and local schools has not changed.

Accreditations

• You are viewing Course summary

Course Contents

Course Summary

• This course replaces the School Direct route, which closed to applications in September 2023.
• In conjunction with Secondary Lead School partners, the University of Chester offers Music (11-16 with sixth form enhancement) as a subject specialism leading to the award PGCE with QTS.
• Teaching is an extremely rewarding and challenging career. Our course is designed to provide you with the knowledge, understanding, and skills that you need to be an outstanding teacher.
• We aim to nurture teachers who are passionate about the development of their own and their pupils' learning.
• Music is taught in conjunction with Lead Secondary Partners.
• Alliance of Leading Learning, Sandstone Trust, Salop Teaching Partnership, and Wade Deacon Trust.

Why You’ll Love It

• Professional development
• School-based learning
• Teaching opportunities

What You'll Study

• Year 1
  • In essence, the course will start you on your professional journey as a teacher.
  • We aim to provide high-quality education and training, and modules will provide you with:
    • Critical understanding of pedagogy, assessment, and curriculum
    • Critical knowledge, understanding, and skills in specialist age phases and subjects
    • Critical knowledge and understanding of wider professional issues, e.g., behavior management and inclusive practice
    • Enrichment opportunities
    • 120 days of school-based learning in a minimum of two schools

Modules

Becoming a Teacher: the Professional Transformation

• Module content:
  • Common strands explored throughout the program and within the context of this module include commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all.
  • Alongside this and in common with other modules, ATs will be supported to prioritize their own well-being, achieve a sustainable work-life balance while managing their initiation into professional communities of practice.
• Module aims:
  • ATs' commitment to inclusivity, well-being, and safeguarding of children.
  • ATs' understanding of the nature and aims of the National Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage, depending on the age-phase in which they are training to teach.
  • ATs' understanding of legislative and statutory frameworks relevant to teaching, education, and the professional responsibilities of teachers.
  • ATs' knowledge and understanding of inclusion in all its forms.
  • ATs' knowledge of how to generate motivation, autonomy, mutual respect, and positive relationships with pupils.
  • ATs' understanding of the principles of professionalism and professional behaviors of teachers.
  • ATs' knowledge of Citizenship and PHSE, where relevant, and their relationship to the notion of a healthy and socially responsible community.
  • ATs' understanding of how to manage their workload to ensure there is a productive work-life balance and the management of their own on-going learning.
  • ATs' knowledge of how to communicate with lay stakeholders, parents, and carers and others in promoting professional cooperation and the engagement of pupils.

Becoming a Teacher: Meeting the Teachers' Standards

• Module content:
  • Associate Teachers (ATs) will be supported to manage their own progress in developing and extending their knowledge and understanding of inclusion in all its forms, the promotion of a positive classroom environment which maximizes learning and respects safeguarding and the dignity and diversity of all pupils.
  • They will also be supported to consistently and confidently plan sequences of lessons which enable the progression of all pupils and engage with colleagues in mutual enquiries to develop the curriculum.
• Module aims:
  • ATs' management of their own professional learning, their ability to plan for inclusion, safeguarding, respect for the diversity of pupils, and demonstrate professional behaviors of teachers.
  • ATs' ability to establish a positive learning environment which generates motivation, autonomy, mutual respect, and positive relationships with pupils.
  • ATs' understanding of the nature and aims of the National Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage, depending on the age-phase in which they are training to teach.
  • ATs' understanding of legislative and statutory frameworks relevant to teaching, education, and the professional responsibilities of teachers.
  • ATs' knowledge and understanding of inclusion and ability to plan for how pupils of all kinds can be supported to develop positive relationships and to access an empowering curriculum.
  • ATs' ability to use different types of assessment to ensure planning is responsive to pupils' needs and learning.
  • ATs' knowledge of curricular planning and their ability to plan coherent and balanced sequences of learning which promote engagement for all pupils.
  • ATs' knowledge of Citizenship and PHSE, where relevant.
  • ATs' confidence in communicating with lay stakeholders, parents, and carers and others in promoting professional cooperation and the engagement of pupils.

Professional Knowledge in Secondary Education

• Module content:
  • This module is underpinned by common strands explored across the program as a whole.
  • Within the context of this module, this includes commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding and well-being of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all.
• Module aims:
  • ATs will be able to know and understand:
    • Sensitivities and respect associated with all aspects of inclusion and the principles underpinning a positive environment for learning respecting of diversity.
    • Legislative and statutory frameworks (e.g., inter alia those governing safeguarding, SEND, the Promotion of Fundamental British Values, the Equality Act, National Curriculum, etc.).
    • Principles of professionalism and professional behaviors of teachers along with establishing professional relationships with staff and pupils and the importance of reading policies, following them, and taking appropriate initiative.
    • Citizenship and PHSE and their relationship to developing a healthy and socially responsible school community as well as the Spiritual, Moral, Social, and Cultural development of pupils.
    • Cross-curriculum linking (for example in the development of pupils' literacy, reading, writing, oracy, and an enjoyment of engaging with text)
    • Legal and ethical principles behind data security and communication with lay stakeholders, parents, and carers and others in promoting professional cooperation and the engagement of pupils.
    • How to manage workload to ensure there is a productive work-life balance and that proportionate amounts of time are set out for planning, teaching, and assessment activities. ATs will recognize the importance of their contributions to the wider life of the school.

Enriching the Teacher

• Module content:
  • ATs will involve themselves in a variety of activities aimed to develop their professional perspectives on teaching and introduce them to broader horizons in the practice of education.
• Module aims:
  • Enrich ATs' knowledge, understanding, and skills to work effectively in schools, leading learning for all children.
  • Further ATs' insights into inclusivity by broadening their understanding of the width and variety of learning experiences that could be incorporated into a creative curriculum.
  • Develop ATs' understanding of issues affecting pupils' engagement and how they, as Associate Teachers, might support pupil progression.
  • Enable ATs to develop the skills, knowledge, and understanding needed to devise and deliver their own effective enrichment activities/projects.
  • Enable ATs to reflect on their involvement in enrichment and to analyze the impact of these modes of working on pupil development.

Building Knowledge for Teaching

• Module content:
  • This module enables Associate Teachers on ITE programs, and their tutors, to establish, track, and develop their fundamental knowledge for teaching in English, Maths, and (for Primary and Early Years ATs only) in Science.
• Module aims:
  • Audit ATs' fundamental knowledge for teaching in English, Maths, and (Primary and Early Years only) in Science.
  • Signpost ATs' to resources to develop their fundamental knowledge for teaching in English, Maths, and (for Primary and Early Years only) Science.

Learning to teach: Developing Critical Perspectives on the Teaching of the Specialist Subject

• Module content:
  • Common strands embedded within the program as a whole and explored within the context of this module include commitments to inclusivity in all its forms; safeguarding, and well-being of children; promoting a positive classroom environment conducive to engagement and respecting diversity; and building curricula and sequences of lessons designed to ensure the progression of all.
• Module aims:
  • The AT’s own underpinning philosophy of teaching and learning, and understanding of the principles of professional enquiry by engaging in research and theory that inform effective and inclusive approaches to presenting the specialist subject.
  • The AT’s understanding of how all pupils learn (in general and within their specialist subject); the range of concepts and theories which underpin it and the principles underpinning inclusion in all its forms.
  • The AT’s understanding of curriculum planning and the range of concepts and theories which inform it and how coherent sequences of learning can promote learning for all pupils.
  • The AT's engagement in professional dialogue with colleagues, peers, and carers, in order to meet the needs of pupils.
  • The AT's understanding of how to generate motivation, autonomy, mutual respect, and positive relationships with pupils of all kinds.
  • The AT's development of responsive approaches to planning in the light of pupils' prior learning.

Subject Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Professional Enquiry

• Module content:
  • This module straddles two contrasting placements and as such provides an arena for exploring contrasts between curriculum and pedagogy within the specialist subject and between institutions.
• Module aims:
  • Contrasts and similarities between different placement settings and the culture and practices evident within them.
  • Inclusive approaches to teaching which allow all children to access the specialist subject and an empowering curriculum.
  • Alignment between ATs' aspirations for their pupils and the learning evident in classrooms through ethical methods and methodologies of practitioner research and enquiry.
  • ATs' professional knowledge, and participation in a Professional Learning Community in relation to subject pedagogical and curriculum expertise and thus provide insight into the contribution of the specialist subject to an engaging whole school curriculum.
  • ATs' critical thinking and reflective capacity by ensuring interactivity between theory, research, and practice.
  • ATs' understanding of pedagogical and curriculum concepts and the teacher/school’s role in enacting them.
  • ATs' understanding of the philosophical, historical, and socio-political influences upon the curriculum and how curriculum intention is mediated by teachers and pupils.
  • ATs’ planning of sequences of lessons, including purposeful homework activities, which fit into broader curricular frameworks and objectives.
  • ATs’ understanding of the contribution of their subject to the development of pupils’ literacy, reading, writing, and oracy.
  • Assessment practices and the data they yield including from the use of dialogue and questioning and what this means in terms of giving pupils a voice and understanding their perspectives and identifying barriers to learning.

Who You’ll Learn From

• Rhianwen Pugh
  • Visiting Lecturer

How You'll Learn

• Professional and academic learning
• School-based learning
• This course is designed around in-person study
• There may be some online learning activities

Beyond the Classroom

• On this course, you’ll spend time out on placement where you’ll apply what you have learned to real scenarios in the workplace, giving you genuine experience and insight that will prepare you for your future career.

Entry Requirements

• Home Students
  • Applicants will normally:
    • Hold or be expected to gain a minimum of a 2:2 honors degree
    • Have GCSE grade C/grade 4 in English and Mathematics
• International Students
  • Applicants will normally:
    • Hold or be expected to gain a minimum of a 2:2 honors degree
    • Have GCSE grade C/grade 4 in English and Mathematics

Where You'll Study

• Exton Park, Chester

Our Facilities

• Modern learning resources and library
• Fitness facilities
• Student Services
• Chapel, chaplaincy, and multi-faith spaces
• Accommodation
• Catering

Fees and Funding

• Home Students
  • £9,535 per year for a full-time course (2025/26)
• International Students
  • £14,450 per year for a full-time course* (2025/26)
• Additional Costs
• Bursaries

Your Future Career

• Careers service
  • The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice, and guidance.