Program Overview

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Overview

The Secondary English PGCE with QTS is a one-year postgraduate certificate in secondary education. This course is designed for individuals who have an undergraduate degree and aspire to become secondary school English teachers. The program aims to develop subject specialist knowledge alongside hands-on classroom experience.

Key Information

Entry Requirements

• An Honours degree (2:2 or above) with at least 50% relevant content to English. Relevant degrees include: Drama, Media, Linguistics, Law, Sociology, Politics, Philosophy, and Journalism.
• A Level in English Literature or English Language Grade C or above.
• GCSE English and Maths at grade 4 or above (or grade C or above if awarded under the previous GCSE grading scheme) or equivalent.
• If your first language is not English, you will need IELTS 7.0 overall, with no element less than 6.5.
• If all or part of your qualifications are from outside the UK, we’ll need a UK ENIC statement of comparability.

Other Requirements

• You must demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively, and that you have the intellectual and academic potential to meet the required Teachers’ Standards by the end of the programme.
• You should provide two references. Where applicants have current or recent experience working with children or young people, one of the referees should be a member of staff who can comment on their potential to train to teach.
• Offers are subject to satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced disclosure checks and applicants must not previously have been barred from teaching or working with children. We also ask you to complete a health declaration to ensure that you have the health and physical capacity to teach.

Course Detail

The course is divided into two main themes:

• Initial Professional Development: This theme explores creative ways to interpret your knowledge into a language a child can understand. It helps prepare you for the classroom, allowing you to develop your own thinking, teaching, and subject knowledge base to a level which you can trial in your placements. Themes include educational psychology, how young people learn, behaviour management, assessment, inclusion, creative and innovative teaching methods, and designing learning.
• English Specialist Subject Pedagogy: This theme develops your subject teaching in a stimulating way, using different methodologies and new technologies to inspire and engage young people. It helps develop your understanding of the English curriculum; progression in English; planning and curriculum development in English, examination requirements, and inclusion issues in English.

Modules

• Developing Specialist Subject Knowledge: In this module, you will develop the subject content and pedagogical knowledge to support effective teaching in your specialist subject area.
• Pedagogies for Support Learning and Progress in the Secondary School: This module develops your understanding of pedagogy, focusing on the key areas of how pupils learn and how to support their progress.
• Professional Values and Practice in Secondary Education 1, 2, and 3: These modules support your professional learning in the assessed phases of your school-based training, developing the theoretical knowledge, understanding, attributes, values, and skills that underpin the Teachers’ Standards.

Placements

During your time on the course, you will be required to complete 120 days of compulsory placements across at least two of our partner schools. Our network of partner schools spans Kirklees, Calderdale, Oldham, Manchester, Rochdale, Wakefield, Barnsley, and Bradford, offering a diverse range of educational settings.

Fees and Finance

Tuition Fees - Full-time

The maximum fees we will charge for UK-based students on undergraduate courses in 2025/26 will be £9,535 per year for full-time students (subject to parliamentary approval).

Additional Costs

• Your placements could be based in areas some distance from your point of study, so please be aware of potential associated travelling costs.
• A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required to enable you to undertake placements in settings with children. We arrange this as part of the application process. Please note that there may be a charge for the DBS check.

Scholarships and Bursaries

The Department for Education provides financial support for trainee teachers on some secondary subjects, either as a bursary or scholarship. The eligibility requirements for financial support vary depending on your individual circumstances and the amount you can expect to receive will depend on the subject you choose to teach and your degree classification and relevant academic qualifications.

Career Support

Previous graduates from courses in this subject area have gone on to work in a variety of roles such as a Secondary School Teacher, Community Education Officer, Learning Mentor, Education Consultant, Family Support Worker, and Education Mental Health Practitioner.

Accreditations & Professional Links

Upon successful completion of the programme, we recommend Qualified Teaching Status be awarded by the Department for Education. This accreditation is reviewed on a regular basis.

Research Excellence

Our researchers carry out work that makes a real difference to people's lives. We are in the top 50 UK universities for Research Power, with three-quarters of all our research being world-leading and internationally excellent.

Student Support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you navigate through your personal student journey.

Further Study

During the PGCE programme, you’ll complete 60 credits at Masters level, and there are opportunities to continue your postgraduate studies with us. We offer a number of taught Master’s courses in the subject area of Education, and details of these, including the entry requirements, can be found on our course search.