Below is some information that I have found so far about how to get onto a PGCE course and what the courses actually entail. I have chosen to blog the most important relevant information and the text that really answered my questions surrounding this type of course.
The information that I have found has really informed me into which decision to take and I now feel confident in my choice to do a PGCE.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is a one-year course in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for undergraduate degree holders that trains them to become teachers.
Some really useful information that I found on the Manchester Metropolitan university website is below, this information details about how funding is possible through which routes for the PGCE course. It was really great to notice that depending on which course you are currently/ did study at university depends on how much bursary that you receive.
I would choose to gain relevant experience in schools and colleges in my local area during the year that I finish university and between when I begin my PGCE (2015). This is due to the fact that I will need relevant experience for the university to consider taking myself onto the PGCE course.
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Funding for PGCE courses 2014/15
Full-time Initial Teacher Training (ITT) courses attract funding in the same way as undergraduate degree courses.
Postgraduate trainees starting a PGCE course in 2014/15 may also be offered a tax -free bursary by the Teaching Agency, depending on the subject they are training to teach and the classification of their first degree.
Tuition Fees
You will need to pay tuition fees of £9,000 for your PGCE course. This can be funded through a tuition fee loan from Student Finance England. The loan is not means -tested and covers the full amount of the tuition fees. These are then paid direct to the University when you enrol on a PGCE course. You would repay the loan after you have graduated and are earning over £21,000.
Maintenance Loan
This is available to help you with your living costs. The amount you will receive depends on your household income (parents’ or partner’s income plus yours) and the loan is repayable once you have finished the course and are earning over £21,000.
Full-time student
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Maintenance Loan
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Living at home
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Up to £4,418
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Living away from home, outside London
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Up to £5,500
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Living away from home, in London
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Up to £7,751
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Maintenance Grant
You may be eligible for a Maintenance Grant of up to £3,387 if your household income is £42,620 or lower:
Full-time student – household income
|
Grant for courses from September 2013
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less than £25,000
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£3,387
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£30,000
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£2,441
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£35,000
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£1,494
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£40,000
|
£547
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£42,611
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£50
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Over £42,611
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No grant
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School Direct Training Programme
NON-SALARIED ROUTE
The School Direct Training Programme is funded by tuition fees paid by the trainee who will be eligible for the standard student support package, including training bursaries and scholarships where eligible.
SALARIED ROUTE
The Teaching Agency provides funding to cover training costs and subsidise salary costs for these places. Because it is an employment based route trainees are not eligible for student loans. As the costs of training to achieve Qualified Teacher Status are included within the funding provided by the Teaching Agency, individual trainees should not incur any costs for this:
Postgraduate Training Bursary 2014/15
To encourage the best people to enter the teaching profession, the Teaching Agency offers tax-free bursaries . Amounts vary depending on the teaching subject and the classification of the trainee’s first degree. These amounts may be subject to change in subsequent academic years.
| | Physics, Maths | Computing | Chemistry | Languages | Other Priority Secondary Primary 2 | Primary Maths Specialists |
| Scholarship | £25, 000 | £25, 000 | £25, 000 | - | - | - |
| First | £20, 000 | £20, 000 | £20, 000 | £20, 000 | £9, 000 | £11, 000 |
| 2.1 | £20, 000 | £20, 000 | £15, 000 | £15, 000 | £4, 000 | £11, 000 |
| 2.2 | £15, 000 | £15, 000 | £12, 000 | £12, 000 | £0 | £6, 000 |
| Other | £9, 000 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 | £0 |
For bursary awards up to £13,750:
- Trainees will receive the bursary in equal monthly instalments for the duration of their course.
- Trainees are advised to confirm the actual monthly amounts that will be paid with their ITT provider.
For bursary awards of £15,000 or over:
- Trainees will continue to receive equal monthly instalments for the duration of their course, but this will be enhanced by larger payments in February and July, or in the final month of the trainee's course.
- The trainee would need to be on the course at 1 January to receive the first enhanced payment in February, and would need to have completed the course to receive the second payment at the end of their programme.
Additional support
Full-time students with children could get up to £1,523 a year to help with their learning costs. This is called Parents’ Learning Allowance.
Full-time students in higher education with an adult who depends on them financially can apply for an Adult Dependants’ Grant of up to £2,668.
If you have a disability or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, you can apply for a Disabled Students’ Allowance.
EU students
EU students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan to cover the cost of their tuition fees.
How to apply
You don’t need to wait until you’ve been accepted onto a course to apply for student finance. If you are a full-time student living in England apply through Student FinanceEngland. The deadline is 31st May 2014.
If you live in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, you need to apply through the relevant central loans company for your country. Arrangements vary according to your country of residence and you can find more information on the relevant website.
How to pay your tuition fees
We offer a number of convenient payment options for students who are responsible for paying their own tuition fees, including an instalment scheme.
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A course that looks and sounds really interesting is at the university of Bangor, below is a short paragraph about this course and a link to their website.
This course aims to develop students' expertise in becoming confident and effective classroom teachers of Art. This is achieved by ensuring that students develop and extend their own experience and understanding of art and by relating that experience and understanding to the needs of the classroom situation.
Coursework links directly with school-based activity, and the study of educational theory is related to practice in all aspects of the course. Students will be given the opportunity to enhance their understanding of the role of art in contemporary culture, while reflecting on educational issues and contexts will help to explore the value of art education in the classroom.
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Another interesting course from what seems to be a well respected and local university is the university of Chester. There is a brief paragraph of this course below.
A distinctive feature of the course is Subject Enrichment Week, which falls in the block between the two school placements. This has been designed to consolidate and extend particular aspects of subject knowledge.
For example this year trainees have been given the opportunity to work and live in a Sikh Community in London, be part of an outdoor education experience at the Conway Centre, deliver workshops at the Science Discovery Centre, deliver MathaMagic workshops for Primary pupils, and be part of a cross-cultural and educational experience based in Venice.
This dimension of the Chester PGCE course has been designed to inspire trainees on personal and subject related levels and then encourage them to translate this into classroom practice.
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Another university that I found does a bit of a unique course is UCLAN, below is some information on that course.
This PGCE programme is for those wishing to teach in the post-compulsory sector (Further Education and sixth form). It is not a school teaching qualification but there are now employment opportunities in some schools for post-16 teachers, particularly for teachers of vocational subjects. Applicants who do not have a degree should enrol on the Certificate in Education programme (see separate information).
The aim of the PGCE (PC) programme is to prepare students to plan, implement, assess and evaluate teaching within post-16 education and undertake a full teaching role. All course work is related to the actual teaching practice situation, and this balance between theory and application underpins the programme. It is taught in 14 Partner Colleges across the North West and covers all the requirements of a DTLLS qualification (Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector).
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The last university that I choose to add to this blog is Edge Hill, information of this course is below.
By choosing to study for a PGCE in Post-Compulsory Education & Training (Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector), you can gain a Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS)endorsed qualification. This can be used in your area of education, whether you teach in an FE college, work-based learning setting or public sector training such as the Police, Health Service, Prison Service and voluntary sector.
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In terms of the qualifications needed for the course, most are similar and require a minimum of a 2:2 degree to be able to do a PGCE, although some courses do differ. Below is some information regarding the requirements for the Edge Hill university.
To join this PGCE you should have an honours degree (2:2) in an appropriate subject, that is clearly part of the Post-Compulsory curriculum. Exceptions to this can be made and individual circumstances will be taken into account. For applicants with a degree in a subject not related to the post-compulsory curriculum, other suitable Level 3 qualifications may be considered.
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Other Links
http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/teacher-training-options/university-based-training/pgce
http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/teacher-training
http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/student-finance/financial-support-teacher-training
