PGCE Secondary: Computing

The Roehampton Secondary Computing PGCE is a new bespoke programme developed and taught in partnership with some of the leading computing teachers in local schools. The University is at the forefront of computing education, with staff contributing to curriculum development, publications, and policy at national and international level.

Students learn about the challenges and opportunities of teaching computing, IT and digital literacy in secondary schools. The course looks at how approaches from the world of software development, such as agility and craftsmanship have parallels in the classroom and can be applied to teaching and learning in programming and digital media. The course equips you to develop your students' computational thinking and ICT capability, within and beyond the subject curriculum.

Teaching and learning methods provide both challenge and support, and draw on practical activities, independent study, group work and academic input; high quality school placements are an integral part of the course. Written assignments allow you to pursue your own professional interests from a foundation of core pedagogic subject knowledge.

The course is ideally suited to recent graduates in computing related degrees and to those with practical experience of software development. The University hopes to offer a preliminary subject knowledge enhancement course for graduates in other subjects without programming experience.

Many of our subject rooms are set up to resemble classrooms, ensuring that from your first day at university you will be in a school environment. This is important for your full immersion into the school environment and familiarity with the way classrooms are structured, and the type of resources teachers need daily.

All our academic staff have extensive teaching experience in schools, and many have served in local authorities or subject associations as advisory teachers, as Ofsted inspectors or as consultants. This means that our programmes are based on the reality of the classroom and the education system. Many works at the cutting edge of research in teacher education, which has a positive impact on the quality of provision for all of our students.

The department welcomes graduates from a range of backgrounds such as those with digital making skills, industry experience, practical experience of software development or a degree in computer science. The University hopes to offer a preliminary subject knowledge enhancement course for graduates in other subjects without programming experience.