Secondary English PGCE

Bring your passion for language and literature to the classroom. You’ll spend time in local schools, plan engaging lessons and discover how children learn. On campus, we’ll help you reflect on your teaching and build on your knowledge of the curriculum.

English is a core subject for students. It helps them develop skills that are key for their future such as communicating effectively and thinking critically.

We’ve designed this course to help you understand how to support KS3, KS4, and KS5 students. You’ll develop the skills you need to help students express their creativity.

Throughout your training, you’ll get hands-on experience on placement, find creative ways to teach English and learn new strategies from our experienced teachers.

From getting the most out of your induction, to tips on teaching your first lesson, your personal tutor will be there to support you every step of your PGCE journey.

On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: PGCE Secondary English.

Work placements

At Staffordshire University, we have close links with partner schools across the region.

We’ll always aim to arrange placements within 40 minutes of where you live.

We have partnership schools in Stoke, Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Shropshire, West Midlands and Birmingham.

Assessment

Assessment for your PGCE involves portfolio work, assignments, and observed classroom practice. We’ll often ask you to reflect on approaches you’ve used in the classroom and their effectiveness.

You’ll also be regularly observed by your school-based mentor and university tutor. Working with your placement schools, we’ll identify areas of professional practice that you find challenging.

Careers

With a PGCE and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), you’ll be ready to teach English in schools across England.

Most of our graduates secure their first teaching position while on the PGCE, with many of them securing roles within our partnership schools.

After you’ve completed this course, you can join our Masters in Education. Your PGCE gives you Masters credits which means you’ll be fast tracked and can complete this course by the end of your second year of teaching.

For this course, you need an Honours Degree with a 2:2 classification in English or a related subject and a GCSE grade C/4 or above in both English Language and Mathematics, we also expect you to be confident in technology. After you apply, we’ll arrange a selection interview. During the interview process we will assess your subject knowledge and personal qualities, such as communication skills, resilience for teaching, and how easy you’ll find it to relate to secondary age students. If you accept a formal offer, you’ll need to meet the Department for Education’s standards for physical and mental fitness to teach and you’ll need clearance to work with children (Enhanced DBS).