PGCE Secondary
Our PGCE Secondary course will train you to become a professional, inclusive and reflective secondary school teacher, specialising in a particular subject. It will prepare you to teach the National Curriculum, GCSE and A-level. On completion of the course, you will receive a postgraduate qualification and recommendation for qualified teacher status (QTS) enabling you to apply for secondary teaching roles across the UK and beyond.
At Manchester you will:
Spend approximately two-thirds of your time in schools and colleges developing your practical teaching skills.
Observe and teach classes under the guidance of an experienced teacher.
Get support from a mentor in lesson planning and marking and assessment skills.
University-based sessions will enable you to reflect on teaching methods, which you can apply and develop during your sessions in schools and colleges.
We will help you to transform your subject knowledge into teaching skills and to use educational theory to transform your practice. You will be given the opportunity to develop your own teaching style, to set personal targets, to demonstrate initiative, and to evaluate your work in planning, teaching and assessing.
COURSE DESIGN
PGCE courses start in September and are ten months in duration which includes both school-based and university-based learning. On our Secondary PGCE, around two-thirds of your time will be spent in secondary schools, academies, and colleges on placements.
Your remaining time will be spent at the University, for example in lectures and seminars.
You will get time off from attending university and school placements over Christmas and Easter, but you should expect to spend sometime in self-directed study during these breaks.
Kareemah's PGCE
PGCE Secondary Economics and Business Education
Kareemah, an international student from Nigeria, chose to study PGCE Secondary Economics and Business Education at Manchester.
"One of the most exciting aspects of my PGCE journey is the opportunity to immerse myself in different school systems. Stepping into various educational settings, from urban to rural, I gain invaluable insights into diverse teaching methodologies, administrative structures, and student demographics. Each school offers a new perspective, broadening my understanding of the complexities and nuances of education."
You’ll be learning from experienced education professionals with a passion for making a difference in education and wider society.
Siân Morgan
Siân chose Manchester for both her first degree and PGCE and, after teaching in the local area, she returned to the University to train teachers. She's passionate about reflecting the values of our city and University by running activities that help embed inclusivity and sustainability into the curriculum.
“Each year we have an Inclusion and Inspiration Conference, where trainees from secondary and primary PGCEs join together for a fantastic event, with two keynote lectures and a wide variety of highly relevant and informative workshops focused on inclusion.”
Tom Donnai
Tom spent 13 years teaching in Greater Manchester, as a teacher of History, Head of Department, Professional Mentor, and Assistant Head. He joined the University in 2017and helped to set up the PGCE History course. He has a particular interest in inclusive curricula in History teaching.
"You will be guided by a broad range of experts in the field of History education (teachers, historians, academics and specialist organisations) and provided with a rich and comprehensive curriculum that will provide the ideal foundations for a career in History teaching.“
Faculty of Humanities
The University of Manchester