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PGCE Geography ^*

Postgraduate Certificate in Education

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PGCE Geography ^*

Postgraduate Certificate in Education

Course Type: Full time (1 year)
Tariff Points:
Study Abroad:

Placements:

How to apply >

Open Event Saturday 22 February 2020

Book your place >

Course Overview

Do you have a passion and enthusiasm for Geography? Do want you learn how to deliver outstanding education that will inspire both a love of learning and relevance of the subject to the modern world?

You will get to the heart of both the value of subject-specialist teaching and the practical challenges that face teachers both within and outside the classroom.

The course will incrementally develop and support you to become an independent, reflective teacher.

You will receive high quality support from university subject specialists and mentors, thanks to our extensive school partnerships will be provided throughout your PGCE year and beyond.

Why study with us?

The secondary programme will prepare you to teach within the 11-16 age phase and opportunities can be provided to develop particular interests at Key Stage 3, 4 or post 16.
We are a well-established provider of Geography teachers with strong links with schools in Yorkshire and across the North East.
The employment rate of our students is very high. Our graduates take up teaching posts across the UK as well as within our partnership schools.
The course is suitable for applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds who have the talent and desire to teach, and the ability to train to become the next generation of teachers.

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98%

of our most recent PGCE graduates were in professional-level roles within six months of graduating

(Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey 2017)

60%

of our PGCE students were graded Outstanding and a further 38% were graded Good

(Ofsted Report 2017)

50+

Leeds Trinity University has been providing teaching excellence for more than 50 years

Course Information

About this course >

We believe that the most effective path to becoming an outstanding teacher is a gradual one, filled with support and opportunities to put what you've learnt into practice in stages. That's why we've designed our PGCE Secondary courses in three main stages, each consisting of University-based and school-based training blocks.

STAGE ONE – INTRODUCTION TO TEACHING

You'll spend your first five weeks at University, with several days in your placement school, taking part in seminars and workshops that prepare you for your school-based training by focusing on two main elements:

Professional Learning and Teaching for 21st Century teachers

You'll learn research-informed techniques and strategies to tackle issues that you will face in your training placements. These strategies will help develop your understanding of teaching and learning, the secondary curriculum and educational policy

Subject knowledge and applied pedagogy

In these sessions, our subject teacher experts will give you a good understanding of what it means to teach Geography. You'll study the school curriculum, and understand how other expert teachers have taught it successfully. You'll also learn how to plan sequences of learning that address your pupils' needs so that you can develop your practice and have a positive impact on their learning. After you've completed your first five weeks, you'll start your first placement which will last for eight weeks.

STAGE TWO – DEVELOPING YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Your University-based training will comprise the same elements as stage one, but you'll focus on building on the knowledge you've already developed to prepare for your next school-based training block. You'll spend one week at university.

Before your second placement, you'll again spend time in a school for one week to observe and familiarise yourself with the routine and teaching practice. During your second placement, you'll spend a minimum of eight weeks in a new school, teaching more lessons and ensuring that you're teaching classes from both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.

STAGE THREE – PREPARING FOR YOUR TEACHING CAREER

Having developed and applied your subject and curriculum knowledge, you'll spend several days at university during your placement, consolidating your practice and completing activities that will prepare for your teaching career. We also run a one-week conference for all trainees. You'll stay in the same school for a further ten weeks, teaching more classes from both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, as well as the chance to observe and sometimes teach at Key Stage 5.

Leeds Trinity University courses terms and conditions

Further Study

Modules >

Structure >

Our School Partnerships Office will source your placements, taking into account your passions, preferences and personal circumstances. You'll be allocated a subject tutor, who will work with you to ensure you're ready to go into school.

After you've completed your first five weeks of University-based training, you'll start your first eight-week placement. This will give you the chance to put into practice what you've learnt in a collaborative working environment. You'll work closely with your school-based subject mentor.

In January, you'll complete a second placement in a different school. This will help you deepen your knowledge of how students learn, and extend your practice in helping that learning, in a new context. This long placement - split across stages two and three, from January until June - gives you the chance to develop your practice in a school and with pupils you will get to know really well. This offers an opportunity to make a positive impact on progress in that school.

During your second placement, you'll spend at least ten weeks in a new school teaching more lessons, ensuring that you're teaching classes from Key Stages 3 and 4. You'll become a more independent practitioner.

You'll stay in the same school for a further ten weeks, teaching more classes from Key Stages 3 and 4, and have the chance to observe and teach at Key Stage 5. Having extended experience in the same placement means you'll be able to develop your practice well, and show that you're having a positive impact on your pupils. At the end of this placement you'll present evidence on this impact, which will inform your final grade.

Throughout your placements, you'll have the support of a school-based mentor. These mentors are trained by Leeds Trinity to support you as you complete your training and assess your progress against the Teachers' standards. You'll also have a subject and link tutor at Leeds Trinity, who will visit you at school. They will provide quality assurance for your training and offer any support and advice you may need.

Learning and Teaching >

At Leeds Trinity we aim to provide an excellent student experience and a personal approach to helping students achieve their academic and professional potential. We have a strong tradition of supporting student employability, with relevant skills embedded in the curriculum.

The key themes of our strategy are student confidence, professionalism and social responsibility. To help students achieve their potential we emphasise learning as a collaborative process, with a range of student-led and directed activities. This approach ensures that students fully engage in shaping their own learning, developing their critical thinking and reflective skills so that they can identify their own strengths and weaknesses, and use the extensive learning support system we offer to shape their own development. Our full Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy can be accessed here.

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Assessment

During Stage 1 your knowledge and understanding will be assessed by focused written assignments.

During Stages 2 and 3 your progress against the Teachers’ Standards will be assessed through your performance as a teacher in schools. Classroom teachers will evaluate your lesson plans, observe your lessons and review your marking. Your self-review and attendance at training activities will support your development.

You'll also complete two Level 7 Master's assignments to test your ability to be critically reflective and research-led in your approach to teaching. These will count as 60 credits towards an MA Education.

Entry Requirements >

A good honours degree (2ii or above) with a significant proportion in Geography.
GCSE Grade C (or accepted equivalent) English Mathematics and Science. We offer GCSE equivalency tests to those who have a conditional place on the course but do not already have these qualifications. We accept GCSE equivalencies from the provider www.equivalencytesting.com Please contact admissions@leedstrinity.ac.uk if you are unsure.
Suitable personal and intellectual qualities required for teaching in secondary schools.
Commitment, attitudes and values appropriate to that of a secondary teacher.
The capacity to meet the Secretary of State's requirements for physical and mental fitness to teach. All successful candidates will be asked to complete a health assessment as part of the entry conditions to the programme.

NB: Candidates with third class honours degrees will be considered on an individual basis, and normally only if candidates have additional qualifications and/or significant relevant professional experience.

In addition to the above essential entry requirements, successful applicants also tend to have:

Advanced level qualifications (or equivalent) in Geography.
Experience of observing the teaching in a secondary school in this country.

If your initial application is successful, we will invite you to the next available Interview Day. Read more about Interview Days here.

We encourage applications from students who may not match the academic profile outlined above but who can demonstrate that they have developed their subject expertise by working for a substantial period of time supporting the teaching of Geography in a secondary school context.

An offer of a place is subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure Certificate and a satisfactory medical. If you are offered a place you will be sent the information regarding both of these checks.

Please get in touch for further advice on 0113 283 7123 or admissions@leedstrinity.ac.uk.

Student Finance >

UK & EU Students:

Leeds Trinity postgraduate Initial Teacher Training (ITT) tuition fees are £9,250 in 2019-20. Tuition fees may rise with inflation in future years.

You will not have to pay these fees upfront. Eligible UK and EU students can apply for a tuition fee loan to cover the cost of tuition fees from the government.

UK students on non-salaried places studying full-time can apply for a package of maintenance funding from the government to help with general living costs and additional funding if you have children and/or a disability.

English and EU students can apply and find out more information at www.gov.uk/studentfinance. This website also has a calculator which gives you an estimate of what you will receive.

Additional Costs

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PGCE Study Routes

The Leeds Trinity University PGCE University-led programme led by the University with placements in partnership schools. Trainees spend in excess of 24 weeks in schools, undertaking two contrasting teaching placements.

PGCE School Direct programmes are a partnership between Leeds Trinity University and schools. Trainees normally spend most of their time in schools, with tuition provided by University tutors based at the school, and expert school teachers.

PGCE School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) programmes are delivered by our expert teachers in schools. Trainees spend most of their time in schools, with some generic training provided centrally.

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Career progression

As a qualified teacher, you'll open the door to a wide range of career progression opportunities that will not only increase your learning potential, but will help you to make a difference at a much higher level.

We're really proud of our alumni, whose teaching careers have taken them across the UK and the world. They're making their mark on the future generation as heads of departments, head teachers, pastoral care leaders and even as school founders.