Secondary Teaching leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) PGCE

Facts about Secondary Teaching leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

Qualification	PGCE
Pathways	Mathematics Modern Languages (French, German or Spanish) Science (Biology, Chemistry or Physics)
Duration	Full time: 1 year
Attendance	To be confirmed
Course structure

Choose Kingston's Secondary Teaching leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) PGCE

Kingston's PGCE course in Secondary Teaching offers an intensive and well-supported year of training that will prepare you to teach children at Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and in the sixth form.

What will you study?

This is a very practical programme, and 24 weeks of the 36-week course are based in school. You will have assessed practice placements in at least two different schools, so you'll get an opportunity to experience varied types of school. Mentors within the schools and/or your university tutors will offer support and guidance during the placements. Your university studies will focus on the teaching of your specialist subject, together with professional skills (eg planning work for pupils) that will help you become an effective teacher.

Links with schools and colleges

We work closely with local education authorities, schools, colleges and a wide-range of educational organisations. This helps us to ensure your studies are kept up-to-date in the changing world of education.

Find out more...

Course structure

Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list. Those listed here may also be a mixture of core and optional modules.

Specialist pathways

Mathematics Specialist Pathway
Mathematics Specialist Pathway

The Mathematics Specialist Pathway has a very practical focus. It will enable you to teach:
- mathematics up to Key Stage 3
- mathematics to GCSE; and
- some aspects of A-level mathematics.
The course also aims to develop your professional skills to help you gain employment in a secondary school and continue with your professional development. It will provide you with a rigorous training in all aspects of being a secondary school teacher.

Two-thirds of your time is spent working in schools. The year is divided into:
- two weeks' school-based work at the start of the course;
- a learning block where you spend three days per week at the University and two days per week in school looking at the teaching of your specialist subject. The main emphasis is on planning work for pupils, planning for good discipline/control and developing your skills as a teacher;
- a six-week block spent full-time in the school; after which
- the pattern is repeated at a second school.
For more information, please see the Specialist pathways section.
Modern Languages Specialist Pathway
Modern Languages Specialist Pathway

The Modern Languages Specialist Pathway prepares you to teach French, German or Spanish at Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and in the sixth form. The course also allows you to develop a second teaching language.

We avoid a rigid syllabus so that we can respond to individual trainee and group needs. However, throughout the course we will:
- provide lectures and handouts with examples of classroom activities in all three languages;
- support your existing subject knowledge and offer opportunities to extend it;
- encourage you to analyse your classroom experiences and relate theory to practice; and
- help you build up collections of resources, forming a good foundation for your future professional work.
Two-thirds of your time is spent working in schools. The year is divided into:
- two weeks' school-based work at the start of the course;
- a learning block where you spend three days per week at the University and two days per week in school looking at the teaching of your specialist subject. The main emphasis is on planning work for pupils, planning for good discipline/control and developing your skills as a teacher;
- a six-week block spent full-time in the school; after which
- the pattern is repeated at a second school.
Science Specialist Pathway
Science Specialist Pathway

The Science Specialist Pathway has a very practical focus. It will enable you to teach:
- all three sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) up to Key Stage 3;
- your science specialist subject to GCSE; and
- your specialist subject in the sixth form.
The course also aims to develop your professional skills to help you gain employment in a secondary school and continue with your professional development. It will provide you with a rigorous training in all aspects of being a secondary school teacher.

Two-thirds of your time is spent working in schools. The year is divided into:
- two weeks' school-based work at the start of the course;
- a learning block where you spend three days per week at the University and two days per week in school looking at the teaching of your specialist subject. The main emphasis is on planning work for pupils, planning for good discipline/control and developing your skills as a teacher;
- a six-week block spent full-time in the school; after which
- the pattern is repeated at a second school.