Postgraduate Certificate in Education Secondary Level (11-16 years with post-16 enhancement experience)

Organiser and Tutor: Nick Gee

PGCE Course Overview

The Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), one-year, full-time, Secondary course prepares graduates to teach in secondary schools (age range: 11-16 years with post-16 enhancement experience). The course is assessed against 'M' Level criteria - leading to Qualified Teacher Status and 60 credits at Masters Level.

The UEA partnership scheme has attracted national and international attention for its successful close inter-weaving of school and university-based work. It provides you with the opportunity to engage in the systematic study of theory and current good practice both in schools and in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning at UEA. The PGCE course has received a series of excellent grades in OfSTED inspections.

The 36 week long course includes an extensive 24 weeks of placement in two of our partnership schools near, or within reasonable distance of, your home. This emphasis on practical teaching provides you with a broad range of teaching experience in different schools.

At university sessions you will discuss experiences with others on the course and learn more about the theory and practice of teaching. Expect to be involved in a range of teaching methods, including lectures, seminars and practical workshops.

Subject Specific Information - Geography

The main aims of the Geography course are to develop your knowledge and understanding of how pupils learn through Geography and to guide your thinking and learning in geographical teaching. The course aims to encourage you to adopt approaches and strategies which will enable you to make your teaching and pupil learning a rewarding experience.

The course emphasises the importance of enquiry, differentiation, fieldwork and information technology in teaching and learning in Geography and will provide opportunities to work with pupils of all abilities on practical activities. Particular emphasis is placed on pupil assessment and progression in learning as well as on the importance of planning and identifying strategies which will encourage positive pupil participation and achievement. Issues of equal opportunities and special educational needs as well as those concerned with teaching about controversial issues and stereotypes are also addressed. The course also offers opportunities to scrutinise and evaluate current developments in school Geography, including the National Curriculum, GCSE, A-Level and the new Diplomas.

High Recommendation

Who better to endorse the quality and positive experience of our course than our past students:

Hollie Thurston, Chantal Giraudeau and Carl Banham are three recent trainee graduates. Check out their views on the course and of life in school post-training.

Subject Knowledge Required

We welcome graduates from a whole variety of backgrounds and holding a Geography degree is by no means a pre-requisite for the course.

During recent years we have offered places to candidates with diverse degree backgrounds. Many of our students have degrees in related disciplines such as:

  • Environmental Science
  • Development Studies
  • Ecology
  • Geology
  • Anthropology
  • Law
  • Statistics
  • Business Studies
  • Business Management
  • Economics
  • Sociology
  • Social Sciences
  • Politics

This is by no means an exhaustive list!

We are also increasingly recruiting mature students on to the course who are seeking a career change. Recent students have included a conservation officer, a bank manager, a lorry driver and a petroleum geologist.

Observational Experience in School

Candidates should ensure that on their application form they are able to demonstrate that they have gained recent experience, with children of the relevant age range, in school. Click on the link to access further information about how you can gain school observational experience.

Supporting YOU in the Classroom

Throughout the course you will be guided and assisted by experienced university and school staff, enabling you to gain the necessary skills to create and maintain a productive working classroom environment, including the issues of behaviour management and class control!

Career Opportunities

Many of our trainees are appointed to teaching posts in Norfolk and Suffolk. Career opportunities within secondary teaching are now far wider and more diverse than ever before. Within a few years of beginning teaching many are able to gain promotion to leadership positions within their subject or for pastoral responsibilities. There may also be opportunities to become an Advanced Skills Teacher (AST), this allows effective classroom teachers to gain recognition for their excellence in the classroom without needing to move to more administrative positions. After experience of middle management successful teachers can progress to senior management as Senior Teacher, Deputy Head or Head.

Secondary Teaching Information Event

Our next Secondary Teaching Information Event will take place in October 2013.

In the meantime, if you have any queries, please do contact the UEA PGCE Admissions Team.

Application Procedure and Selection Process

All candidates starting the PGCE in 2013 are required to pass the professional skills tests before starting the course. More information can be found via the Teaching Agency website.

Candidates are required to apply via the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR). This is the central "clearing house" which deals with all applications for PGCE courses across the country. Application forms for 2013 entry are available from October 2012.

Candidates are required to supply an academic referee as their first reference if they have completed their studies in the last 5 years.

Primary candidates are advised by the GTTR to make their application by 1st December 2012 - however please note that we will be accepting applications (through the GTTR) after this date if we have vacancies.

There is no specified deadline for Secondary candidates. However, all candidates are advised to apply as early as possible in the application cycle.

NB: You are advised to ensure that your principal referee is available to submit their reference immediately upon request (usually electronically via GTTR). Your chosen institution will not receive your application until the principal referee has submitted their reference. Please see the GTTR Referee Guidance for information on selection.

Candidates are encouraged to prepare thoroughly. Application forms should be able to demonstrate not only your depth of subject knowledge but also your enthusiasm and commitment to a career in teaching. We recommend that you familiarise yourself with our PGCE Teacher Training Prospectus and the information available from the Teaching Agency and related educational establishments. These sources will help you to gain knowledge of the current issues facing teaching, specifically in the subject area for which you are applying. During interview you will be expected to be able to answer questions about these issues, and what has prompted your desire to choose teaching as a career.

Candidates are normally chosen on the basis of their application form, references and an interview.

Training Incentives

TA Training Bursaries are available for the PGCE Secondary Geography course for entry in 2013.

Click on the link to access further information about Financial Information.

Further Enquiries

If you would like to discuss your application further please contact us by email: pgceinfo@uea.ac.uk, by telephone: +44 (0)1603 592855 or write to us:

PGCE Admissions
Room 0.20, School of Education and Lifelong Learning
Admissions, Recruitment & Marketing
University of East Anglia
Norwich Research Park
Norwich NR4 7TJ UK

Online Prospectus

Our PGCE Teacher Training Prospectus for September 2013 entry is available to download in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format.

Thank you for taking the time to view this website. We hope it has given you some idea of what we have to offer and that, if you are thinking of training to be a teacher, you will consider applying to us.