Course Summary

Description

The PGCE Secondary History course is the first phase of three-year entitlement for beginning teachers. The first phase of the entitlement is the Core Content Framework and this is embedded into all of our ITE courses. The PGCE Secondary History course is accredited by the DfE, and upon successful completion you will be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). During our last Ofsted Inspection we were graded as “Outstanding” for all aspects of our provision.

Subject pedagogy (how to teach the subject for understanding) is explored in an innovative university / partnership model known as the POD (Professional Opportunities and Development). The ITE course is delivered using a blended approach and is research informed. 

The process starts with an online interactive resource which introduces a weekly theme e.g., behaviour management, assessment, SEND and inclusion (all of which are components of the Core Content Framework).

The theme is then expanded upon in relation to your specialism in a Teaching and Learning Community (TLC) and finally theory and application come together in the POD (Sedgefield Community College, King James 1 Academy and St Bede’s School and Sixth Form College).

Beginning teachers work in classrooms in POD schools with expert staff to develop knowledge and strategies that can be drawn upon during their own teaching placement. Subject knowledge is enhanced through work with subject specific University staff and with subject experts from the POD setting.

The history course at Durham aims to:

• provide you with the necessary knowledge, understanding and skills needed to become an effective and inspirational teacher of history
• extend your awareness of the importance and relevance of history as a subject in schools today provide opportunities for you to experience and
• explore a variety of approaches to teaching the subject allow you to develop an appreciation of your own areas of expertise and areas for development.

The course is based on the firm belief that history is a relevant, exciting subject to teach and does not consist of transmitting a mass of information to pupils who then memorise and regurgitate it. The course has a practical emphasis and will introduce you to a range of approaches to teaching history, so enabling you to develop your own teaching style.

Course structure

The course is organised into three modules:

•  Professional Issues in School-based Education
• Teaching and Learning in the Curriculum
• Self-directed Study

The Professional Issues in School-based Education relates to the Teacher Standards and is delivered through the Research Related Professional Practice curriculum (RRPP).

The RRPP is designed to bridge the gap between research and professional practice. It encourages trainees to focus on key subject specific threshold knowledge linked to deep thinking in terms of how to teach in order to have maximum impact on pupil learning. 

Teaching and Learning in the Curriculum and Self-directed Study assignments are studied at Masters Level. The Teaching and Learning in the Curriculum Module draws on the international research expertise within the School of Education enabling student teachers to engage critically in issues relevant to the classroom and school community, particularly those that impact on the success of children as learners. 

The Self-directed Study module draws on aspect of teaching and learning in a small-scale action research piece of work, and links this to critical engagement with published educational research. 

These Masters modules provide an opportunity to consolidate theoretical knowledge, through lectures and mixed subject and phase seminar groups taught during a Reflective Practitioner Conference. In addition to covering Teachers’ Standards, these modules will enable assessment work to be carried out for the award of PGCE.

On successful completion of the course, our beginning teachers have 90 credits and QTS.

Students who have successfully completed the PGCE at Durham in the previous academic year have the option to use 90 credits they have accredited towards a part-time MA Education. These students only need to do the core modules, Education Enquiry and the Dissertation over 2 years, to complete the course.

Course Learning and Teaching

The course is delivered full-time, starting in early September and continuing over 10 months. During this time, you will experience a blend of University teaching interwoven with school experience.

Please note that the course does NOT run to university terms

As part of the PGCE course, you will gain a significant amount of school experience, usually around 120 days over the course of the year.  Durham University Partnership has schools across the north east region and students are required to ravel independently to these. The Partnership Team work hard to ensure that travel expectations are reasonable.

The University sessions will be delivered as a blended approach with some online teaching, asynchronous and synchronous, as well as face to face opportunities.  Lectures provide supporting frameworks of key theories and concepts with follow up seminars being used as peer-assisted learning opportunities and dialogic approaches to teaching and learning.  The seminar mode of delivery reflects the nature and approach to teaching in the classroom and supports the additional aspects of professional development programme.

Throughout the year students are encouraged and required to work in teams which will enhance cohort cohesion as well as support professional and academic development.  Students will therefore learn from their peers as well as their academic and professional tutors. Students will be able to analyse a range of classroom perspectives and stakeholder viewpoints, triangulating between theory, practice and policy.

Admissions Process

Subject requirements, level and grade

At UCAS you can apply for this course by using the following code: V1X1

• The equivalent of a UK 2:2 honours degree of which approximately 50% is comprised of History or a closely related subject. If your degree is from an overseas institution you must apply for a Statement of Comparability from NARIC

• GCSE English and Mathematics at grade 4 (or C) or above (or equivalent) which must be achieved by the time of application. If your equivalent qualifications are from an overseas institution you must apply for a Statement of Comparability from NARIC (ecctis.co.uk/naric/).

Your interpersonal qualities and your potential to achieve professional skills relating to the Teachers' Standards will be considered when making an admissions decision. Candidates who meet the criteria, will be invited to an interview. The interview process will involve an individual interview with a pre-prepared presentation element and a series of tasks designed to illustrate your potential to meet the Teachers' Standards by the end of the course.

Successful candidates will receive an offer conditional upon successful medical and criminal record checks. The latter is carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service and full instructions on how to apply for a DBS Disclosure will be provided.

If you have a criminal record of any kind, you may contact the School of Education DBS Manager, Caroline Emery, for further advice and information. All enquiries will be treated in confidence.

• We strongly encourage you to register for the DBS Update Service, which lets you take your certificate from one employer to another without having to apply for a new check. 

Please note, all DBS Enhanced Disclosures for our Students must be applied for through Durham University unless you have applied to the Update Service.

English Language requirements

Please check requirements for your subject and level of study.

How to apply

www.durham.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply

Fees and Funding

Full Time Fees

The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of full time study, are set according to the academic year of entry, and remain the same throughout the duration of the programme for that cohort (unless otherwise stated).

Please also check costs for colleges and accommodation.

Scholarships and funding

www.durham.ac.uk/postgraduate/finance

Career Opportunities

School of Education

There are a wide range of roles that are available to qualified teachers ranging from classroom teaching, specialist subject lead, phase lead, middle and senior management groups.

For further information on career options and employability, including the results of the Destination of Leavers survey, student and employer testimonials and details of work experience and study abroad opportunities, please view our department web pages. 

Open days and visits

Pre-application open day

www.durham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Overseas Visit Schedule

www.durham.ac.uk/international/office/meetus

Postgraduate Visits

www.durham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit/

Department Information

School of Education

Overview

The School of Education is one of the leading departments of education in the UK. We are a large department, with around 60 academic staff and 550 postgraduate students (including our PGCE students, both primary and secondary).

We are also supported by a large number of partners from schools and colleges. We have strong international links, welcoming students, postdoctoral fellows and visiting scholars from all over the world. We are committed to research which engages with, and has an impact upon, practice and policy as well as influencing the wider research community to develop educational practice, education policy and future educational research.

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