PGCE English (11-18)

Entry requirements

• A good honours degree (2:2 or above) where English is at least 50% of the content. Applicants applying with a related but non-English specific degree such as drama, media, creative writing or performing arts will be required to have an A level in English or English Literature at grade B or above, and a minimum of an upper second class (2:1) degree. Where applicants falls short of the English requirement, it will be recommended that an MA in English or MA in English Literature be undertaken before applying for the PGCE. While we realise this is a further commitment of time and finance in the short-term, this will secure your English teaching profile for the longer term and enhance opportunities for promotion at a later stage. An MA can usually be undertaken either part-time or full-time and can enable this to be combined with further school experience, strengthening a future application.
• A commitment to becoming the best teacher you can be, with a minimum of 10 days recent experience in a UK secondary school. If you cannot spend the full 10 days in a secondary school prior to application we can still consider your application as long as you have spent 5 days in a secondary classroom. If you are successful in being offered a place on the course the additional 5 days would be a condition of your offer and would need to be undertaken prior to starting on the course.
• There is an expectation at application and at interview that potential English teachers will be well-read and enthusiastic about literature beyond their degree(s); there should be strong engagement with and knowledge of at least two of the genres: prose fiction, poetry or drama. Applicants should be aware also of the multi-dimensional nature of the English classroom (i.e. drama, media, film, linguistics, grammar, phonics, speaking and listening etc.) and the potential this offers to teachers. There will be an expectation that applicants should be able to demonstrate a well-prepared and current knowledge of English curriculum content, as well as an awareness of educational changes, proposals and development\xc2\x92s and the implications these might have for the teaching of English.
• Before you start the course you will need to have undertaken DBS and Health clearance through the University.
• Offers of a place on the programme are conditional, subject to successful completion of the Occupational Health clearance, Discolsure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance and completion of the Government Professional Skills Tests in Numeracy and Literacy.