General Course Information
The Secondary PGCE course takes place in the context of a professional partnership between the University education department and a variety of schools and colleges.
The close links between the University and partner establishments ensure a high quality of training is maintained. As a trainee teacher you'll spend two thirds of the PGCE course in schools and/or colleges and one third of your time with high quality tutors on University based activities.
The PGCE at Manchester offers you:
- A programme leading to recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
- Comprehensive study of current challenging educational issues
- Guidance monitoring and support from high quality experienced tutors and mentors
- A quality teaching experience across your designated age range in our partner schools and colleges
- Educational research work
- Reflective practice
- Opportunities to plan your career entry and early professional development
Why train with us?
The PGCE programme is offered by the School of Education. The School secured excellent scores in all recent teaching quality assessment exercises (including those undertaken by both QAA and OFSTED). Our Research and Graduate School hosts one of the largest graduate education research communities in the UK and our PGCE programme has a long tradition as a centre of excellence and is consistently regarded to be one of the top ten teacher training institutions nationally.
Our aim is to build upon your existing strengths and encourage you to develop approaches to teaching and learning which will offer you the potential to achieve your ambitions in an exciting and fast changing profession.
PGCE trainees work with a committed team of highly experienced and nationally recognised University tutors along with mentors in schools and colleges in Greater Manchester and surrounding areas.
'The partnership is very well managed to ensure that training and assessment are of a high quality'
(OfSTED report, Management and Quality Assurance)
You and your tutor
One-third of the PGCE programme is University-based during which time you work in subject specific groups. These groups are under the guidance of a specialist tutor who has substantial relevant teaching experience and a commitment to your professional development. Constantly in touch with current educational practice your tutors are often recognised as leaders in their field and often contribute to research, policy and curriculum developments in your subject.
'The University tutors respond quickly if there are areas for concern with trainees.'
(OfSTED report, Business Studies and Economics)
'There is excellent liaison between the subject leader and the mentors in school.'
(OfSTED report, Design and Technology)
'This is an extremely coherent course in which, clear documentation, a shared tutoring system and excellent links between university and subject mentors all play their part.'
(OfSTED report, English)
'A very good feature of the partnership is the way that it gives opportunities for exceptional mentors to be seconded to the University.'
(OfSTED report, Mathematics)
'The training meets individual needs well, for example all trainees get to teach both languages offered.'
(OfSTED report, Modern Foreign Languages)
'The teaching practices are of an appropriate length, well timed and provide a broad balanced experience for trainees.'
(OfSTED report, Science)
Links with schools and colleges
Close contact is maintained with partnership establishments at every stage of the programme.
Placements are offered at a range of schools involved in the education of 11-19 year olds. These include:
- 11-18 Comprehensives
- 11-16 Comprehensives
- Sixth Form Colleges
- City Academies
- Independent Schools (11-16 & 11-18)
- Specialist Schools (e.g. Technology Colleges, Arts Colleges)
- Further Education Colleges