Durham Secondary PGCE Partnership Programme

Talk for interviewees by Sue Beverton, Secondary PGCE Programme Leader

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Durham is a great place!

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Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in Durham• Long history of successful Teacher Education• Ofsted inspections in Feb. 2011 & April 2013• 'Outstanding' across all our provision (BAEd, PGCE

Primary and PGCE Secondary)

and 'Outstanding' in every category• Complete University Guide: Education has risen (from 8th

in 2013) to 3rd for 2014

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Our Trainees

We are looking to recruit trainees who:

• are fully committed and dedicated to being excellent teachers;

• enjoy their teaching;• are creative and innovative thinkers;• are resilient and can cope with the demands of teaching;• are flexible and collaborative

and• have excellent subject knowledge

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Our Secondary PGCE produces:

Teachers who are:• highly skilled and well qualified;• have an ITE qualification that widely-recognised as

prestigious and of top quality;• in demand from top employers

and• gain promotion speedily to leadership and management

positions.

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Ofsted (2013) Key Findings

• As a result of outstanding centre- and school-based training and the outstanding impact of leaders and managers, there is high trainee attainment against the Standards for teachers in primary and secondary courses and high employment rates.

• The partnership … is typified by high expectations of trainees and for the training, and a shared vision, ethos and purpose.

• There is a purposeful learning culture across the partnerships with benefits for schools as well as for the University.

• There is a very high level of school involvement in the training, placement and assessment of trainees.

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Durham PGCE courses: 11-16 with post-16 enhancementSecondary subjects

– English – Geography – History – Mathematics – Modern Foreign Languages – PE – Science

– Biology – Chemistry– Physics – Physics with Maths

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Course structure• Primary school experience- 2 weeks before start of Programme.

• Induction and Immersion – 2 weeks intense start course in September.

• 1st concurrent practice – 3 school based days, 2 in the university.

• Diagnostic placement – 50% teaching. In same school as concurrent

practice

• 1 week intense academic conference in early January.

• 2nd concurrent practice – 3 school based days, 2 in the university.

• Main teaching placement – 66% teaching.

• Two weeks ‘school-based enhancement’

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The Key Strengths“... positive relationships and high professional standards of all

those involved in the training, which results in trainees having high expectations of themselves and of the pupils in their classes.

... wide range of expertise in appropriate specialisms in schools in the partnership that supports the development of trainees’ excellent skills as classroom practitioners from an early stage in their training.

... carefully structured course that allows trainees to consider the practical and subject-specific aspects of teaching and gives them the skills to plan and deliver highly effective lessons and reflect on and improve their practice.

... excellent range of additional opportunities that enhance and extend trainees’ experiences and provide a highly personalised programme of training.” (Ofsted 2013)

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“A True Partnership” (Ofsted, April 2013)

“A Key Strength: The very strong partnership, built on the highest level of communication and trust, which results in outstanding training for trainees and an outstanding contribution to staff development in partner schools.”

• The links between theory and practice are integral to the programme

• All the programme is designed in conjunction with our Partnership schools – at whole programme level and at subject level

• Both schools and University contribute to ‘University-based’ sessions and ‘School-based practice’

• Expertise across whole Partnership informs judgements against the Teachers’ Standards

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Assessment

Post graduate – Masters level work

Two written assignments following a one week intense academic ‘conference’.

QTS-related assignment – a reflection on professional development during the year

Teachers’ Standards

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‘University’ PGCE teaching sessions

•Professional Issues lectures (e.g. Safeguarding, Assessment, EAL, Learning, Language, SEN, etc)•University Tutor for Subject knowledge (Science, PE, MFL etc)•University Tutor for Subject application (Science, PE, MFL etc)•Various ‘locations’ (University, a school, outdoor centre, museum, sports stadium etc)

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Teaching practice schools• Over 120 schools in the partnership• North – e.g. Cramlington, Northumberland• West – e.g. Brampton, Cumbria• South – e.g. Northallerton, North Yorkshire• East – e.g. Saltburn, North Yorkshire

Most are in County Durham & Teesside. Very few to the North!

Most schools are 11-16; a few middle schools and 11-18; SEN partnerships.

You will be expected to be able to travel to your placements at your own expense.

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Teaching placement

• In-school training sessions - responsibility of school tutor

• Mentoring – the role of the subject mentor• Meeting the standards - the evidence• University tutor support

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Interview day• The group task• The subject-specific written task(s)• The presentation and subject interview• Please complete our survey about today before

you leave.

“A Key Strength: The rigorous selection procedures which ensure that trainees have the intellectual ability to take advantage of the numerous opportunities to engage with research in their subjects and develop excellent subject knowledge.” (Ofsted 2103)

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What next?If we offer you a place, it will be either

• unconditional or conditional. You will be told what if any conditions accompany our offer to you.

Then you accept – or decline. If you accept you will need to

• pass the NCTL Professional Skills tests – you MUST pass these before you start our course, or any ITT course elsewhere

• declare any Disability ( not compulsory, but we strongly advise you declare any disability. Our offer to you cannot be withdrawn on disability grounds.)

• attend our pre-course preparation and ‘Kick Start’ day in June

• know and pursue your entitlement to funding – fees and bursary, student loans.

• complete and return to us the Enhanced DBS (& Fitness to teach.

We will send you information about the Primary School Experience that everyone has to do prior to the start of the course.

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What recent students said …• Fantastic course!• The subject tutors are incredible – very hardworking, dedicated and really

care. The level of guidance and support is second to none. Really first rate.• I believe that the course was structured to fit all of the necessary things

into the year. I wouldn’t have made it through the course if it weren’t for my tutor – she’s provided valuable support throughout the year.

• I experienced some great sessions delivered by guests to the University and in local schools. They were very helpful.

• The two placements schools I trained in were excellent in letting me develop and learn as a trainee teacher, this was down to the staff who were supportive and friendly and provided great feedback and advice. The subject mentors at both of my placement schools were fantastic people who I learnt an enormous amount from and were very good at suggesting new ideas and getting me to reflect and improve my teaching.

• I feel the good aspects of Durham university are that they allow you to be creative yet still get through all the pressures of a PGCE course. In being creative and not focusing too much on the mundane aspects admin etc. It allowed me to flourish.