BA (Hons) / BSc (Hons) Secondary Education with QTS*

Interview Day

Guidance for applicants selected for interview

2017 entry

* The recommendation for the award of qualified teacher status

PLEASE BRING THIS BOOKLET WITH YOU ON THE DAY

PLEASE ALSO BRING THE RELEVANT SUBJECT SPECIALISM APPENDIX

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Contents

1 YOUR INTERVIEW

1.1 Introduction1.2 What to bring with you1.3 The structure of the day1.4 Selection Guidance1.5 Preparation for your Interview1.6 Interview Outcomes1.7 Applicants with Disabilities or Specific Learning

Difficulties

2 BA (Hons) / BSc (Hons) Secondary Education with QTS* programme

2.1 Introduction2.2 Overview2.3 Professional Placements

3 ADMISSIONS INFORMATION

4 PROFESSIONAL SKILLS INFORMATION

4.1 Key Information4.2 How Edge Hill University can support you4.3 Additional Skills Test Information

Equal Opportunities

A full copy of our equal opportunities statement is available from the Enquiries Unit on 01695 584274

Alternative Formats

This booklet is available in alternative formats or larger font. Please contact the Admissions Office on 01695 584637 to request a copy

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1 YOUR INTERVIEW

1.1 IntroductionWe are very pleased that you have decided to apply to Edge Hill University for a place on the BA (Hons) / BSc (Hons) Secondary Education with QTS* programme. This booklet contains general information about the programme, with the subject specific guidance provided as an appendix. The purpose of the booklet and appendix is to give an outline of what you can expect during the interview day. We hope that these materials will help you to be well prepared for the interview.

The interview process has three aims:

1. To give you the opportunity to give a good interview account of yourself in a supportive, open but challenging setting;

2. To establish, through such means as interview discussions, presentation work and interview tasks, whether you have the knowledge, skills, experience and aptitude to become an outstanding trainee teacher;

3. To provide information about the BA (Hons) / BSc (Hons) Secondary Education with QTS* programme, as well as Edge Hill University’s academic and pastoral facilities and to enable you to make an informative judgement about the programme and subject specialism you are applying for.

1.2 What to bring with you on the dayYou should bring the following items to the Admissions Office at the beginning of the interview day.

Please bring with you photocopies of certificates of all the qualifications that you have achieved and listed on your application form. These will include;

Proof of identity – photographic identification such as passport or driving licence

A level and/or AS level qualifications or equivalent qualifications e.g. BTEC Higher National Certificate,

GCSE or equivalent qualifications. These must include GCSE English language and mathematics at grade C or above (or their equivalents),

All other qualifications listed on your application form.

The Admissions Department will retain the photocopies of your certificates for their records.

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Please note:

the office does not have the facility to photocopy qualifications on the interview day,

if you have changed your name(s) since the certificates were issued please make this known on your arrival,

please note, if photocopies are not brought on the day and the decision of the interview panel is to offer you a place this will be withheld until your qualifications have been verified.

It is necessary for you to have certain academic requirements to enter the teaching profession. As part of the selection process you must also be able to verify that you have all the qualifications (except the ones you are currently taking) stated on your application form. Your qualifications must be shown to the admissions team for verification.

For candidates who do not have the GCSE (or equivalent) requirements in English language and/or mathematics Edge Hill University offers equivalence tests. If you require further details, please contact Access Programmes Team by calling 01695 584618 or emailing edgehilltests@edgehill.ac.uk.

Please bring a pen with you. If you would like to use any acceptable aids to help you with your written work e.g. a dictionary or spell-checker please feel free to bring them along to help you with some of the interview tasks.

You may wish to bring additional supporting evidence with you. Some subjects require additional evidence (such as a portfolio). These requirements are outlined in the subject specific appendix. For example, portfolios, samples of work and other materials that can demonstrate your suitability for the programme

As an equal opportunities institution we seek to ensure that we meet individual needs. If you have a specific requirement please feel free to contact the institution in advance (through the Admissions Office). You can then discuss any arrangements you need to help you with the interview process.

1.3 The structure of the dayPlease arrive for noon at the entrance foyer of the university. You will then be directed to the Admissions Department where the administrative details of interview process will begin. The Admissions Department is located in the Student Information Centre (SIC) which is situated next to the University Library.

If you arrive early and wish to purchase lunch/refreshments there are a number of eating places on campus. These include The Hub, and Water’s Edge (Faculty of Education Building). There are also café facilities in the Faculty of Health and Social Care Building, Business School Building and Sporting Edge. If you need directions to any of these venues please ask the person at the reception desk in the entrance foyer to help you.

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If you are arriving by car the security staff at main entrance gate will direct you to a parking area. You will be able park for a short time outside the security lodge at the main gate. This will give you time to seek information about car parking arrangements for the day.

Admissions staff will be on duty from noon. They will make sure you know where to go for the next stages of the interview process. This includes the university reception and programme introductory welcome (see table below for times).

Most interview days follow a similar format. However, this can differ according to the number of applicants attending the interview and also the time of year that interviews take place. Please check your interview invitation for any alterations/amendments to the programme.

Please allow half a day for the interview process.

If you have commitments, such as having to catch a train, collecting children from school or have a flight connection, please inform someone about in the Admissions Department about these commitments before your interview. Please also inform the interview panel at the beginning of the subject specific element of the interview process. The interview panel may be able to schedule your interview so that your requests are accommodated.

Outline for the afternoon.

12.00 noonReception

Report to the entrance foyer in the main university building where you will be welcomed by a member of the Admissions Department. You will then present copies and photocopies of your qualifications to the Admissions Department and also get details of the day ahead.

12.15 pm Campus Tours

This will give you an opportunity to see the campus facilities.

12.40 pm Welcome to Edge Hill University

A talk welcoming you to the university and explaining some of the opportunities for study.

1.00 pm – 1.40 pm BA (Hons) / BSc (Hons) Secondary Education with QTS* Programme introductory address

Introductory talk outlining the programme, what you will study, how you will study and the how the programme will prepare you for a teaching career. Relatives or friends that are accompanying you are welcome to attend this session.

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1.40 pm onwards

Subject specific interviews i.e., English, Mathematics and Religious Education.

At this stage you will be directed to the individual course areas for the main interview activity. This may involve a presentation, showing work that you have brought to the interview. Please read carefully the relevant subject specialism appendix.

Relatives or friends that are accompanying you will not be permitted to attend this phase of the process. However, relatives and friends are welcome to attend a ‘fees and finance session’ commencing at 2.00pm (you will be informed of the location of this event on the day).

4.00 pm – 4.30 pm Admissions Staff will be available if require further information and advice.

During the day you will have the opportunity to tour the campus. You can do this independently or as part of an organised tour. However, the frequency of the tours will depend on the availability of campus guides.

Admissions staff will be available in the Admissions Office throughout the day for further information and advice.

If you require any specific guidance which cannot be answered directly by the admissions tutors (for example student finance or special needs information) specialist guidance and support is available from staff located in the Student Information Centre (SIC). Please ask admissions tutors for directions if you require such specialist information.

There is no formal closure of the interview sessions’ activities.

The selection process will normally take two to four hours depending on the subject area. However, this may vary depending on the number of candidates attending the interview.

Once you have completed the interview process (including the English test and other requirements) you are free to leave.

We hope that you will enjoy your interview experience at Edge Hill University. An interview is a two-way process and you should treat the interview as an opportunity to ask university staff any questions you feel necessary to make an informed university choice. This will help you have a clearer understanding of the programme and the subject specialism to which you have applied. It is important that you make the right choice of course and institution; and that you are aware that the secondary undergraduate degree programme at Edge Hill University will be intensive and challenging, but ultimately enjoyable, rewarding and inspiring.

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1.4 Selection guidanceThe interview panel make judgements against the following selection criteria;

1. Personal qualities, values and attributes including: Presentational qualities; communication; independence and resilience; adaptability and flexibility; interpersonal skills including the ability to work effectively as part of a group and relate and relate to learners, self-organisation, Leadership potential

2. Reflection and analysis of previous experience of working with young people. Knowledge and understanding of educational issues

3. Subject knowledge and curriculum relevance

4. Commitment to a career in teaching, knowledge and understanding of the professional role of a teacher and how effective learning takes place

5. Use of written English

6. Use of spoken English

The purpose of the interview is to judge see whether you;

possess the intellectual and academic qualities needed to meet the required Teachers’ Standards (Revised, 2013) and recommendation for qualified teacher status (QTS) standards,

possess the appropriate qualities, attitudes and values expected of a teacher,

can read effectively and are able to communicate clearly and accurately in standard English.

In this way, you can expect that the interview to cover the following areas.

Intellectual ability and personal and presentational qualities

You will be given the opportunity to demonstrate that you have an enthusiasm for teaching and would be likely to adopt a positive approach to your work.

Particular qualities we will be looking for include:

confidence and positive demeanour clear speech the capacity to be an effective member of a team good communication skills enthusiasm ability to get on with people

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a genuine liking for and understanding of children the ability to manage your own learning the ability to be an independent and autonomous learner

Subject knowledge and curriculum relevance

You will be expected to demonstrate to the interview panel that you have a good understanding of the knowledge, concepts and skills of the curriculum area for which you have applied. The panel will expect you to demonstrate an enthusiasm for your chosen subject area and that you will be able to discuss how your subject may be taught in the classroom.

Educational and professional awareness

In addition, the interview panel will expect you to demonstrate an awareness of current educational issues e.g. the National Curriculum requirements of your chosen area.

Knowledge and understanding of professional role of a teacher

You will be expected to articulate why you wish to enter the teaching profession and show some awareness of what teachers are expected to do when working in secondary schools.

You should read the subject specific guidance (given in the appendix) for information on how this part of the interview may be conducted. If you have any queries about this work please contact the relevant Course Leader before your interview who will be able to discuss any issues you might have.

Use of written and spoken English

The ability for you to communicate clearly and grammatically in spoken and written Standard English will be examined during the interview process. There will also be a reading/written task to be completed on the day.

1.5 Preparation for your interview

Before the interview, it is essential that you have:

read this booklet and made a note of the items that you need to bring with you to the interview and any questions that you want to ask,

read the appendix containing details relating to your subject specialism,

thought about and can explain why you want to teach pupils in the secondary age range and why you wish to teach your particular subject,

where possible, spent time observing in a secondary school,

read educational publications to familiarise yourself with current educational issues. The Times Educational Supplement is published on a Friday. Other useful publications are the Education supplements in the Guardian (Tuesday),

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and the Independent (Thursday). The BBC Education Website http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education is a useful online publication,

visited appropriate websites e.g. Department for Education, National College for Teaching & Leadership, Standards and Testing Agency, National Curriculum and examination boards.

These activities will supplement your preparatory reading and research.

It is very important that you notify the Admissions Office at Edge Hill University if you will not be attending the interview. If you wish to rearrange the date and time of your interview it is important that you do this by contacting the Admissions Office as soon as you receive a letter inviting you to interview (telephone 01695 584861).

PLEASE BRING THIS BOOKLET WITH YOU ON THE DAY

1.6 Interview OutcomesYou will not be informed of the outcome of your interview on the day but will normally be advised of the outcome within 20 working days. Please note decisions will not be given over the telephone; you will be advised in writing only. All decisions will be confirmed by UCAS.

If You Are Successful

If you are successful, then your training with us will have commenced!

We will send you feedback targets based on your interview and you will provided with a pre-course booklet with advice on how to prepare for the undergraduate secondary programme in the intervening months.

Applicants who have submitted an early application and have been successful at an interview early in the recruitment cycle will be invited to attend a taster day on Thursday 10th March 2017.

The programme will commence on Monday 18th September 2017 with an induction programme during ‘Fresher’s Week’. Therefore you should be available for full-time study (Monday to Friday) from Monday 18th September 2017 onwards.

This information will be outlined in the pre-course pack and will be further detailed during the enrolment process. The secondary undergraduate degree is an intensive programme and we strongly encourage you to start to organise yourself prior to the start of the course.

Irrespective of academic qualifications already achieved, all offers are conditional upon;

I. meeting the statutory requirements of the profession for physical and mental fitness to teach,

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II. Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) clearance to work with children (the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Joint Circular [9/93] “Protection of Children: Disclosure of Criminal Background of those with Access to Children”).

A medical questionnaire and clearance to work with children declaration form (Disclosure and Barring Service, DBS) will be sent to all candidates who accept the Edge Hill University offer as their Firm choice. These will be sent out in May/June and must be completed and returned to Edge Hill as soon as possible.

It is important that you complete questionnaires and Criminal Records Bureau documentation promptly and accurately.

In addition, where an offer has been made conditional on, for example, the verification of qualifications, submission of certificates or provision of an academic reference, it is essential that you provide this evidence to the Admissions Office as soon as possible. Failure to do so will mean that we are unable to confirm an offer (allowing you to commence the programme). This will cause a delay in matters such as finding a school placement.

Should you have any queries or concerns regarding the above conditions you should raise them with a member of the Admissions Department on the day of your interview.

If You Are Unsuccessful

If you are unsuccessful, we will send you brief interview feedback with an indication of the selection criteria that most influenced the decision of the interview panel together with any other relevant comments and guidance. Admissions tutors cannot offer you further feedback on your interview. You are welcome to reapply next academic year. If you choose to do so, you should reflect upon the feedback given. This will help you think about how to improve your application.

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1.7 Applicants with Disabilities or Specific Learning Difficulties

Applicants with disabilities or Specific Learning Difficulty e.g. dyslexia or dyspraxia should note that the decision to offer a place on a course of Initial Teacher Training is made only on the selection criteria outlined in this booklet.

However, you should note the following;

If you normally have additional time for examinations or tests, or large font type, or any other specific arrangements, please contact the Admissions Office using the reply form provided with your letter of invitation. Please provide a copy of your LA ‘statement’ or a letter from your school, college or employer to confirm that additional time for tests is a requirement,

Given the need for all trainee teachers to communicate clearly in spoken and written Standard English and to have excellent presentational skills, you should ensure that you have fully explored for yourself any issues in relation to teaching arising from your disability or specific learning difficulty e.g. dyslexia or dyspraxia, and have thought through any coping strategies and/or adjustments which will need to be made in the workplace to assist you. Please note that discussions about adaptations to the workplace would normally take place after an offer has been made to assist us in placing you in a school, but you should begin your thinking about this as soon as possible,

If you would like any confidential advice or information on Edge Hill’s student support services for students with disabilities or specific learning difficulties e.g. dyslexia or dyspraxia) please do not hesitate to contact the Inclusion Team:

Hazel Devereux, Head of Inclusion (SIC)

Telephone: 01695 584746 Email de v ereuh@edgehill.ac.uk

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2 PROGRAMME INFORMATION

2.1 IntroductionThe BA (Hons) / BSc (Hons) Secondary Education with QTS* programme is unique and has been specifically designed to provide you, as a trainee teacher, with opportunities to develop your subject specialism, whilst gaining a recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status.

Edge Hill University has been at the forefront of Teacher Education for more than 135 years and enjoys a national reputation as one of the largest quality providers of Teacher-Training in England.

As well as the high expectations Edge Hill has of you, there are also national standards and requirements for ITT which can be downloaded from the Department for Education website:

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/deployingstaff/a00205581/teachers-standards1-sep-2012

2.2 OverviewYou will demonstrate your achievement of these standards in a variety of ways (more detail will be provided at the interview).

Through the Edge Hill University based course which is organised as follows;

1. Professional Practice: This is designed to provide you with a range of experiences across the age range for which you are training. During your placements you will be supported, guided and assessed by trainees mentors, teachers and Edge Hill University tutors.

You will apply knowledge, understanding, skills and abilities within a range of school settings.

The pattern of Placement Experience is:

An initial placement in a secondary school/setting A developmental placement in a secondary school/setting A synoptic placement in a different secondary school/setting.

2. Personal and Professional Conduct: This strand has several elements. The first is concerned with your own development as an independent learner within the context of Higher Education. The current educational context is considered as well as teaching and learning strategies and the needs of learners. The second element centres on professional aspects within teaching: a range of generic education issues and policies such as national priorities in Secondary Education, equal opportunities, Special Educational Needs, the National Strategy at Key Stage 3 and the pre-vocational curriculum. Within your curriculum area as well as during your time on placement you will have further

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opportunities to consider how such issues impact upon the profession and today’s education system and to develop your understanding of them. The third element focuses on teachers’ legal responsibilities, statutory requirements and on cross-curricular issues – particularly professional conduct and relationships with children, parents and other agencies.

3. Teaching Skills: This strand, by its very nature is interlinked with Personal and Professional Conduct but has a much more subject based focus. It considers the elements of the Teachers’ Standards (Revised, 2013) concerned with subject specialist teaching in Secondary schools. These include, planning, teaching and learning, classroom management, inclusion, monitoring, assessment and target setting.

4. Subject Knowledge: This will give you the opportunity to develop your specialist subject to honours degree level, thus enabling you to teach in the Secondary age phase range.

As a Trainee Teacher, you are expected to behave in a professional manner at all times, at Edge Hill and during school- based training.

This involves;

regular attendance, excellent punctuality, demonstrating high standards of behaviour both in school and at Edge Hill, completing work satisfactorily to set deadlines, demonstrating commitment to the achievement of the highest standards of

performance, in both Edge Hill University and school-based work.

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2.3 Professional PracticeInitial Teacher Training Programmes at Edge Hill University and its partner institutions are predicated on the principle that as an aspiring teacher you will receive the highest quality experience at Edge Hill to enable you to have opportunities to be an excellent teacher. As you study on a programme of Initial Teacher Training at Edge Hill, you will be placed in settings that will provide you with a depth and breadth of experience. Edge Hill will provide you with a number of placements that may be geographically diverse and that, across the duration of the programme, will provide you with an appropriate curriculum, age phase and learner- based experience.

If you agree to accept the offer of a place on your chosen programme then it is essential that you agree to the following criteria:

Ready for Training?

If you accept the place offered to you then you must ensure that all documentation in relation to you being legally able to train within educational settings is provided by you within 3 weeks of you receiving documentation from Edge Hill’s Admissions Department.

You are required to complete a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check and provide relevant documentation to support,

ensure that all medical paperwork is completed,

if you have lived abroad for 3 months then you may need to obtain a criminal record check from the country/ countries that you resided in. Please contact admissions@edgehill.ac.uk for information.

Please refer to the documentation you will receive from the Admissions Department for further details on the above requirements.

You will not be able to do any training in an educational setting unless you are medically cleared, have Edge Hill CRB clearance, enrolled as a trainee at Edge Hill University;

if your interview is taking place within 10 weeks of the commencement of the programme then you will have been advised to bring all documentation to the interview. If your interview is successful, then we will endeavour to process the CRB check immediately. However, there is no guarantee that it will be processed in time for your first placement. If this is the case, then you will supported in starting your placement later than your peers.

Training in Educational Settings

The Partnership team will source all ITT Professional Practices.

You will be expected to travel to your Professional Practice venue and you must be prepared that this may involve travelling some distance. You will be expected to drive or travel on public transport to your professional practice.

Periods of Professional Practice are not decided on geographical location but on your specific individual training needs identified in conjunction with a tutor. Therefore there is an expectation that you will be required to travel to the Professional Practice. There is no set criterion for what is/could is deemed as a reasonable journey (this could mean several hours travel). We do provide some reimbursement for travel to and from training. A Travel Policy will be made available to you which provides detailed information in relation to this. 

Edge Hill University make use of Professional Practices located at a distance, in areas such as Shropshire, North East Lincolnshire, Cumbria and Isle of Man. If you are allocated a distance placement we will provide either accommodation or travel as appropriate.

All contact with placement schools is made formally via the Faculty of Education’s ITT Partnership Team and trainees should not contact schools directly to arrange placements.

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3 ADMISSIONS INFORMATIONAdditional notes to applicants who are subsequently made an offer after interview.

In order to ensure your smooth entry to Edge Hill University and your professional training programme, it is important that you adhere to the national criteria for entry to the profession by following guidance notes issued by the DoE/NCTL/Edge Hill Pro-spectus and requests from Edge Hill and that you are;

a) Able to comply with the requirements of the offer sent to you and any other requests as soon as they are asked for and certainly by no later than 31st August or an agreed date.

b) Able to meet the national requirements for full clearance to work with children in respect of the Police Act and the health standards to enter the profession.

c) Able to comply with any changes in the national requirements for those starting programmes of initial teacher training in September 2013

d) responsible for:

(i) completing all forms sent to you and the prompt return of the forms,

(ii) professional/academic references: Contacting your academic referee, if requested to do so, to arrange for a reference to be sent or faxed to the Admissions Unit on 01695 584628 (The decision on your application will be delayed until we are in receipt of this),

(iii) providing the Admissions Unit with academic qualifications or examination results as soon as they are known,

(iv) formal application through UCAS if appropriate.

If you are having difficulties locating previous GCSE examination results/certificates it is important that you initiate a search on receipt of the offer either by or through con-tacting your previous school/college or the relevant examination boards. Please be aware that search fees are in place and searches take a number of weeks to complete.

A list of some of the examination boards addresses is given on the following page.

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Assessment and qualifications GuildfordAlliance (AQA) Stag Hill House Tel 01483 506506Also for NEAB, AEB, JMB, SEG. Guildford Fax 01483 300152

Surrey e.mail: postmaster@aqa.org.uk GU2 7XJ

website: www.aqa.org.uk

ManchesterAQA Tel 0161 953 1180Devas Street Fax 0161 273 7572Manchester e.mail : postmaster@aqa.org.uk M15 6EX website www.aqa.org.uk

Edexcel Foundation Stewart House Tel: 0870 240 9800

32 Russell Square Fax: 0207 758 6960London e.mail: enquiries@edexcel.org.ukWC1B 5DN website: www.edexcel.org.uk

Oxford Cambridge and RSA Head Office Tel: 01223 552552Examinations (OCR) 1 Regent Street Fax: 01223 552553

Cambridge e.mail: helpdesk@ocr.org.uk CB2 1GG website: www.ocr.org.uk

Welsh Joint Education 245 Western Ave Tel: 029 2026 5000Committee (WJEC) Cardiff Fax 029 2057 5994

CF5 2YX e.mail: exams@wjec.co.uk

Website: www.wjec.co.uk

Failure to comply with this could result in you having to take and achieve a satisfactory standard in the Edge Hill special tests.

For applicants who have any doubts about complying with the national requirements to train as a teacher or Edge Hill’s offer, it is important that you are aware of the financial and enrolment implications of this when joining the professional training programme;

a) Provisional / Partial enrolment only will be undertaken.

b) Limited access to IT and other learning facilities.

c) Restrictions in being allowed into schools.

d) Financial support will be withheld.

e) That Edge Hill has the right to cancel an application if it is subsequently found that information has been omitted or false statements made on the application form.

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IMPORTANT NOTE: The Admissions Unit is here to help and assist you. If you are experiencing any difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact us (telephone 01695 584637). As soon as a decision following your interview is made, the decision will be immediately transmitted to the UCAS which you will be able to see instantly. If your status has not changed, this means that a decision has not yet been made. Please check the status of your UCAS application before contacting the University.

We do hope that you accept our invitation to attend, enjoy the experience the interview and find that it helps you to make an informed decision on your future plans.

Disclaimer

Edge Hill University makes every effort to ensure that this information is accurate at the time of publication. Edge Hill reserves the right to change or discontinue any course, programme or module, or the specific content thereof or to amend any other information without notice. Edge Hill does not accept any liability arising out of or in connection with any such changes.

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4 PROFESSIONAL SKILLS INFORMATION4.1 Key Information

The Professional Skills Tests in Literacy and Numeracy applies to every person applying to train to be a teacher and applies to every training route.

Both skills test must be passed before starting your training.

The number of resits is limited to two per test and then timed out for two years.

4.2 How Edge Hill University can support you in preparing for the tests

Edge Hill University can support you in preparing to take these tests:

The Edge Hill skills test website has details of support sessions:

http ://www.edgehill.ac.uk/study/professionalSkillsTests   For more information about support sessions contact the Access Programmes Team

on:

Telephone: 01695 657148

Email: edgehilltests@edgehill.ac.uk.

Edge Hill University has its own Skills Test Centre on campus

Some helpful texts that you may wish to read and work through to support your preparation:

• “Passing the Numeracy Skills Test” by Mark Patmore - ISBN number 9781446275160.

• “Passing the Literacy Skills Test” by Jim Johnson & Bruce Bond – ISBN number 9780859258793.

• “How to Pass the QTS Numeracy & Literacy Skills Tests” by Chris Tyreman- ISBN number 9780749462413.

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4.3 Additional Important Information for Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Applicants relating to skills tests

You are required to have passed skills tests in numeracy and literacy before starting the programme.

When can I take the tests?

You must have submitted an application form for an ITT programme before you can register for the tests. Registration and booking for the skills tests will be via the Department for Education website.

Go to http://www.education.gov.uk/teachskillstests and follow the link to ‘Skills test registration’.

What format are the tests and where can I take them?

The tests are computerised and can be taken at any of approximately 150 Pearson VUE Test Centres throughout the UK, including the on-campus Pearson VUE Test Centre at Edge Hill University. To locate your nearest Pearson VUE Test Centre, go to http://www.pearsonvue.com/ta/locate/.

At what level are the tests set?

The length of the tests and questions are appropriate for key skills level 2/3.

Do I still need GCSE grade C or equivalent in Mathematics and English Language?

Yes. The tests do not replace the GCSE grade C equivalence entry requirement.

What is the pass mark for the tests?

The pass mark for each test is 63 per cent.

How can I prepare for the tests?

Online practice tests, details of test content and test format, and recommended books are available on the Department for Education website.

Go to http://www.education.gov.uk/teachskillstests and follow the links to ‘Numeracy skills test’ or ‘Literacy skills test’.

If I fail a test can I resit it?

Yes. You are allowed to resit each test up to 2 times. If you do not pass each test within 3 attempts your application cannot progress. So we recommend that you make use of all the preparation resources on the Department for Education website before taking each test.

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Will I have to pay to take the tests?

The first attempt at each subject is free of charge, but a charge of £19.25 per test will apply when booking a resit.

Where can I get more information?

More information is available on the Department for Education website. Go to http://www.education.gov.uk/teachskillstests and carefully read through all of the information.

PLEASE BRING THIS BOOKLET WITH YOU ON THE DAY

PLEASE ALSO BRING THE RELEVANT SUBJECT SPECIALISM APPENDIX

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If you are successful at interview

!!! Your training to become a teacher will have commenced !!!

Following the interview you will be provided with:

• Targets based on your interview performance that you will need to work upon before commencing in September (you will then work on these targets and develop others during your training)

• Regular e-mail updates about your chosen programme of study and the University

• An invitation to attend a taster day on Thursday 16th March 2017

• A detailed pre-programme pack of information containing key details and wider tasks for you to prepare

• If you accept the offer you are then scheduled to start on Monday 18th September 2017 (date to be confirmed)

You must read the separate appendix for information about your subject specialism