Secondary Computing PGCE

This course is in clearing with spaces available

Overview

Course options

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PGCE

  1. PGCE Secondary Computing

    • Home Applicant
    • Full time, 1 year
    • 9250 Per year
  2. PGCE Secondary Computing

    • International Applicant
    • Full time, 1 year
    • TBC

Course modules

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Developing Subject Expertise and Subject Specialism

School-Based Learning: Reflections on Practice (Mental Wealth)

Research informed practice

Securing Pupil Progress

Active inquiry and intervention: impacting upon student progress

NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.

Download course specification

Your future career

Your future career

The Secondary PGCE course at the University of East London was designed in 2001 in conjunction with the local authorities to address the secondary education teacher shortage in East London.

The partnership works with input and support from the London Boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Waltham Forest and Redbridge.

It means that our graduates are represented in virtually every secondary school in east London. Some are now deputy heads or in senior management roles in schools that are taking our current trainees for their placements.

Across all subjects, from maths to modern languages, our teacher-training graduates act as mentors to those following in their footsteps.

The partnership means that you have a head start when it comes to securing a teaching post in east London at the end of your training.

Both local authorities and individual schools visit our campus regularly to meet our trainees and advertise available vacancies.

You may also decide to undertake further study at the University of East London, either at the end of your course or after gaining teaching experience, perhaps specialising in Special Educational Needs or taking our MA Leadership in Education.

We also offer doctoral study opportunities to further develop your teaching knowledge and expertise.

Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal.

Studying at UEL has allowed me to encourage, develop and support moments of creativity in children that I know I will remember throughout my career. Their approach in guiding their students is what has helped and inspired me throughout this year – something that I am eternally grateful for."

Bharat Singh

Primary PGCE student 2014-2015

How we support your career ambitions

We offer dedicated careers support, further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking. our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed. You can focus on building interpersonal skills through group work and benefit from our investment in the latest cutting edge technologies and facilities.

Career Zone

Our dedicated and award-winning team provide you with careers and employability resources, including:

  • Online jobs board for internships, placements, graduate opportunities, flexible part-time work.
  • Mentoring programmes for insight with industry experts 
  • 1-2-1 career coaching services 
  • Careers workshops and employer events 
  • Learning pathways to gain new skills and industry insight

Mental Wealth programme

Our Professional Fitness and Mental Wealth programme which issues you with a Careers Passport to track the skills you’ve mastered. Some of these are externally validated by corporations like Amazon and Microsoft.

See more details

We are careers first

Our teaching methods and geographical location put us right up top

  • Enterprise and entrepreneurship support 
  • We are ranked 6th for graduate start-ups 
  • Networking and visits to leading organisations 
  • Support in starting a new business, freelancing and self-employment 
  • London on our doorstep

What you'll learn

We will support you to develop as a great computing teacher who can bring the subject to life by devising and delivering a diverse range of engaging lessons that educate and excite all pupils. 

You will develop the skills to devise and deliver enlightening lessons and teach pupils about our planet's people, places, landscapes, processes and fascinating natural history.

The subject studies element of the course will show you how to break down barriers and find ways to help both struggling and high-achieving students.

You will be guided by specialist tutors who have relevant teaching experience and who often contribute to educational research, policy and curriculum developments in your subject.

You will learn about children and child development in the core Active Inquiry module with the rest of the Secondary PGCE cohort.

For example, if the topic is behaviour management, your seminar group discussion will look at what managing behaviour means for a Computing teacher compared with a PE teacher, or an English teacher.

How you'll learn

The university-based training initially consists of weekly lectures on themes that are then developed in seminar groups. You will work both in subject-specific groups and in mixed-subject groups.

We organise our training so that it feels like a school. We teach students mainly in small groups of 30 rather than in large lecture halls of 150 or 300 because you must have plenty of time in your subject groups.

Your subject tutor will be like your form tutor at school. We believe that we should model good practice to you so that you can learn by example. 

Our ethos is based on collaboration, not competition. We encourage you to work collaboratively just as you will when you qualify and start working in a school.

You will undertake two long placements in contrasting schools, totalling 24 weeks. We work in partnership with over 100 schools and colleges to provide a high-quality programme of support. 

While an experienced teacher will be in the classroom with you, it is you who will be planning the lessons and teaching the lessons. You will start by observing the teacher, and then helping. By the end of the Secondary PGCE course, you will be teaching 60 per cent of a normal teacher's timetable.

You will have the opportunity to visit additional schools and settings. For instance, if your first placement is in a mixed comprehensive school in Barking & Dagenham, then you might go to a single-sex faith school in Havering for your second one. 

We also find you a school that supports your specialism. Our tutors and subject mentors will advise and support you throughout each placement as you learn to teach.

How you will be assessed

To pass your PGCE and be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status, you have to demonstrate that you have met the Teachers' Standards.

While the course is modular, the emphasis is on the whole process of your development as a teacher. So, rather than a fragmentary approach, there is ongoing assessment, charting the often subtle transformations in your knowledge and understanding, and your practical skills.

Campus and facilities

Water Lane, Stratford

Who teaches this course

This course is delivered by School of Education and Communities

The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.