Education

Keele University has a long established reputation in Initial Teacher Education. The Keele PGCE/School Direct Programme is an innovative one year (36 weeks) course which offers opportunities for trainees to develop skills in the use of digital technologies in the classroom and to undertake a multi-agency placement as part of the course.

You will spend a significant amount of time (minimum of 120 days) in school. The University modules are designed to give you experience of the type of innovative teaching required in the contemporary school.

The course is underpinned by a genuine partnership between the University, partner schools and the students (referred to as Associate Teachers (ATs)).  The University sessions will draw heavily on the AT's school experiences and aid them in interpreting those experiences in the light of current theory and practice in secondary mathematics education.

'The aim of the programme at Keele is to develop outstanding, critical and creative teachers for the 21st century classroom'

The PGCE/School Direct Programme at Keele has been designed to be both academic and vocational and is predicated on the requirement to provide challenging expectations of you as Associate Teachers to create a teaching and learning environment which will engage your interest and motivation. The broad aim of the main curriculum component of the PGCE/School Direct programme is to: 

• develop your subject knowledge and teach you how to put that knowledge into practice (pedagogy) in order to thrive in the culture of our schools;

• enable you to become a highly motivated, outstanding effective, creative and reflective practitioner;

• prepare you for a career in teaching that will prove to be successful and rewarding;

• develop in you a commitment to and enthusiasm for continuing professional and personal development;

• provide you with sufficient information, experience and opportunity in order that you might achieve the QTS Standards.

Entry to the Secondary PGCE/School Direct programme is conditional on:

• Achievement of at least a 2:2 and preferably a 2:1 degree (or recognised equivalent);
• The relevance of degree content and A Levels;
• Passes at GCSE in English Language and Mathematics at grade C or above (or equivalent). Please note: although the Teaching Agency minimum requirement is a grade C at GCSE, we will generally be looking for applicants with a grade B or above in Mathematics and English Language;
• Selection based on the information provided on the GTTR/NCTL application;
• Selection based on a successful interview (part of the interview is conducted within a partner school);
• A medical report which is deemed satisfactory;
• A completed DBS enhanced disclosure which is deemed satisfactory by the University;
• Successful completion of the Teaching Agency’s Professional Skills Tests in Literacy and Numeracy.
• Successful completion of a minimum of 10 days teaching experience in a mathematics department of a secondary school;
• For the School Direct (Salaried) route, you must have three years of work experience (not necessarily in an educational setting) to be eligible to apply.

If your degree does not give you the necessary level of subject knowledge to gain entry to the one-year course, you may wish to consider the one-year Mathematics Pre-Initial Teacher Education Subject Enhancement Programme (SKE) that is offered at Keele. Successful students then progress to the one-year PGCE/School Direct at Keele, or to an Initial Teacher Education Programme at another provider.

This one-year course is a rewarding and challenging programme. It is the beginning of your development as a Secondary teacher, and as such opportunities for reflection and critical evaluation are embedded in each module. A minimum of 120 days is spent on professional placement in at least two schools. There are also opportunities to engage in other educational settings as appropriate.

All course participants undertake modules in:

Learning and Teaching:   The Keele course is built upon Mathematics in the National Curriculum, the Standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status and the needs of Associate Teachers, pupils and schools. Curriculum workshops will essentially look at ways of teaching mathematical content through the 11-16 age range, together with basic components of AS/A2 Level work. Typical topics for Mathematics workshops include: an investigative approach to Pythagoras’ theorem; practical experiments for teaching probability; using interactive whiteboards and dynamic geometry software to learn about circles; thinking skills and mathematics; problems pupils can have when learning about angles and using research results to help improve pupils’ learning. We encourage you to participate actively and to take responsibility for your own learning.

An important part of the course is learning how to create a stimulating and caring environment. To help create such an environment, you need to be enthusiastic and lessons need to be well planned and related to the needs of the pupils. They need to be conducted in a well-organised way with a positive approach to control. You will be able to prepare in advance for handling different situations, since strategies for maintaining discipline and managing the learning in a mathematics classroom are considered and discussed.

A wide variety of resources is available for use by you in school, including classroom sets of graphic calculators; dice of all sorts for statistical work; geoboards; pegboards and probability kits.

Supplementary Studies:   You will follow a Supplementary Studies course in Digital Technologies. Considerable attention is given to the use of Digital Technologies during the course. In almost all sessions you will experience use of an interactive whiteboard. Additionally, there are graphic calculators and some iPads available for you to use in school. We also place emphasis on the development of your skills in digital technologies (both personal and professional) and provide a wealth of opportunities for you to become a highly competent, skilled technology user, whatever your starting point.

Education and Professional Studies:   This module covers fundamental educational issues, which contribute to professional knowledge and understanding. Key areas addressed include: inclusion, special needs, behaviour management and equality and diversity. In addition, you have the opportunity to focus on developing your knowledge, skills and understanding in respect of the organisation of pupils' learning within your chosen specialist curriculum area.

Teaching Practice:   The University has excellent working relationships with its partnership schools, all of which have mentors trained by the University who are responsible for Associate Teacher’s learning and development.