Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Religious Education)

Course detail Description

There are two strands to the PGCE course: one focusing on the subject specific work, the other encompassing the generic issues facing all of us in education today.

The PGCE Religious Education is a full-time course that consists of four required modules and two blocks of teaching experience based in secondary schools within London and Greater London. You will complete the course within ten months, studying September to June. You must take modules totalling 120 credits to meet the requirements of the qualification.

You’ll engage in education, pedagogy and professional studies sessions and curriculum workshops. These will take place in both university and school settings and will develop your expertise in general educational and professional issues, as well as subject pedagogy.

You’ll gain the skills and understanding to take up positions in schools as a teacher of your subject with the potential to contribute fully to the life of the school.

School Direct Route: The School Direct non-salaried teacher training route is composed of a partnership between King’s College London and a lead school. Students apply to the lead school for admission to the programme. The academic components of the course are delivered by King’s College London whilst the secondary school teaching experience is organised by the lead school.

For those wishing to train as teachers of pupils aged 11-18 in religious education, our course will lead to the DfE (HM Government) Standards for QTS which are assessed through teaching practice observation, portfolios and written assignments. Our PGCE Religious Education does not provide you with specific subject knowledge content on world faiths and belief systems. This is why we require degree-level evidence of subject knowledge. The course is designed to train you in the art and craft of teaching. To this end, the focus is on the professional standards required of you by the QTS standards, which provides the framework for the course.

Teaching

You can typically expect:

• The equivalent of over 50 days of academic sessions at King’s (typically three hours in the morning and/or afternoon spread throughout the academic year).

• Approximately 120 days of teaching placement. *This includes a short period of placement in primary schools (typically four days).

• A number of one-to-one tutorials totaling five to seven sessions across the year.

• Two visits from a tutor whilst on placement to observe lessons and monitor progress

• Regular** meetings with a mentor, who will be a member of staff at your placement school, whilst on placement.

• Written feedback on all credit-bearing assignments within four weeks of the deadline.

* This 120-day figure represents the standard number of placement days. In certain cases, following assessment by course tutors and mentors, students may be required to undertake a greater number of placement days to demonstrate their ability to meet the Teacher Standards.

** Typically, each trainee will have a meeting with their mentor during each week they are on placement. In certain circumstances the frequency may vary.

The types of learning commitment encompassed within the course vary depending on modules. For this course one credit represents the equivalent of 10 hours of learning and engagement.

The breakdown below gives you an idea of the likely workload you can expect:

Professional Practice in Education (45-credit module):

This module covers the teaching practice that students carry out in secondary schools. As such, much of the time commitment is dedicated to teaching and planning lessons.

Seminars/Tutorials: 14 contact hours (seminars/tutorials designed to evaluate teaching performance and provide feedback).

Teaching: 200-220 hours of teaching (this includes time teaching by oneself and ‘team teaching’ in groups).

Self study/assignment work: 216 hours to include lesson planning, observing lessons, marking pupils work.

School Data (15-credit module):

Lectures/seminars: 10 contact hours.

Self-study/assignment work: 140 hours.

Studying Policy & Professional Practice (30-credit module):

Lectures/seminars: 25.5 contact hours.

Self-study/assignment work: 274.5 hours.

Focused Pedagogical Studies (30-credit module):

Lectures/seminars: 200 contact hours.

Self-study/assignment work: 100 hours.

Assessment

• The 45-credit honours-level module will be assessed by a combination of a written portfolio (equivalent to 8,000 words) and assessment of your teaching practice against the Teaching Standards as set out by the government’s Department for Education. Progress in meeting the teaching standards will be monitored through three progress reports that will be completed by staff at the placement school.

• The 30-credit master’s-level modules will each be assessed by a 6,000-word written assignment heavily based on in-school research that trainees undertake.

• The 15-credit honours-level module will be assessed by an assignment focusing on data collection methods in the school environment.

Location

Students undertake placements in secondary schools that work in partnership with King’s College London. Partnership schools are located across central London and the Greater London area. Whilst every effort is made to place PGCE trainees in local schools, due to the changing nature of initial teacher education and limited availability of placements in certain subject areas, trainees should be prepared to travel to their placement schools throughout the Greater London area and beyond.

Students also organise their own short placements at state primary schools.

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Structure

Year 1

Courses are divided into modules, and students on this course take modules totalling 120 credits.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on this course page for updates.

You are required to take the following modules:

• Studying Policy & Professional Practice (30 credits)

• Focused Pedagogical Studies (30 credits)

• Professional Practice in Education (45 credits)

• School Data (15 credits)