Introducing the University ​of Nottingham PGCE

By way of introduction the PGCE element of our SWIFT Teacher Training courses, you might be interested in the following pen portrait of the University of Nottingham.

An outstanding Ofsted-rated Initial Teacher Training provider (March 2022), the University of Nottingham build on the successful School of Education’s research that is proud to be amongst the most significant and influential, internationally, with a strong commitment to developing the discipline and a rich environment for postgraduate research (see here).

We want our trainee teachers to be confident and resilient in their pedagogy and the PGCE programme is supported by the same Aims and Ethos as the university-led programmes.

The course structure, design, content, aims and ethos are founded on consultation with representatives from partnership schools, in line with the university’s governance structure and the partnership focus is collaborative, collegial and developmental (see here).

The University modules are intentionally designed to complement and support the SWIFT Teacher Training curriculum and include university-led teaching on the following modules:

Understanding Contexts | classrooms, schools, school systems, including international comparisons.

Understanding Teaching & Learning | including foundation theories, emerging theories, theories of assessment.

Inquiring into Educational Experience | including Masters-level research methods and ethics, Science of Learning, School Leadership.

Teaching methods always include interactive and dialogic strategies and traditional lectures are kept to a minimum.

Under the support and supervision of the university, with additional voluntary online twilight sessions, trainees will complete three assignments (each worth 20 M-Level credits):

Assignment 1 | a 4000-word written assignment exploring the place and purpose of students’ phase or subject, including current debates/issues.

Assignment 2 | 15-minute presentation to peers supported by 600-word reflective writing and annotated reference list. The presentation asks students to demonstrate how a sequence of lessons they have taught (or planned) is informed by a relevant theory of learning.

Assignment 3 – a 4000-word practice-based inquiry asking the students to carry out a piece of small-scale research in the context of their teaching. This includes gaining ethical approval from the university.
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To enhance the positive experience, we like to think that our trainees will enjoy the broader benefits of completing their PGCE with the University of Nottingham, including experienced expert ITT tutors from a variety of primary/secondary/ SEND/school leadership backgrounds; flexible face-to-face and online blended learning; and access to the university’s support services, including welfare support and the university library (rated the third-best academic library for Education in the UK).
 
We are pleased to be working with the University of Nottingham and we believe that this will provide a robust teacher training pathway for our trainees.