​Secondary Courses Overview

Secondary
QTS and PGCE
Age Range
11 to 16
Course Length
1 year - full time
Teaching in secondary is a rewarding and valuable career. As secondary teachers we have the ability to shape the futures of our young people and offer them experiences that they will remember for a lifetime. Being able to shape young minds through the knowledge and passion you have for your subject is invaluable and what makes teaching at secondary the best job in the world.
Kelly Armstrong  | Secondary Design Lead
We offer a range of  1 year, full time, Secondary PGCEs with Qualified Teacher Status(QTS).
These courses also offer the option to gain experience of post 16 teaching, if appropriate to your subject.

Flexible Delivery Options

Click here to see our provisional locations for secondary delivery, there are 2 options available.
PLYMOUTH SECONDARY OPTION
Plymouth Secondary Option
 
Seminars and Workshops
University of Plymouth | 5 days
​Online | 14 days
Subject Knowledge Sessions
Subject Knowledge Classroom | 14 days
Online | 14 x 1.5 - 2 hours twilights
Placements
In campus area | 120 days
Intensive Training and Practice School
In campus area | 4x4 weeks
PGCE
Exeter Future Skills Centre | 5 days
Conference
University of Plymouth | 1 day
EXETER SECONDARY OPTION
Exeter Secondary Option​
 
Seminars and Workshops
Exeter Future Skills Centre | 5 days
​Online | 14 days
Subject Knowledge Sessions
Subject Knowledge Classroom | 14 days
Online | 14 x 1.5 - 2 hours twilights
Placements
In campus area | 120 days
Intensive Training and Practice School
In campus area | 4 x 4 weeks
PGCE
Exeter Future Skills Centre | 5 days
Conference
University of Plymouth | 1 day
Please note these delivery models are for guidance only and may be subject to change. Time allocations are approximate.
A weekly breakdown of our Secondary Curriculum can be seen in this document.

The programme comprises of the following fully integrated activities:

Pedagogy Seminars and Workshops
A combination of seminars and workshops introducing theories, supporting evidence and approaches to teaching and learning.
More than 120 hours
Specialist Subject Knowledge Seminars and Workshops
Exploring teaching and pedagogical approaches through a phase and subject specific lens.
More than 100 hours of subject knowledge training.
Professional Studies days in school
Following on from seminars and workshops an opportunity in your placement school to observe, practice and receive feedback on what you’ve learnt.
School Placements
  • Minimum of 24 weeks in school
  • Two main school-based placements
  • Short placement – Autumn Term
  • Long placement – Spring and Summer Terms.
Enrichment Placement
5 – 7 days in school to focus on an area important to you during the summer term.
Mentoring
Using an instructional coaching approach, you will have weekly mentor meetings during school-placements, with an expert teaching colleague.
Four Intensive Training and Practice Weeks
Focussing on areas such as classroom routines, questioning and special  educational needs, four full weeks across the year, of carefully designed activities to extend your knowledge base, deepen your understanding and improve your classroom practice of key areas of teaching.
Climate Change and Sustainability | One Day Conference
An enrichment day that focuses on climate change and sustainability, combining STEM learning and STEM activities. 

Course Structure

  • We deliver our programme over 39 weeks, to enable you to maximise your training year experience.
  • Our model sequences learning through three phases, covering 6 themes, which align with the autumn, spring and summer term. 
  • These broad themes form the basis of our Provider-led pedagogy sessions where you learn through our evidenced based approach to teaching.
  • This in turn informs the structure of our subject knowledge curriculum for all secondary subjects, delivering over 100+ hours of expert subject specific teaching.  
  • Through these sessions you will explore how evidence-based knowledge and practice is applied through each subject lens.
Phases of Learning (Pedagogy)
Subject Knowledge Themes
Phase 1 Autumn
  • Creating a positive environment where all pupils can flourish
  • Understanding how to maximise all pupils' learning
​1. The Subject Curriculum
2. Creating a powerful environment to teach Subject
3. Effective teaching of Subject
Phase 2 Spring
  • Establishing effective classroom practice
  • Assessment and feedback; encouraging all pupils to excel
4. Assessment and feedback in Subject
Phase 3 Summer
  • Empowering all pupils to succeed
  • Transition - Trainee Teacher to QTS
5. Adapting Subject
6. Enriching Subject
At the start of the Autumn and Spring terms weekly blocks of provider and subject knowledge teaching is integrated with school placement days to allow you to embed theory with practice. These lead into a set number of weeks in school when you will be allocated a timetable of classes that you will be involved in teaching.

As a new trainee you will have significant support and scaffolding during the early stages of the programme, observing lessons and teaching small episodes in class or to groups. Through the course your confidence, knowledge and understanding will grow and you will become more independent; moving to planning and  delivering individual lessons and then sequences, increasing in complexity and meeting a range of student needs.