PGCE - Further Education and Skills Sector - Full Time - Awarded by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)
16168W0 | Parsons Walk Campus
Start Date | 09/09/2025
Time/Day | 09:30 - 16:30 TUE/THU
Start Date | 09/09/2025
Time/Day | 09:30 - 16:30 TUE/THU
Is this course for me?
This course will train you to be a teacher in the Further Education and Skills Sector, which encompasses Further Education Colleges, Sixth Forms and Sixth Form Colleges, Adult and Community Learning, the National Health Service, and private sector training organisations.Applicants should ideally have some teaching experience or experience of work in a learning environment. You will need to complete 150 hours of teaching practice over the duration of the course. To support your development as a trainee teacher, we can offer you the following benefits:
• a guaranteed teaching placement in the College with mentoring by one of our excellent experienced teachers, where we deliver courses that matches your specialist subject;
• full access to our outstanding Continuous Professional Development programme for teaching staff within the College's Teaching and Learning Academy;
• potential opportunities for fast-track progression into a paid teaching role in the College if you show evidence of consistently meeting the required professional standards.
The PGCE is aligned to the Learning and Skills Teacher occupational standard which underpins the design of the University's qualification. All trainees must meet this occupational standard to successfully achieve the award of PGCE.
Successful completion of the course does NOT automatically confer either QTLS (Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills) status or Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) but you will be eligible to apply for QTLS status with the Society for Education and Training after successfully completing a six-month period of Professional Formation. Further information on QTLS is provided by the Society for Education and Training on their website at https://set.et-foundation.co.uk/your-career/qtls
View Programme Specification
What will I study?
You will study six compulsory modules:
• Teaching, Learning and Assessment in the Further Education and Skills Sector (Level 5) - foundational skills for teaching, learning, and assessing in the Further Education and Skills (FES) Sector.
• Developing Subject Specialist Practice (Level 5) - professional skills and behaviours as a reflective subject-specialist practitioner in the Further Education and Skills (FES) Sector.
• Designing and Developing an Inclusive Curriculum (Level 5) - knowledge and skills for curriculum planning, review and development
• Advancing Subject Specialist Practice (Level 6) - educational theory and its practical application to the development of subject specialist knowledge, pedagogic content knowledge and pedagogy.
• Research Informed Practice (Level 7) - proficiency in research-informed practice, using both the literature base and empirical research in subject specialist teaching.
• Policy and Professionalism in the Further Education and Skills Sector (Level 7) - the role education policy plays in shaping the professional practice of teachers in the further education and skills sector.
• Teaching, Learning and Assessment in the Further Education and Skills Sector (Level 5) - foundational skills for teaching, learning, and assessing in the Further Education and Skills (FES) Sector.
• Developing Subject Specialist Practice (Level 5) - professional skills and behaviours as a reflective subject-specialist practitioner in the Further Education and Skills (FES) Sector.
• Designing and Developing an Inclusive Curriculum (Level 5) - knowledge and skills for curriculum planning, review and development
• Advancing Subject Specialist Practice (Level 6) - educational theory and its practical application to the development of subject specialist knowledge, pedagogic content knowledge and pedagogy.
• Research Informed Practice (Level 7) - proficiency in research-informed practice, using both the literature base and empirical research in subject specialist teaching.
• Policy and Professionalism in the Further Education and Skills Sector (Level 7) - the role education policy plays in shaping the professional practice of teachers in the further education and skills sector.
How long is the course?
Full-time for one academic year. You will attend classes for two full days each week (Tuesday and Thursday) and you will spend two full days each week on your trainee teacher placement.
How will I be assessed?
There are three integrated aspects of assessment on the course:
• Teaching practice which is assessed through observations of your teaching and the development of an extensive Portfolio of Professional Achievement (PoPA) to demonstrate that you have achieved the IfATE Learning and Skills Teacher Occupational Standard.
• Coursework assignments which are assessed by the course tutors. No assignments are
graded: all are assessed on a pass or refer basis.
• Professionalism which is assessed through your participation in classroom activities,
your performance in teaching and your general attitude and approach to your role as a trainee teacher.
• There are no examinations.
• Teaching practice which is assessed through observations of your teaching and the development of an extensive Portfolio of Professional Achievement (PoPA) to demonstrate that you have achieved the IfATE Learning and Skills Teacher Occupational Standard.
• Coursework assignments which are assessed by the course tutors. No assignments are
graded: all are assessed on a pass or refer basis.
• Professionalism which is assessed through your participation in classroom activities,
your performance in teaching and your general attitude and approach to your role as a trainee teacher.
• There are no examinations.
What qualifications do I need?
• UK Honours degree (normally 2:2 or above) or equivalent related to your specialist area
• A minimum of a Level 3 qualification in all the specialist subjects you will be teaching (if different to degree subject)
• GCSE English at grade C/4 or above (or OfQual approved equivalent)
• GCSE Mathematics at grade C/4 or above (or OfQual approved equivalent)
• Where English is not your first language: the ability to communicate fluently, accurately and effectively in professional spoken English (IELTS 7.5 with no element lower than 7.0 (or equivalent)
• A minimum of a Level 3 qualification in all the specialist subjects you will be teaching (if different to degree subject)
• GCSE English at grade C/4 or above (or OfQual approved equivalent)
• GCSE Mathematics at grade C/4 or above (or OfQual approved equivalent)
• Where English is not your first language: the ability to communicate fluently, accurately and effectively in professional spoken English (IELTS 7.5 with no element lower than 7.0 (or equivalent)
What can I progress onto?
The qualification enables trainees to progress into teaching in a variety of organisations in the Further Education and Skills sector: Further Education Colleges, Sixth Forms and Sixth Form Colleges, Adult and Community Learning, the National Health Service, and private sector training organisations. Qualified trainees may also go on to complete the MEd (Masters in Education) at UCLan. UCLan PGCE graduates have 60 credits of Accredited Prior Learning (APL) towards the Masters in Professional Practice in Education at UCLan.
Other Information
To undertake the course you will need a teaching contract or a voluntary placement across two institutions, that includes: a minimum of 150 hours of teaching practice (including 20 hours online synchronous teaching); a minimum of 100 hours of non-teaching practice; a named subject specialist mentor in your main placement location; a named pastoral mentor in your main placement location.
You will also need to complete a satisfactory course interview and a satisfactory subject interview. You will also need to provide confirmation of an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
You will also need to complete a satisfactory course interview and a satisfactory subject interview. You will also need to provide confirmation of an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Course Fees
£7500.00
16-18 year olds do not pay exam fees.
Course fees shown are per annum for University Centre courses. Courses lasting longer than one year, fees will be payable per year.
All other courses show the total fees payable for the course.
If you need advice on any financial support that may be available to you, please contact us on applications@wigan-leigh.ac.uk or phone 01942 761111
Wigan & Leigh College endeavours to ensure that the information provided on the website is accurate. All courses are offered subject to student numbers and the College reserves the right to amend, withdraw or amalgamate any of the courses, fees, services, locations or facilities described at any time. The College cannot accept liability arising out of such changes or connected to such changes, however it will undertake to minimise disruption to students.