Each module involves academic study through online seminars led by your curriculum tutor, a period of school experience, and the submission of a portfolio of evidence that includes responses to academic tasks and reports from your school experience. From the start of your studies, you will engage with the medium of Welsh in a school context and will be supported to develop your Welsh language skills, which is key to delivering the new Curriculum for Wales.
Teaching across the modules will be through a series of practice-focused strands:
Academic theory will be combined with substantial, supported experience in schools.
You’ll move from familiarisation to consolidation of your learning in PGCE 1 and 2, progressing from classroom support and planning and teaching of single lessons to planning and teaching a sequence of lessons. In PGCE 3, you’ll move towards autonomy in your teaching practice, taking responsibility for planning, resourcing and solo-teaching a range of lessons.
Mentors will support you throughout your school experience. They’ll mediate and facilitate regular school-based tasks, which feed into your studies. As you move through the modules, your understanding of theories and concepts will progress. Your practical experience and assessments will prepare you for your next module and help you progress towards meeting the Professional Standards for Teaching and Leadership in Wales. Whether you’re on the salaried or part-time route, you’ll undertake an individual classroom research project in PGCE 3.
Over the two years, all students complete 120 days of school-based learning practice across two different school settings, in line with Education Workforce Council and Welsh Government requirements.
During the module PGCE 3 (the second year of the programme), you’ll complete 60 of the required 120 days of learning practice. At least 30 of these days must be undertaken in a continuous block (five days per week over six consecutive school weeks), including a mandatory full-time, 30-day practice learning block.
If you already work at a mainstream state school as a teaching assistant or in a non-teaching role, you can apply for your school to endorse your study. Your school must apply to become a partner school and provide you with an endorsement letter, as they will pay your salary. You’ll need to get agreement from your school to apply for this route.
You will study for your PGCE alongside your existing school duties as part of your full-time employment in a school, and undertake practical experience at the same time as studying. Your costs of study will be covered by a training grant from the Welsh Government.
If you are a career-changer and do not currently work in a school, you can still apply for the salaried route in one of our secondary shortage subjects. You will need to find a secondary school willing to endorse you, which we can help you find through one of our many partner schools in Wales.
Find out more about the Salaried route.
If you are a career-changer and want to become a teacher but don’t work in a school, or the salaried route isn’t right for you, there is a part-time option available. This route offers flexibility as you’ll study towards your PGCE and gain part-time practical teaching experience in a school while working around your current part-time job or other life commitments.
School placements will be available in Welsh- and English-medium schools. You will undertake your practical experience after completing your academic study in each module. You’ll need to consider how you can commit to approximately 16 hours of study per week.
You’ll complete 120 days of practice learning across the two years (60 days per year). You’ll be required to commit to two to three days per week for practice learning to ensure you meet the required number of practice learning days within the specific windows.
This route can be self-funded, or you can apply for a student loan and part-time maintenance grants to help with the costs.
Find out more about the Part-time route.
