STUDY
Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) /Certificate in Education
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| Institution code: | S82 |
|---|---|
| UCAS code: | N/A |
| Start date: | September 2025 |
| Duration: | Full-time: One year pre-service Part-time: Two years in-service |
| Location: | Suffolk New College |
| Typical Offer: | PGCE - an honours degree or equivalent qualification. Certificate in Education - a Level 3 subject qualification |
| Institution code: | S82 |
|---|---|
| UCAS code: | N/A |
| Start date: | September 2025 |
| Duration: | Full-time: One year pre-service Part-time: Two years in-service |
|---|---|
| Location: | Suffolk New College |
| Typical Offer: | PGCE - an honours degree or equivalent qualification. Certificate in Education - a Level 3 subject qualification |
Overview
The Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and Certificate in Education (Cert Ed) are professional teacher training qualifications for people teaching in further education colleges, sixth form colleges, schools, adult education, prison education, higher education, and a wide range of other education and training settings.
The courses are available to graduates and to non-graduates with appropriate vocational qualifications and can be studied pre-service (one year full-time) or in-service (two years part-time). This course is not open to applicants requiring a Student visa.
The pre-service course, one year full time, is offered by University of Suffolk at Suffolk New College and will benefit those who wish to obtain a teaching qualification before seeking employment. Attendance on the pre service course is required two days a week in college plus further days allocated for placement. Please note, placements for applicants in the pre-service route will be supported by the university and any offer of a place will be conditional upon successful completion of an interview at the placement site.
The in-service course, two year part-time, is offered at University of Suffolk at Suffolk New College and will interest teachers and trainers who are already in full or part-time employment. Attendance on the in-service course is one morning (at Suffolk New College) per week. Please contact the Course Leader to confirm exact days and times.
The course is designed to develop a range of skills and knowledge required of a professional teacher in a post-16 environment. The course places a significant emphasis on participants developing the appropriate skills and knowledge they require to meet the needs of the learner. The fundamental principles of practice are underpinned by reference to theoretical perspectives, thus encouraging participants to effectively link theory to practice. Successful completion of the course is determined by continuous assessment.
The course is designed to encourage students to engage in activities which are directly related to their own teaching context. Students are assessed through a mixture of essays, reports, assignments and practical tasks as appropriate for the learning outcomes of each individual module. It is a requirement that all students pass all elements of the course including the practical teaching modules. Participants will be observed teaching in their normal teaching context and formally assessed a number of times throughout the programme.
Course Modules
This programme has been developed to match the Education and Training Foundation standards and meet the DfE and OfSTED requirements for new teachers in this sector.
For Pre-service, Professional Practice 1 and 2 are amalgamated to create a 40 credit unit.
Downloadable information regarding all University of Suffolk's courses, including Key Facts, Course Aims, Course Structure and Assessment, is available in the Definitive Course Record.
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This module equips you with initial and essential skills to enable them to prepare and ready yourself for the roles and responsibilities attached to initial teaching practice. During this module you are introduced to the theories and principles of teaching, learning and assessment together with legislation and policy that may have an impact on the role.
You are encouraged to make connections between theory and practice. You will also consider what it
means to be a professional in the education sector and reflect on their own professionalism (behaviour,
attitudes and values) and experience as you enter this professional training course, with reference to the
Occupational and Professional Standards.
This module is the initial introduction to teaching practice, which is designed to prepare you to promote inclusive attitudes and values in their learning environments and within the content that they prepare and teach.
This module is designed to prepare you for the design and implementation of assessment and the
monitoring required to ensure progress and achievement. It introduces the relevant theories and principles of assessment to trainees, requiring them to apply their learning by designing and evaluating effective learning and assessment strategies and materials.
The Professional Practice 1 module is for part time trainees and runs across Semester 1 and Semester 2 of
the first year. The purpose of this module is for you to develop as a reflective and effective practitioner through engagement with personal and professional development planning.
You will reflect upon and track the progress of their professional practice and digital literacy skills
regularly, drawing upon planned experiences, feedback, theory and current research taught in Modules 1 and 2 to inform practice. Through regular reflection, you will develop focussed actions and creative
solutions to develop their professional practice and enhance the learner experience.
This module will introduce you to the history of the FE and Skills sector, analyse recent educational
developments and predict the future of the sector. You will explore the theories, principles and models
influencing curriculum and demonstrate a critical approach towards curriculum design in your own teaching practice and subject specialism.
There are a number of principles that underpin the module and will be investigated by you in order to gain a broad overview of the education sector, recent reform and other contemporary issues influencing curriculum design.
Within this module, you will select an educational issue based on their classroom practice to generate a case study topic. The aim of this case study is to address the questions of "what, why, how, and who"
concerning real-life situations within the learning environment. This methodology allows you to use the module as a precursor to a formal, large-scale research project, supporting their professional development or progression to Master's pathways. The case study provides you with a deeper understanding of existing problems and serves as a medium to identify issues that can shape their future practice.
The Professional Practice module is for part time trainees and runs across Semester 1 and Semester 2 of the second year.
You will reflect upon and track the progress of their professional practice and digital literacy skills
regularly, drawing upon planned experiences, feedback and theory and current research taught in Module 4, and 5 to inform practice. Through regular reflection, you will develop focussed actions and creative solutions to develop their professional practice and enhance the learner experience.
Throughout Professional Practice 2, you build upon learning from Professional Practice 1, continuing to develop the skills and knowledge required to make judgements as to the suitability of learning, teaching and assessment strategies. Professional Practice 2 will require enhanced enquiry into the science of learning, different approaches from diverse contexts and settings in the education sector and understanding distinctive approaches required for planning and teaching within subject specialism.
Course Modules
This programme has been developed to match the Education and Training Foundation standards and meet the DfE and OfSTED requirements for new teachers in this sector.
For Pre-service, Professional Practice 1 and 2 are amalgamated to create a 40 credit unit.
Downloadable information regarding all University of Suffolk's courses, including Key Facts, Course Aims, Course Structure and Assessment, is available in the Definitive Course Record.
This module equips you with initial and essential skills to enable them to prepare and ready yourself for the roles and responsibilities attached to initial teaching practice. During this module you are introduced to the theories and principles of teaching, learning and assessment together with legislation and policy that may have an impact on the role.
You are encouraged to make connections between theory and practice. You will also consider what it
means to be a professional in the education sector and reflect on their own professionalism (behaviour,
attitudes and values) and experience as you enter this professional training course, with reference to the
Occupational and Professional Standards.
This module is the initial introduction to teaching practice, which is designed to prepare you to promote inclusive attitudes and values in their learning environments and within the content that they prepare and teach.
This module is designed to prepare you for the design and implementation of assessment and the
monitoring required to ensure progress and achievement. It introduces the relevant theories and principles of assessment to trainees, requiring them to apply their learning by designing and evaluating effective learning and assessment strategies and materials.
The Professional Practice 1 module is for part time trainees and runs across Semester 1 and Semester 2 of
the first year. The purpose of this module is for you to develop as a reflective and effective practitioner through engagement with personal and professional development planning.
You will reflect upon and track the progress of their professional practice and digital literacy skills
regularly, drawing upon planned experiences, feedback, theory and current research taught in Modules 1 and 2 to inform practice. Through regular reflection, you will develop focussed actions and creative
solutions to develop their professional practice and enhance the learner experience.
This module will introduce you to the history of the FE and Skills sector, analyse recent educational
developments and predict the future of the sector. You will explore the theories, principles and models
influencing curriculum and demonstrate a critical approach towards curriculum design in your own teaching practice and subject specialism.
There are a number of principles that underpin the module and will be investigated by you in order to gain a broad overview of the education sector, recent reform and other contemporary issues influencing curriculum design.
Within this module, you will select an educational issue based on their classroom practice to generate a case study topic. The aim of this case study is to address the questions of "what, why, how, and who"
concerning real-life situations within the learning environment. This methodology allows you to use the module as a precursor to a formal, large-scale research project, supporting their professional development or progression to Master's pathways. The case study provides you with a deeper understanding of existing problems and serves as a medium to identify issues that can shape their future practice.
The Professional Practice module is for part time trainees and runs across Semester 1 and Semester 2 of the second year.
You will reflect upon and track the progress of their professional practice and digital literacy skills
regularly, drawing upon planned experiences, feedback and theory and current research taught in Module 4, and 5 to inform practice. Through regular reflection, you will develop focussed actions and creative solutions to develop their professional practice and enhance the learner experience.
Throughout Professional Practice 2, you build upon learning from Professional Practice 1, continuing to develop the skills and knowledge required to make judgements as to the suitability of learning, teaching and assessment strategies. Professional Practice 2 will require enhanced enquiry into the science of learning, different approaches from diverse contexts and settings in the education sector and understanding distinctive approaches required for planning and teaching within subject specialism
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