PGCE Secondary with History

Our Secondary History PGCE is run by a team of committed, passionate and experienced staff who offer a diverse range of expertise and genuine conviction that our approach to teacher education is the best way to develop outstanding teachers. Our staff have extensive school and university teaching experience as well as school-based leadership experience. We train you to be critical and creative subject specialists, and to become educational leaders in your own right!

Overview

The History PGCE course is concerned with theoretical and practical classroom approaches to the teaching of history. This involves examining a range of appropriate learning and teaching strategies through Key Stages 3-5 in the varied classroom situations you will encounter. You will develop a rigorous understanding of when and where particular activities might be appropriate. The course is underpinned by the belief that history teaching is a stimulating, creative activity that gives pleasure to both teachers and pupils and educates young people to take a full and active role as citizens. The course draws heavily on current and recent research findings from both the Graduate School of Education and other researchers at the forefront of history education.

Taught by a team of lecturers, active researchers and practicing classroom teachers from across the south west, the course relates theory to practice in all elements of the National Curriculum and 14-19 History.

The PGCE team’s current research interests lie in the areas of history and literacy, the impact that trainee teachers’ subject knowledge has on pupils’ learning in the classroom and how to personalise learning effectively.

Learning and assessment

By learning on campus for most of the first term you access the tools to rapidly build professional knowledge to underpin your work in school placements.

Our unique approach gives you opportunities to learn and become part of a community of trainees and teachers who are passionate about education, and will support you during your course and beyond. We carry out a detailed skills audit with every trainee so we understand your particular development needs and can personalise elements of training to strengthen the skills you need to excel as a teacher.

During placements Exeter trainees benefit from the focused support of two School-based Tutors: a Principle Tutor who works as an expert partner, and a Mentor who develops and challenges your thinking about teaching in ways that can be used to enhance performance.

You will be supported in developing the full range of teaching skills and effective reflection that you will need in your first teaching post as a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT).

The PGCE is a Masters level programme and once you have achieved QTS, you can continue your studies during your first year of teaching and work towards achieving a Masters in Education.