Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE)
A Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course offers you the chance to prepare for teacher training by building up or refreshing your existing knowledge. You must have an offer from your ITT provider in order to apply for a SKE course.
Pre-teacher training
A pre-initial teacher training SKE course is right for you if you’re a prospective teacher of secondary education and a SKE course has been made a condition of your offer of a place for teacher training. Our courses are designed to strengthen and enhance your existing subject knowledge, and support and prepare you for your training to be a secondary teacher.
How do SKE courses work?
A SKE course will be made as a condition of your offer to take up a teacher training place for a number of reasons including:
- To build on your prior knowledge and understanding in your chosen area.
- Even though you are a graduate, your area of subject expertise might be outside the subject you wish to teach.
- Your subject knowledge may have come from a minor part of your degree, studied at A Level or gained through professional work/other employment.
Our SKE courses are between 8 and 28 weeks long, depending on the subject and/or the amount of enhancement your subject knowledge needs.
We offer SKE courses in the following subjects:
- Biology
- Computer Science
- Chemistry
- Design and Technology
- English
- Mathematics
- Physics
- RE
Courses will start at different times, depending on the length of SKE course you've been advised to take to ensure your subject knowledge is developed enough to begin your teacher training course. If you are assessed as needing a SKE course, you will be sent a link directly to make an application.
On successful completion of a SKE programme, you will progress directly onto an initial teacher training programme, (PGCE or QTS only, with a higher education institution or School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT)).
PLEASE NOTE: The Department for Education (DfE) has suspended any financial support it has previously offered for some SKE courses. However, as it is an important baseline to start your PGCE, if your subject knowledge needs enhancing, you will still be required to complete a course to develop your subject knowledge before enrolling with us.