Secondary Design and Technology: Food, Textiles and Product Design - PGCE
Currently viewing course to start in 2023/24 Entry.
Do you want to become a capable, articulate teacher who can inspire children to combine designing and practical skills with in-depth knowledge and understanding? If so, our PGCE in Secondary Design and Technology (Food, Textiles and Product Design) is for you.
- Level Postgraduate Taught
- Study mode Full Time
- Location City South
- Award PGCE
- Start date September 2023
- Fees View course fees
- School School of Education and Social Work
- Faculty Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences
Overview
Do you want to become a capable, articulate teacher who can inspire children to combine designing and practical skills with in-depth knowledge and understanding? If so, our PGCE in Secondary Design and Technology (Food, Textiles and Product Design) is for you.
What's covered in this course?
We believe that Design and Technology is an essential and exciting subject that allows pupils to be innovative and creative when taught by inspiring and motivational teachers like you. We’ll enable you to become the committed, confident and creative teacher you want to be with the skills you need share your passion for your subject.
aught modules, assignments and School-Based Training are structured around the development of your Progress Journal which demonstrates your progress against our ITE Core Curriculum. Our ambitious curriculum incorporates the ITT Core Content Framework (DfE, 2019) and the nationally agreed competences - the Teachers’ Standards, which all teachers must meet throughout their career.
The Progress Journal also maps your development as a subject specialist with reference to identified subject priorities appropriate to the needs of secondary teachers entering the profession. A system of continuous review and assessment of progress within the Progress Journal will support your growing ability to take responsibility for your own professional development and ensure that you approach QTS with a sound understanding of research-informed pedagogies and practices.
After interview you may be advised you need to take a funded Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course before you start your PGCE.
Why Choose Us?
- We are a key source of new teachers to schools across the West Midlands region; a destinations survey of our 2021/22 Secondary Teaching graduates showed they were employed in nearly 100 West Midlands schools as Early Career Teachers.
- Our curriculum is designed by research-active subject experts to be integrated between university and school-based training with input from our partnership schools, ensuring you’re equipped to meet the needs of the teaching workforce now and in the future.
- We have partnerships right across the West Midlands and beyond so you can benefit from training in a range of schools and early years settings, preparing you for work in a wide variety of schools when you qualify. A destinations survey of our 2021/22 Secondary Teaching graduates showed that 76% of their employing schools were from within our BCU partnership.
- You will complete at least 120 days across a minimum of two placements, in line with Department for Education (DfE) requirements, supported by a subject mentor in your school and a personal development tutor at the University.
- Should you wish to take your development further, you'll gain Master's level credits gained as part of this course that you can then use towards a full Master's degree.
- You may be able to obtain financial support to help you during your studies. For more information visit the Department for Education's Get Into Teaching website.
OPEN DAY
Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to meet us in person. You'll get the chance to learn about courses in subject talks, chat to tutors and explore our campus. We'll post you a detailed event programme to help plan your day and find your way.
Next Event: Saturday 24 June
Entry Requirements
UK students
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You will need to have a good degree (normally a 2:2 or above) in a relevant subject from a UK higher education institution or equivalent. Applicants may be required to take a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course prior to starting the PGCE course |
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You must have a GCSE grade 4 (C) or above (or equivalent) in both English language and mathematics prior to enrolment and if you are offered an interview you will take a written test to assess your standard of English. Download the GCSE equivalencies for this course If you do not already have GCSEs in English language and mathematics, or their equivalent, and are not registered to take them, you should visit Equivalency Testing. We also offer our own in-house equivalency tests. If you are successful at interview and need to pass an equivalency test to meet the entry requirements, our Admissions team will refer you to the details of our test. |
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If you do not already have GCSEs in English language and mathematics, or their equivalent, and are not registered to take them, you should visit Equivalency Testing. |
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It should be noted that applicants taking the equivalency tests need to have passed prior to enrolment. |
Selection Interview
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At interview you will also need to present a portfolio of personal work which should include a selection of work completed before, during and after your degree. |
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The selection interview will assess your subject knowledge and personal qualities such as the potential to relate well to secondary age students, enthusiasm, sensitivity, communication skills and robustness and resilience for teaching. |
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You will also take a written test to assess your standard of English. |
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Applicants must meet Department for Education requirements for Initial Teacher Training, which means being medically fit and successfully completing an enhanced disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). |
International qualifications
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A minimum IELTS score of 7.0 is required with no individual component less than 6.5. Candidates who have undertaken IELTS will also need to successfully pass our GCSE English equivalency test. |
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
International students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
The way you apply for teacher training has changed. The Department for Education (DfE) has developed a GOV.UK application service for postgraduate teacher training called ‘Apply for teacher training’, which you must use to make your application.
Course code: 33RM
We also offer the full-time programme through School Direct with the following schools:
- The Arthur Terry Teaching School (non-salaried)
- Ashlawn Teaching School (non-salaried)
- Bishop Challoner (non-salaried)
- Finham Park - The Lion Alliance (non-salaried)
- Higham Lane School Partnership (non-salaried)
- Holte School (non-salaried)
- RSA Academies Teaching School Alliance (non-salaried)
- Shireland Collegiate Academy (non-salaried)
- Waverley Studio College (non-salaried)
We would like all applicants to make a fully informed decision about joining the teaching profession. As part of that decision making process, spending sometime in a school and considering the role of the teacher will prove to be invaluable.
Personal statement
You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.
Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.
Financial support
You may be able to obtain financial support to help you during your studies. For more information visit the Department for Education's Get Into Teaching website.
Course in Depth
Modules
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 60 credits):
This module, Professional Studies, provides opportunities for you as a trainee teacher to explore and understand in practical terms the meaning of professionalism in the context of education and being a teacher. It is well known that education is an ever-changing environment and the desire for improvement is strong from all stakeholders. This module helps you to understand that the best teachers are those who continue to learn themselves and that your continual development can positively impact the learning experience of your students.
This module, Subject Pedagogy, provides opportunities for you as a trainee teacher to explore the nature of your specialist subject in the context of learning and teaching in the secondary school. The module provides substantial support for your professional practice in school, assessed through the School Experience modules. This module provides a strong philosophical underpinning to your awareness of the importance of your specialist subject in the secondary school curriculum. By undertaking this module you will be shaping your own rationale for your approach to the teaching of your specialist subject, and to meeting the needs of the learners as they move through the secondary school phase.
This module, Professional Enquiry, forms an introduction to active examination of professional practice in the workplace and a reflective approach to personal development. It provides a foundation for future study modules and enables you to develop practice-based enquiry skills. Increasing importance is placed on evidence-based enquiry to inform professional development in education, most recently in The Carter Review of Initial Teacher Training (ITT).
This module, School Experience 1, provides opportunities for you as a trainee teacher to meet the professional standards and expectations of teaching through practical, school-based experience. You will have the opportunity to work alongside experienced teachers and other education professionals to develop your knowledge, understanding and skill in the classroom and the wider school environment. You will be able to implement theory and evidence-based understanding on an on-going and development basis into your teaching into the classroom. You will be assessed against the current statements of professional competence.
This module, School Experience 2, follows School Experience 1 and provides opportunities for you as a trainee teacher to enhance your achievement of the professional standards and expectations of teaching through practical, school-based experience. You will have the opportunity to work independently supported by experienced teachers and other education professionals to further develop your knowledge, understanding and skill in the classroom and the wider school environment. You will be able to implement theory and evidence-based understanding on an on-going and development basis into your teaching into the classroom. You will be assessed against the current statements of professional competence.
* School Experience 2 is dependent upon the successful completion of School Experience 1.
Download course specification
Download nowCourse structure
The PGCE Secondary design and technology with food and nutrition course aims to explore, and develop the links between designs; materials, science, nutrition, needs of the user and the place of technology in the modern world. Through educational theory linked to creativity and its practice, we explore how products are designed to promote the needs of sustainable manufacturing processes and food provenance. The University workshops and seminars facilitate a space for learners to explore both technical understanding, skills related to manufacture and the teaching of design capability.
Our well-developed partnerships with schools and application of the design and food association’s principles in teaching methodologies support you in applying this gained knowledge in the pedagogy of teaching methodologies in schools.
The course enables you to experience working in all materials irrelevant of your specialism. School experience is varied and supports the development of your knowledge across the range of subjects taught in technology departments this approach ensures that you are offered a well-rounded teacher education. We believe that we are training teachers to work in any school setting. Your course will feature a range of modules and the opportunity to get plenty of hands-on practice in local schools with support from colleagues in the school partnership and experienced University tutors.
You will be expected to spend two thirds of your course in schools with the other third taking place in a University setting.
Accreditation or professional associations
As a provider of Initial Teacher Education, you can be reassured that we are regularly inspected by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted).
Ofsted reports directly to Parliament and is independent and impartial. It inspects and regulates services which care for children and young people, and those providing education and skills for learners of all ages.
Ofsted inspections of ITE providers provide an expert and independent assessment of how well a university is performing and the quality of teacher training offered. Information in the inspection report can help you to decide which university best suits your career needs.
Employability
Enhance employability skills
This 11-16 years course, with post-16 enhancement, will offer you lots of flexibility when you begin searching for a teaching job.
Your employment prospects will be excellent, based on consistently high employability scores and the demand for our trained design and technology teachers.
Placements
Two-thirds of your course takes place in school and we ensure that you are offered a number of placements in a wide range of educational establishments.
You will do work placements in at least two different schools and also visit others – including a primary school and or a post-16 setting where appropriate. This all helps you to see how teachers are working in practice and gives you a wealth of experience.
You will have subject and professional mentors in school who will guide and support your studies and provide you with feedback.
International
Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here.
- Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies.
- Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country.
- Learn where to find financial support for your studies.
Facilities & Staff
Our facilities
Our School of Education and Social Work is based at our City South campus in leafy Edgbaston.
We’ve spent £41million expanding the education facilities at City South. These facilities offer hands-on practical experience, replicating the spaces you will come across in professional practice. Alongside classrooms and lecture theatres, we also have a range of specialist teaching and learning spaces for specific subjects including science, design and technology, drama and physical education.
As well as subject-specific rooms, our facilities include the Primary Innovation Lab, which houses £24,000 worth of LEGO. This room is a special resource for our education students, offering an innovative and creative way to approach subjects across the curriculum – from computing to English, mathematics to art. The lab responds to research that children and young people learn best from practical experience.
Our Social Work students have access to a home environment room and mock hospital wards which offer an opportunity to gain experience of working with service users in different situations.
Computer facilities
The Seacole building has two open-access IT Suites which offer PCs, printers, photocopiers and scanners. There is also an IT Helpdesk for quick and easy help with your computing or internet issues.
Our PCs utilise the latest Intel i5 core technology, all with:
- Fast (unrestricted) internet connectivity
- Ability to save files to USB, DVD & CD
- Microsoft Office software
- Research and statistical software
- Storage space which can be accessed from any PC across the University and from home
Our PCs are also designed to support students who may have difficulties with reading and writing, featuring specialised software with zooming/magnification and screen reading capabilities, which may also be customised for individual student needs.
In addition to desktop PCs, we also offer a laptop loan facility, allowing students to borrow a laptop for up to six hours while on campus.
Our staff
Tracey Goodyere
PGCE Design and Technology Subject Leader
Tracey's teaching career began within the secondary phase. Her specialist subject was originally Textiles Technology but she soon developed her subject portfolio to include Food and Graphics Technology, Health and Social care and Child Development. She has worked as a Head of Department in a number of schools in the Birmingham area...
More about Tracey