Secondary Religious Education (11-16) with QTS PGCE

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Learning, teaching and assessment in 2021/22

Overview

PGCE Secondary Religious Education (11-16) with QTS will qualify you to teach RE at Secondary level in any state-maintained school or academy in England and Wales.

This one-year course blends theoretical knowledge with carefully supervised teaching experience. You will attend placements in a variety of educational settings, to build a rich understanding of the realities of secondary level teaching.

In addition to the development of effective and engaging teaching styles, you will also be prepared to meet the requirements of RE within the National Curriculum and GCSE/A Level specifications. Subject enhancements in Humanities, British Values and SMSC are embedded as additional levels of specialist knowledge end employability.

Why us?

The University of Sunderland has been training teachers for over 100 years
The starting salary of a newly qualified teacher is £22,000, and the average salary for a teacher is £37,400
You’ll spend at least 120 days on placement in schools or colleges

‘World-leading’ research in Education, according to the Latest Research Excellence Framework (REF)
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Course structure

This course is taught via lectures, workshops, seminars, tutorials, Canvas (the Virtual Learning Environment), support from your personal tutors and teaching group.

Placements are an important part of this course. You will engage in work-based training through bespoke teaching placements in North East schools with specialised subject mentors.

Your progress will be assessed through electronic assignment submissions, case studies, observations, presentations, and production and evaluation of learning resources.

Prior to starting the course, you are required to carry out a five-day Pre-Programme Placement, assisting and observing in a primary school of your own choice, with a focus on your elected route. This ensures that all trainees have recent and relevant experience in school settings at the start of the course.

Modules include:

Practice of Teaching (30 credits)

Immerse yourself in teaching institutions to develop professional knowledge about teaching and learning and to make judgements about the routines, skills and strategies that support effective teaching. Gain a variety of experience in your specialist phase in a work-based learning environment to meet professional teachers’ standards identified in Government legislation current at the time of study, consistently and over a sustained period of time.

Subject Studies (30 credits)

Gain subject knowledge in Religious Education. Complete subject knowledge audits to identify your individual learning needs and action plan for subject knowledge development alongside subject tutors and mentors to meet professional standards for QTS. Study pedagogical approaches and gain knowledge of what constitutes effective planning for children’s learning.

Development of Learning: A Case Study (30 credits)

Gain insight into the nature of teaching and learning generically and within the educational context. Reflect upon your current knowledge and understanding of teaching and learning and continue to develop these through observation in your placement, reading and investigation, analysis, and discussion. Cover areas such as behaviour management, safeguarding, planning and assessment.

Negotiated Curriculum Study in Education (30 credits)

Structure and undertake a piece of independent academic study related to your subject. Engage in intellectual challenge and dialogue. Develop both general and specific knowledge and skills, which will vary according to your chosen project.

Some modules have prerequisites. Read more about what this means in our Help and Advice article.

Facilities

You'll be taught in the David Goldman Informatics Centre on the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s - a modern and vibrant campus with a riverside view.

The Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter’s is nestled between the River Wear and the sea, just two minutes from the coast, and set in expansive green space on the banks of the river next to the historic St Peter's Church. This provides a picturesque backdrop and a great location for travelling to the beach or the city centre.

The David Goldman Informatics Centre is one of our most striking buildings inside and out and has been described as a ‘computing cathedral’ in the past, and with over 300 computer workstations in one space it’s easy to see why.

Entry requirements

Our typical offer is:

Qualification	Minimum grade
a Canadian bachelor's degree	GPA 2.40
a USA bachelor's degree	GPA 2.5

If you already hold a postgraduate qualification, please see our Applying for additional postgraduate degrees Help and Advice article.

If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, you can take one of the foundation pathways at our partners ONCAMPUS Sunderland. Find out more information and whether your course is eligible on our ONCAMPUS page.

If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk for further advice.

You will usually need to hold a 2:2 (or above) honours degree from a UK Higher Education institution or an equivalent qualification and be deemed suitable to train to teach by the School of Education at the University of Sunderland.

In addition to academic qualifications, you must also:

Have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
Complete a medical pro forma (based on DFEE Circular 8/92)

If English is not your first language, you will also need International English Language Testing System (IELTS) at a score of 6.5, with at least 6.5 in writing, and no section below 6.0.

Your numeracy and literacy competency will be assessed continuously throughout the course, following the DfE’s removal of the Professional Skills Test.

You will be assessed on your potential to learn and not your experience.

The way you apply for teacher training is changing.

The Department for Education (DfE) has developed a new GOV.UK application service, Apply for teacher training, for those applying for a postgraduate teacher training course. This new service will eventually replace the current UCAS Teacher Training portal for postgraduate teacher training.

Apply for teacher training is user friendly, simple to use and flexible. It will allow candidates from a wider and more diverse pool of talent to showcase their skills, experience and potential to be excellent teachers. The University of Sunderland is an early adopter of this new service; please use the Apply now button at the top of this page for more information.

All successful applicants will be invited to an interview. Interviews start early November, so we recommend that you apply as soon as UCAS opens, in October.

Please note, applicants with a foundation degree will need to supplement this qualification with at least 60 credits at level 6 (HE level 3) in order to attain an equivalent single qualification.

If you are accepted onto the course, you are advised to source your teaching placements prior to the start of the course, though this is not compulsory.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

The annual, full-time, fee for this course is:

£9,250 if you are from the UK/Europe*
£12,500 if you are an international student

*European Union (EU), EEA (European Economic Area) and Swiss nationals are classed as international, however 21/22 entrants will receive a European student fee scholarship and will pay the (postgraduate) home tuition fee rate for the duration of their studies. The discounted fee will be reflected on your offer letter. Learn more in our Help and Advice article.

Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

The Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's by night

Career ready

This degree awards Qualified Teacher Status, which means that when you graduate you’ll be qualified to teach in any state-maintained secondary school in England and Wales. Most graduates from this course go on to teach in secondary schools.

Good teachers are always in high demand. The average starting salary for a teacher is £22,000, and experienced teachers can earn up to £56,000 outside London, and £64,000 in London. Head teachers can reach a salary of between £42,379 and £112,000.

Teachers also benefit from excellent holidays, and the teachers’ pension scheme is the second largest public sector pension scheme in the UK.

School placements

The University of Sunderland has partnerships with over 200 schools, in 12 local authorities. You’ll spend at least 120 days on placement. We’ll work with you to find you the perfect placements - schools that can nurture and support your aspirations and interests, and help you become the best secondary teacher you can be.

Related courses

Contact

Contact the Student Helpline for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland:

0191 515 3000

student.helpline@sunderland.ac.uk

View Programme Specifications for the Faculty of Education and Society.

Page last updated: 22 September 2021

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