Reg. 18 Regulations Governing the Postgraduate Certificate in Education

18 Regulations Governing the Postgraduate Certificate in Education

! (to be replaced from 1 October 2009 - see updated regulation)!

(1) A candidate for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) shall normally possess on entry qualifications which are recognised by the Department for Children, Schools and Families as conferring graduate status, and have attained the degree class of at least 2:2 for the PGCE Secondary course or 2:1 for the PGCE Early Years and for the PGCE Primary course. The candidate shall also have been subject to a Criminal Records Bureau ( CRB) Enhanced Disclosure check and have attained a standard equivalent to Grade C at GCSE in both English Language and Mathematics: candidates for the Early Years and Primary PGCE (QTS) courses are also required to have attained an equivalent standard in Science.

(2) A candidate for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education shall be required to pursue a course of full-time study approved by the Senate extending normally for not less than 38 weeks.

(3) Students are required to attend and participate satisfactorily in all sections of the course, to undertake all directed tasks and study which form part of the course, and to demonstrate professional behaviour appropriate to an entrant to the teaching profession. Any student who does not meet the requirements above may be required to withdraw from the course.

(4) (a) In order to pass either the PGCE Early Years or the PGCE Primary course a student must:

(i) pass in each of the four modules of the course;

(ii) demonstrate, when assessed, all the Professional Standards for Teachers: Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), in compliance with the government’s current circular(s) , including TDA Skills Tests; and

(iii) have completed a Career Entry and Development Profile.

(b) In order to pass the PGCE Secondary course a student must:

(i) pass in each of the five modules of the course;

(ii) demonstrate, when assessed, all the Professional Standards for Teachers: Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in compliance with the government’s current circular(s) , including TDA Skills Tests; and

(iii) have completed a Career Entry and Development Profile.

(5) PGCE Early Years Course and the PGCE Primary courses (a) The PGCE Early Years course and the PGCE Primary course shall each be divided into four modules:

(i) Early Years or Primary Professional Studies,

(ii) Early Years or Primary Core Curriculum Studies

(iii) Early Years or Primary Whole Curriculum Studies,

(iv) Early Years or Primary Professional Experience.

(b) The PGCE Early Years course and the PGCE Primary course shall each be assessed as follows:

(i) The Professional Studies and Core Curriculum Studies sections of the Early Years and Primary courses shall each be assessed against M Level criteria. Work graded as A-C and marked at 50% minimum is a Pass at M level. Work graded D, or lower and marked below 50% is a Fail at M level. Work graded D and marked between 40-49% is a Pass at H level.

(ii) The Whole Curriculum Studies and Professional Experience sections of the Early Years and Primary courses shall be assessed against H-level criteria in two grades – Pass and Fail.

(i) Module i (PROFESSIONAL STUDIES)

(A) Initial school experience – complete all directed tasks or equivalent, satisfactorily, and

(B) Complete one 5000 word essay or equivalent.

(ii) Module ii ( CORE CURRICULUM STUDIES)

(A) English, Mathematics, and Science – complete all directed tasks satisfactorily, and

(B) Complete one 5000 word essay, or the equivalent across the three subjects.

(iii) Module iii (WHOLE CURRICULUM STUDIES) ( WCS)

Complete all directed tasks satisfactorily and present a WCS portfolio for assessment.

(iv) Module iv (PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE)

The Professional Experience module is assessed by demonstration of achievement of all the Professional Standards for Teacher’s: QTS, evidenced in a student’s PDP, Placement Files and at the end of placement profiles at both Key Stages where Standards are age-specific.

(6) PGCE Secondary Course

(a) The PGCE Secondary Course shall be divided into five modules:

(i) Core Professional Studies 1

(ii) Core Professional Studies 2

(iii) Subject Studies 1

(iv) Subject Studies 2

(v) Professional Experience

(b) The Core Professional Studies 2, Subject Studies 2 and Professional Experience modules (modules ii, iv and v of the course) shall be assessed against H level criteria in two grades, Pass and Fail.

(c) The Core Professional Studies 1 and Subject Studies 1 (modules (i) and (iii) of the course) shall each be assessed against M Level criteria. Work graded as A-C and marked at 50% minimum is a Pass at M level. Work graded D, or lower and marked below 50% is a Fail at M level. Work graded D and marked between 40-49% is a Pass at H level.

(d) The sections of the course are assessed as follows, unless students are registered as at (15) below:

(i) Module i :Core Professional Studies 1

An enquiry into an approved issue of professional practice totalling not more than 5000 words, or equivalent.

(ii) Module ii: Core Professional Studies 2

Initial School Observation and a Professional Portfolio of assessed tasks (Core Completion Tasks), related to the Professional Standards for Teachers: QTS.

(iii) Module (iii): Subject Studies 1

Complete satisfactorily all assignments set out in the programme of study for a student’s subject specialism, totalling no more than 5000 words or equivalent.

(iv) Module (iv): Subject Studies 2

Initial School Observation and a Professional Portfolio of assessed tasks (Subject Completion Tasks), related to the Professional Standards for Teachers: QTS.

(v) Module (v): Professional Experience

(7) (a) The Board of Examiners shall be appointed annually by the Senate on the

recommendation of the Board of the Faculty of Social Sciences in the Autumn term.

(b) The membership of the Board of Examiners shall comprise:

The Director of the Institute of Education, (Chair)

The Director of the PGCE or his/her nominee

The Deputy-Director of the Institute of Education

The Examinations Secretary of the Institute of Education

A senior administrator from the Institute of Education

School Partnership Officer - responsible for the organisation of Placements

For the Secondary PGCE Board, the coordinators for each of the subjects

For the Primary and Early Years Boards, four members of the Institute of Education who have provided a substantial amount of teaching, at least one who represents the Primary course and at least one who represents the Early Years course

The External Examiners

The Secretary shall be the Registrar, or his/her deputy

(8) In the Summer term, and in the Autumn and Spring terms where necessary, the Board of Examiners will consider the results of assessment as specified under (5) and (6) above and will either:

(a) Report to the Senate the names of those candidates qualified for the award of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), for Secondary, Primary or Early Years, as appropriate ,or

(b) Report to the Senate the names of those candidates qualified for the award of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education Studies (PG Cert), for Secondary, Primary or Early Years, as appropriate; or

(c) Report to the Senate the names of those candidates qualified for the award of the Professional Certificate in Education (PCE(QTS)), for Secondary, Primary or Early Years, as appropriate; and

(d) Report the names of those students whom it considers should be recommended to the General Teaching Council for England for the conferment of Qualified Teacher Status, following successful completion of the appropriate course ; or

(e) Resolve that no award be made.

(9) There is an entitlement to re-examination in each Section of the courses with the exception of the Professional/School Experience Section.

(10) (a) Candidates for the PGCE Early Years course and for the PGCE Primary

course who fail to satisfy the Board of Examiners in the Professional Studies and/or in the Core Curriculum Studies sections of the course:

(i) may present themselves for re-examination on one further occasion, normally within one year of the decision of the initial Board of Examiners.

(ii) The work of candidates who fail to satisfy the Board of Examiners at M level on re-submission will be assessed against H level marking criteria for the initial submission and the re-submission, as appropriate.

(iii) Candidates who then satisfy the Board of Examiners at H or at M level in either or both the Professional Studies and/or the Core Curriculum Studies sections of the course may be considered for the award of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), the Postgraduate Certificate in Education Studies (PG Cert) or the Professional Certificate in Education (PCE (QTS)), as appropriate.

(b) Candidates for the PGCE Early Years course and for the PGCE Primary course who fail to satisfy the Board of Examiners in the Whole Curriculum Studies Section of the course may present themselves for re-examination on one further occasion, normally within one year of the decision of the initial Board of Examiners.

(11) (a) Candidates for the PGCE Secondary course who fail to satisfy the Board of

Examiners in the Core Professional Studies 1 and/or in the Subject Studies 1, modules i and iii of the course:

(i) may present themselves for re-examination on one further occasion, normally within one year of the decision of the initial Board of Examiners.

(iii) Candidates who then satisfy the Board of Examiners at H or at M level in either or both the Core Professional Studies 1 and/or the Subject Studies 1, modules i and iii of the course may be considered for the award of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), the Postgraduate Certificate in Education Studies (PG Cert) or the Professional Certificate in Education (PCE (QTS)), as appropriate.

(b) Candidates for the PGCE Secondary course who fail to satisfy the Board of Examiners in the Core Professional Studies 2 and/or in the Subject Studies 2 modules ii and iv of the course may present themselves for re-examination on one further occasion, normally within one year of the decision of the initial Board of Examiners.

(12) Candidates who have failed in the Professional/School Experience Section of the courses may be offered an opportunity for re-examination on one further occasion normally within one year of the decision of the Board of Examiners, where the Board considers, on the basis of the evidence available to it at the time of assessment, that such re-examination is likely to be successful.

Any such candidates will be required to complete a further continuous period of Professional Experience, equal to the length of the failed placement, as specified by the Board of Examiners after the failure before presenting themselves for re-examination.

(13) The Senate shall award either the Postgraduate Certificate in Education, the Postgraduate Certificate in Education Studies (PG Cert) or the Professional Certificate in Education (QTS) (PCE (QTS)) in accordance with the decisions of the Board of Examiners, where this is to be awarded. The Senate may refer any such decision of the Board back for further consideration.

(14) The Institute of Education shall publish at the beginning of the academic year:

(a) a statement of the prescribed classes and course work in respect of each section of study for which it is responsible;

(b) a warning that any student who fails to attend prescribed classes or to complete prescribed course work may be required by the Senate to withdraw from their course of study in accordance with the conditions set out in the Regulations Governing the Procedure for the Continuation of Registration.

(15) (a) A candidate may be registered for the Secondary Postgraduate Certificate in

Education by flexible study, in which case the regulation of course length and course components shall be waived. A candidate may study over a period of not more than 24 months from registration in order to complete the schedule of study which is prescribed as at (14)(a) for flexible provision. The regulation on the number of half days in school shall be relaxed, and a candidate registered for flexible provision shall complete such school placement and programme of study as is required to meet the demands of the course.

(b) Candidates registered for flexible provision may, by agreement, subsequently be registered as full-time students and will complete programmes of study as set out at (2) and (6) above. Candidates registered as full-time students, as at (2) above, may, by agreement, be subsequently registered for flexible provision as at (15)(a) above, and will complete such school placement and programmes of study as required to meet the demands of the course.