Overview
Teaching in the Further Education and Skills Sector is rewarding and unique. You will work in a vibrant environment whereby you will inspire and make a difference in the lives of students from diverse backgrounds in a wide range of contexts. You will pass the knowledge and skills you have developed during your degree and/ or industrial experience to the next generation to prepare them for the world of work or higher education.
Our full-time one-year Level 7 Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Further Education and Skills Sector will equip you with the knowledge, skills and values needed to meet Occupational Standards for the Further Education and Skills teacher role. This will enable you to facilitate the learning of a diverse range of students, including young adults aged 14-19 and mature students, and help them to achieve their goals. You will also be able to apply for the Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status (QTLS) via the Society for Education and Training, after the completion of the course.
You will develop a deep understanding of the main principles for teaching, learning and assessment in your subject specialist area, as well as of the Further Education context. You will engage in hands-on activities so that you can effectively transfer educational theory into your own teaching practice. LSBU has a particular focus on social justice and inclusion, so we will help you adopt innovative inclusive practices to meet the diverse needs of students in a variety of further education settings.
You will be encouraged to develop your critical reflection skills and undertake original practitioner research to improve your own practice and offer the best learning experience to your own students. You will have the chance to critically analyse current policies and practices and adjust them to meet the needs of your students regardless of their educational, social, cultural and economic background.
Our PGCE develops reflective practitioners whose teaching practice is underpinned by evidence-informed pedagogies, and who are committed to inclusive practice and continuing professional development.
Why study Education at LSBU?
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- You will gain the necessary knowledge, skills and values to meet the Occupational Standards.
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- You will engage with effective evidence-informed pedagogies and will have the opportunity to apply those into your own teaching practice.
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- You will gain experience of face-to-face and remote synchronous teaching and of shadowing more experienced teachers.
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- You will develop your digital skills and your understanding of sustainable development.
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- The course will be offered on a blended learning basis to create a flexible physical and digital environment.
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- You'll be allocated a Professional Advisor and university-based mentor to support you during your course.
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- LSBU is part of a wider group which includes South Bank colleges and Academies.
Location
London South Bank University student union is located at 103 Borough Rd, London SE1 0AA.
If you are visiting our Southwark Campus, you may wish to use our downloadable campus map (PNG File 466 KB). For information on accessibility, see our DisabledGo access guides. See our location page for more details.
Entry Level Requirements
To enrol on the course participants must meet the following criteria:
- Hold an undergraduate degree with minimum second class (2:2) or equivalent in a relevant subject.
- Have GCSE in Maths and English at Grade 4 (C) or above or equivalent Level 2 qualifications. Applicants who have not yet met this requirement are welcome to apply but will not be able to start the course until they have met this requirement
- 2 Satisfactory references.
All applicants who meet the entry requirements will be invited to an interview to determine whether they will be offered a place.
All entrants to ITE courses are required to undergo both an enhanced criminal record check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), formerly known as the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), and an Occupational Health check (OH). LSBU pays for both of these checks. Once you accept an offer from us, we will provide you with guidance on how to apply for your DBS check, and your OH check will be completed once you have started your course.
An applicant with a criminal record is not automatically prevented from becoming a teacher. For more information on the DBS and their enhanced checks call them on 0870 90 90 811 or visit the Gov.uk website. You will also need to be able show the certificates from your relevant GCSEs and your degree (if awarded) before enrolment – statements or letters are not applicable, so if you do not have the original certificates this must be sought from the awarding body. This can take some time and so must be done in good time before the course starts.
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Missing English and Maths qualifications?
If you do not have the required English and Maths qualifications needed to satisfy the entry requirements for this programme, we have courses available at our partner College that you can take to upskill in these areas. Find out more at South Bank College.
For more information, including how and when to pay, see our fees and funding section for postgraduate students.
See our Tuition Fees Regulations (PDF File 391 KB) and Refund Policy (PDF File 775 KB).
Possible fee changes
The University reserves the right to increase its fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions.
The fees for international students are reviewed annually and the University reserves the right to increase the tuition fees in line with the RPIX measure of inflation up to 4 per cent.
Scholarships
We offer several types of fee reduction through our scholarships and bursaries. Find the full list and other useful information on funding your studies on the scholarships and fee discounts page.
Fee status
Please check your fee status and whether you are considered a Home, EU or International student for fee-paying purposes and for our regulatory returns, by reading the UKCISA regulations.
FE ITE Bursaries
You will be able to access the Further Education ITE Bursaries if you meet the eligibility criteria.
How to apply
Full-time postgraduate students should apply through GOV UK scheme.
Prepare to start
We help our students prepare for university even before the semester starts. To find out when you should apply for your LSBU accommodation or student finance read the How to apply tab for this course.
Reading List
- Tummons, J. (ed.) (2019). PCET Learning and teaching in the post compulsory sector. London: Sage.
- Zwozdiak-Myers, P. N. (2023). The Teacher's Reflective Practice Handbook.2nd ed. London: Taylor & Francis.
- Knowles, G. (ed.) (2018) Supporting Inclusive Practice and Ensuring Opportunity is Equal for All. 3rd edn. London: Routledge.
- Mertler, C. A. (2019) Action Research: Improving Schools and Empowering Educators. 6th edn. London: Sage.
Enrolment
Before you start your course we’ll send you information on what you’ll need to do before you arrive and during your first few days on campus. You can read about the process on our Enrolment pages.
There are four core modules, three of which are at Masters level; totalling 120 credits. You will develop a deep understanding of lesson planning and how to deliver inclusive and interactive sessions adopting evidence-informed teaching practices related to your subject area. You will become familiar with the different aspects of the Occupational Standards as well as the educational policies and practices of Further Education. You will also look at topics such as anti-racist education practices, inclusive practice, assessment and feedback. You will also develop your reflective and active research skills required to improve your teaching practice.
Credits may be carried forward onto further postgraduate level study e.g., MA Education or EdD Professional Doctorate in Education.
Year 1
- Principles for Teaching, Learning and Assessment in subject specialist areas (20 credits)
This module introduces you to evidence-informed principles for teaching, learning and assessment that will support you with the planning and delivery of face-to-face and online sessions within your own subject specialist area. You will develop a critical understanding of theories underpinning curriculum development, lesson planning, digital pedagogies, feedback, and assessment design. This will give you the opportunity to select and apply effective teaching strategies considering the educational contexts and your students’ needs. You will review, create and adapt inclusive learning resources, including digital resources, to meet students’ diverse needs. The module will also enhance your self-reflection skills and self-confidence in teaching in further education contexts. - Creating an inclusive environment in further education and skills sector (20 credits)
This module is designed to help you develop a deep understanding of the diverse individual students’ needs and of effective inclusive teaching, learning and assessment practices. Emphasis will be given to social class, race and diversity, gender and sexual orientation, asylum seekers and refugee families, disability and equity, as well as linguistic and cultural diversity. You will critically review the current educational policies and institutional processes and procedures related to inclusive education in the Further Education and Skills Sector. You will critically reflect upon current teaching practices adopted to support students within the Further Education and Skills Sector. Thus, you will develop innovative inclusive practices to meet the diverse needs of students. - Action Research (40 credits)
This module aims to support you with the design and implementation of an original practitioner research project relevant to your own teaching practice. The project aims to enhance your own teaching practice and improve student achievement and learning experiences. You are expected to follow the action research cycle whereby you will critically reflect upon your teaching practice to identify an area for development, design and implement an intervention taking into account ethical considerations. By reflecting on the effectiveness of your intervention, you will draw conclusions and provide recommendations of how to keep improving your future teaching practice. - Professional Practice (40 credits)
This module is a Level 6 module and underpins the entire PGCE course. It focuses on the Occupational Standards to enhance your understanding of the Further Education and Skills teacher roles and responsibilities. You will become familiar with the historical developments of the Further Education and Skills Sector and the characteristics of diverse FE settings, e.g., Prison Education. You will produce and maintain a portfolio of professional practices throughout your course to provide evidence of your teaching practice and reflective practice that contributes to improving your teaching practice.
Careers
Placements
Placement experience will be integral to the PGCE, and your progress on placement will be assessed as part of the course. You are required to spend at least 250 hours on placement, of which 150 hours would be direct teaching (of which a minimum of 20 hours will be remote synchronous teaching). Of the 150 teaching hours, at least 100 hours must be in your subject area. The placement requirements include a minimum of two placements (the second placement will be at least 20 hours), so that you can gain experience from different settings.
You will be supported by a subject-specialist mentor and a university-based mentor when you are on placement. You will gradually build up your teaching responsibility. Initially, you will shadow experienced teachers from different subject areas and then move on to small group before whole class teaching. This will be decided in collaboration with your mentors. Your mentors will meet with you weekly to encourage you to reflect upon your practice and provide professional advice. Your university-based mentor will support you throughout your placement and monitor your portfolio of practice.
Employability
This practical qualification supports you with the development of Occupational Standards required to teach and work in Further Education and Skills Sector. The sector is made up of a variety of contexts, such as Further Education colleges, sixth-form colleges, adult learning colleges/ centres, community learning colleges/ centres, prison education, and youth offending services.
You will be able to progress onto MA in Education and EdD Professional Doctorate in Education.
Professional Link
The Level 7 PGCE meets the specifications outlined by the ‘Qualification framework for the full teaching qualification for the further education and skills sector’ (2022) and follows the Occupational Standards. This means that you will develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to work in the FE sector and apply for the QTLS offered by the Society for Education and Training.
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. The PGCE is delivered in collaboration with South Bank colleges and Academies.
Teaching and Assessment
Student-centred strategies are adopted throughout the taught face-to-face and remote sessions to enable you to critically engage with current research and theory and to discuss how theories can be applied to practice. Such activities are:
- Group discussion/ seminar group activities
- Tutorials
- Self-reflection
- Individual and group presentations
- Guided reading activities
- Independent study and self-directed research
- Micro teaching sessions
- E-learning
- Practical workshops
Formative assessment is embedded throughout the course. You will discuss and critique the assessment criteria in order to establish a clear and shared model of ‘what makes good practice’.
You will be formally assessed through a range of summative assessments. These will require you to reflect on their teaching practice and to think critically about institutional or practice-based challenges. Summative assessments include a portfolio of practice, reflective online journal, a case study of individual learners, action research proposal and project, individual presentation, reflective accounts.
Professional Advisor Support
You will be assigned a professional advisor during your first three weeks of classes at LSBU. The role of your professional advisor is to be your primary contact for academic guidance and professional development support.
They will help you get the most out of your time at LSBU, providing advice and signposting to other sources of support in the University.
Your advisor should be the first person at the university that you speak to if you are having any difficulties that are impacting on your course. These could be academic, financial, health-related or any other type of problem.
