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PGCE Secondary Computing with Qualified Teacher Status

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Year of Entry 2023/24
PGCE

Secondary Computing with Qualified Teacher Status

On this PGCE, you'll gain qualified teacher status (QTS) as a teacher of computing with experience teaching Key Stages 3 to 5.


Everything you need to know...

What is the fee? Home: £9,250 per year
International/EU: £16,385 for the course
How long will I study? 1 Year
Where will I study? City Campus
What is the UCAS code? G5X1
When do I start? September 2023

Course summary

  • Learn how to share your enthusiasm for computing to inspire the next generation of students.
  • Qualify for a job with excellent prospects; as computing is a priority subject, you could be eligible for a tax free bursary of up to £25,000.
  • Learn about the ways schools and the education system function.

This course is professional and vocational in nature and has, as its primary aim, the development and supply of competent teachers who will be capable of securing employment in an education setting. Job prospects are excellent with 100% of last year's graduates securing a teaching position.

You can enhance your learning through our Computing SKE course.

Student view
Watch student Hedar Rasool talk about what it’s like to study this course.

How you learn

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

This course provides a flexible framework to support your academic and professional development through a range of school-based training and university-based sessions. Throughout the course you will be encouraged to critically reflect on your progress, and academic and professional review tutorials will be used to support your development.

You learn through

  • seminars and lectures
  • workshops
  • directed tasks
  • school-based experiences
  • independent study
  • discussions
  • group work
  • practical work
  • written assessments and feedback

School Direct

Apply for a place through the School Direct scheme for a dedicated route into a job after graduation. During School Direct, the school or partnership of schools that you've applied to will be much more involved in your selection, recruitment and professional development as there is the expectation that you will be employed by them once qualified.

For more information visit our School Direct page .

Course leaders and tutors

No photo of Phil Spencer found
Phil Spencer
Senior Lecturer, Course Leader, PGCE ICT/Computing

As course leader, I am responsible for the design and delivery of the PGCE ICT course (currently) and the new PGCE Computer Science course. I am also responsible for … Read more

Applied learning

Work placements

School-based training in educational settings is the main method by which you develop your professional skills. You will gain at least 120 days of school-based experience in two different settings.

You will use a range of methods in order to develop your teaching and learning skills within your department. These could include observation, collaborative planning and actual practice in the classroom.

Sheffield Hallam moderates progress against the Teachers standards with school visits. These visits include joint lesson observations and discussions with the school-based mentor and a review of evidence of progress against the Teachers standards.

Live projects

Generic professional aspects of the course, such as behaviour management, use of data and supporting special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) students, will be supported through the professional studies programme. This involves a combination of sessions delivered at Sheffield Hallam and work done in school with members of staff.

There is a requirement to complete two pieces of academic work at masters level. The first focuses on effective teaching in computing and the second allows you to focus on an area you wish to develop in your own practice, drawing on feedback from your first school placement.

You will take responsibility for your own development against the statutory requirements for QTS and will record your progress in a professional development portfolio (PDP). This collaborative process involves you, university-based tutors and school-based mentors. As you complete the course you will review your progress, plan for your entry to the teaching profession and for your ongoing development as a newly qualified teacher (NQT).

Networking opportunities

Many mentors at our partnership schools have strong connections with the University, a number of them having studied here themselves. Many are also active in the local community of computing teachers to which all students on the course are invited, thus boosting opportunities for networking.


Future careers

This course prepares you for a career in

  • a secondary teaching post
  • academic career as researcher via masters level study and PhD
  • local authority/voluntary sector worker or researcher
  • non-government organisation (NGO) administrative and research posts
  • enrichment work with young people
  • more general graduate careers including retail management and the civil service

Where will I study?

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

City Campus

City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.

City Campus map | City Campus tour | Keeping safe on Campus


City Campus map
Location

Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB

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students working on computers in the library
Adsetts library

Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.

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Equipment and facilities

On this course you work with

  • purpose-built computing classrooms

Entry requirements

All students

An honours degree (2.2 or above) or equivalent which includes substantial elements of computer science or ICT study.

Normally GCSE grade C or Grade 4 in English Language and mathematics, or equivalent. Where applicants have achieved a GCSE grade 4 or above in English literature only, we will look for further evidence of a breadth of achievement in English. We will consider applicants who are in the process of obtaining the relevant GCSEs.

If English is not your first language you must have an IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in all skills or equivalent. For equivalents see our English language entry requirements web page.

You are encouraged to gain experience of schools through direct observation of teaching and learning and/or by working with young people in subject-related, or other related educational activities.

Candidates who are successful will demonstrate a sound understanding of teaching and how children learn, where possible within a school setting. We encourage all candidates to evidence their understanding by drawing on related examples or experiences, such as time spent in schools or other learning settings. Demonstrating an ability to make links between experience and knowledge, and their proposed career would be desirable.

If you are shortlisted, we will invite you to a selection event and you should present a passport or photo driving license. You can present other forms of photo ID for the selection event, but if you do, you will still need to present valid identity documents required by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)  prior to starting your course.

As you will work with children, you must complete a declaration of criminal convictions and health check forms.

We welcome applications from people seeking a career change, and we actively encourage applications from those groups under-represented in teacher education, to help ensure that the teaching profession represents the diverse nature of contemporary UK society.

Course enrolment - professional requirements
Before enrolling you must complete all the professional checks that are required as part of entry for the course:

Suitability Declaration
You must fully declare the following information on the pre-admission suitability declaration form provided during the admissions process:

  • unfiltered criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings. For further information on unfiltered offences please see the Disclosure and Barring Service website.
  • involvement in disciplinary proceedings during paid or voluntary employment or education establishments
  • involvement with safeguarding proceedings, social services or related organisations
  • if you have ever been removed from a teacher training programme as a result of your behaviour, or would have been removed if you had not left the programme

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Criminal Record Check

  • you will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record check prior to or during the enrolment week of your course. This will be provided by the University free of charge.
  • you will need to present valid identity documents (PDF) as part of the DBS application process
  • if you have lived outside of the UK for more than six consecutive months in the last five years you must provide an overseas criminal record check. Further information on obtaining an overseas criminal record check.
  • where your DBS Enhanced Disclosure certificate contains any recorded information you must present this to the Academic Administration Team within ten working days of receipt of the certificate.
  • In addition to this all those who are made an offer of a place will be checked against the DfE children’s barred list.

Occupational Health Screening

You will need to undertake occupational health screening to determine your suitability to undertake the course. This will be provided by the University free of charge. As part of this assessment you are expected to provide all relevant, truthful and accurate information to ensure a safe environment for yourself and service users.

Other background checks
All applicants that have accepted an offer will also be checked against the prohibition list to ensure you are not:

  • subject to a prohibition order issued by the Secretary of State
  • prohibited to teach in another country of the European Economic Area (EEA)

If your personal circumstances change in relation to any of the professional requirements, from when you apply to the end of your course, please notify the Academic Administration team immediately by emailing tedss@shu.ac.uk.

Additional information for EU/International students

If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.

For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.


Modules

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.

Compulsory modules
Module Credits
Module: Developing And Reflecting On Professional Practice Credits: 30
Module: Developing And Reflecting On Subject Knowledge And Pedagogy In Secondary Computing Credits: 30
Module: School Based Training 1 Credits: -
Module: School Based Training 2 Credits: -

Fees and funding

Home students

Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2023/24 is £9,250 for the course. For part-time study the fee will be calculated pro-rata each year based on the number of credits studied. These fees are regulated by the UK government and are therefore subject to changes in government policy

† If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.

International students

Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2023/24 is £16,385 for the course.

Two teachers with children

Scholarships and bursaries

If you are starting a PGCE in secondary education you may be entitled to financial support.

Learn more

Additional course costs

This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

Additional costs for Teaching and education courses (PDF, 255.5KB)

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.

 

How do I apply?

There are two routes to achieve a PGCE with Qualified Teacher Status, either through the University's provider-led route, or School Direct route.

Not ready to apply just yet?

Why not come to our next open day? Open days are the perfect place to talk to staff and students, visit our campuses and get all the information you need. Alternatively, feel free to ask us a question.

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Routes into teaching

Watch our videos and find out more about the different routes you could take.

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