Do you wish to support learners with additional needs and help them achieve their potential? If you have a bachelor’s degree, this master’s level qualification aims to build on your personal strengths and interests to help you become an effective and creative teacher of people aged 14 and over who have additional needs.

Key information

Award:

PGCE M

Mode of Study:

Part-time

Duration:

2 years

Location:

University of Bolton

Start date:

02/09/2024

Course Details

Achieving your potential can be difficult for everyone – but especially for young people and adults with social, mental health, behavioural or emotional challenges, physical or cognitive disabilities, sensory impairments, communication difficulties or learning differences.

Teaching Learners with Additional Needs (TLAN) can be an exceptionally rewarding, if demanding, career. If you have the commitment, courage and patience then this Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course offers you the knowledge and skills to help others develop their understanding, confidence or independence, enabling you to transform lives. This PGCE (M) course is 120 credits at master's level (HE7), demonstrating your ability to work independently at a high level in the field of education. 90 credits at HE7 can be transferred to a full master's award, depending on the specialist masters pathway.

Through a combination of traditional study and work-based learning, you’ll be able to explore the key theories and techniques of teaching, learning and assessment for all learners, focusing especially on TLAN. We’ll guide you as you learn to plan and deliver lessons and explore a range of additional needs. Our expert and supportive tutors will work to help you become an expert, engaging and inclusive teacher with high standards of professionalism.

Highlights

TLAN offers enormous scope. For instance, you might teach personal independence and social skills to people with profound learning difficulties, help students in pupil referral units or prisons learn basic maths and English, or support learners with hearing or visual impairments to develop employability skills.
Ofsted rated our Further Education and Skills (FES) 14+ ITE courses' overall effectiveness as 'good' in all areas, including the quality of education and training, and leadership and management at their last inspection in May 2022. Their report also said 'Trainees in the FES phase have access to a well-planned and ambitious curriculum’ and ‘Trainees are well supported to develop their subject-specific pedagogy equally well through all of the different FES ITE programmes’ (Ofsted, 2022).
The University of Bolton sits at the heart of an extensive and well-established partnership of post-14 education and training providers, offering access to an impressive range of educational environments.
Our specialist modules in TLAN are designed to help you gain a high level of understanding in the teaching, learning and assessment of students with learning difficulties, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, and social, mental health, emotional or behavioural challenges, alongside the sound knowledge of ‘generic’ education offered by the course.
Face-to-face sessions and one-to-one support are offered by our team of highly experienced, enthusiastic and dedicated experts, ensuring you have access to feedback and advice.
After completing this ITE course, you can progress towards QTLS (Qualified Teacher for Learning and Skills) which is recommended for teaching in the further education and training sector.

Key Features

This is a pre-service ITE course – you don’t need prior experience of teaching or current employment in education.
Our highly qualified and dedicated team offer a wealth of experience of teaching both in post-14 education and training and teacher education, as well as educational research, ensuring you have access to the latest thinking in teaching and learning.
We offer a warm and friendly environment for your studies, with relatively small class sizes and excellent IT and library facilities.
Work-based learning through teaching placements is essential for success on this course and you’ll have the opportunity to gain a minimum of 100 hours’ experience planning and delivering learning.
We’ll organise your work placements and these may be in a variety of settings, helping you gain a rounded appreciation of the types of environment you can work in and experience teaching a diverse range of learners.
This PGCE 14+ course meets the requirements of the FE-specific Diploma in Education and Training (DET) which is the recognised full teaching qualification for the FE and Skills sector. It’s ideal if you wish to teach in adult and community education, further education, sixth form colleges, universities, the prison and probation services, pre-employment training and work-based learning.

Professional recognition

The University of Bolton’s Postgraduate Certificate in Education (M) 14+ programmes meet the requirement of the FE-specific Diploma in Education and Training (DET). All new FE and Skills teachers must complete a teacher education qualification as the first step in obtaining QTLS (Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills).

The course does not lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) to teach in schools. However, QTLS does legally have equivalence to QTS and is recognised by some head teachers in schools.

The entry requirements for this qualification will depend on the area which you wish to teach to learners with additional needs and on your prior qualifications and experience, but we require an upper second class honours degree (2:1 or above, or equivalent) in a relevant subject.
You'll need to evidence through submission of a written task that you're able to work independently at a high level in the field of education studies. You'll also need to evidence that you can engage critically with some key ideas in teaching and teacher education.
You’ll need to have experience of working or volunteering with learners with additional needs, e.g. you may have worked as a support worker, teaching assistant, learning mentor or carer, volunteered for a charity, or you may have experience supporting a family member with additional needs.
If your qualifications aren’t from a recognised UK education institution, advice will be taken from the International Office on comparability.
You'll be required to attend an interview as part of the application process. This will involve written diagnostic tests for English/literacy and mathematics/numeracy, a short oral presentation, and a face-to-face interview.
This course involves working unsupervised with children and/or vulnerable young people and adults and you must gain an Enhanced Disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) before starting your studies. Charges are payable to cover the cost of the DBS Enhanced Disclosure application and annual registration with the online Update Service.
You'll need to provide satisfactory references, a satisfactory health declaration and a satisfactory student agreement prior to enrolment on the course.
If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
We'll also consider applications where appropriate work experience can be demonstrated in lieu of, or in addition to, the published academic qualifications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.
Please note that this course is subject to the University of Bolton's Fitness to Practise procedure.

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

The University of Bolton Postgraduate Certificate in Education (M) 14+ is a teacher education course for graduates who wish to teach in the FE and Skills sector of education; for example, in adult and community education, further education, sixth form colleges, the prison and probation services, pre-employment training and work-based learning.

This course focuses on teaching learners with additional needs. You could therefore be specifically employed to work with young people who need additional support or who require an advanced programme of learning in order to reach their full potential. Many TLAN teachers/lecturers work with individuals who have physical disabilities, sensory impairments, learning difficulties such as dyslexia, social or mental health needs or a combination of these difficulties.

What can I do with this qualification?

In addition to working in further education colleges, sixth form colleges and schools, there are also opportunities to work in specialist educational units such as pupil referral units and with traveller support. Within work-based learning, you could work for a private training provider ensuring people are ready for work and have the right skills. This usually involves working with young people and apprentices.

If you choose a career working with adults and community learning, you’ll work out in the community, delivering practical and creative courses, as well as focusing on basic skills, language and computer courses. The justice sector, another route, involves working in prisons and youth offender institutions teaching basic skills. Some offender institutions also offer vocational preparation courses.

This PGCE (M) course is 120 credits at master's level (HE7), demonstrating your ability to work independently at a high level in the field of education. 90 credits at HE7 can be transferred to a full master's award, depending on the specialist masters pathway.

Alternatively, this course will prepare you to undertake a range of specialist career development courses at the University of Bolton; e.g. in curriculum development, inclusive education, and mentoring and coaching. These Level HE7 modules are worth 20 credits, which can then be used towards a Master’s in Education.

Alternative career options

PGCE M 14+ holders can also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. For some of these roles, relevant experience and/or further postgraduate study may be required. Some of these careers include:

Higher education
Education officer
Mentoring support
Family liaison
Educational psychology
Education administration
Student services advice
Student liaison
Educational writing
Examinations
Counselling
Careers guidance
Training and development
Quality standards
Community engagement
Youth work

Course fees

Home students starting this course in the first year will be required to pay a Home fee of £4,500 for the academic year 2024/25.

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2023-2024 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

Bursaries

Click here for more information about the scholarships and bursaries available to University of Bolton students.

For details of how to apply for this course, please choose your status from the options below:

You may apply directly to the University using the University's online application form. Please select your chosen start date from the list below:

You should have to hand:

Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role
Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference

Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.

Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already input.

If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions@bolton.ac.uk

Apply online: University of Bolton Postgraduate Certificate in Education (M) 14+ Teaching Learners with Additional Needs - 02 September 2024

International applications are not possible for this course

As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.

We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.

We take a blended approach to teaching and learning, using a combination of face-to-face sessions, work-based learning and electronic resources and communications. You can expect timetabled classes and lectures, along with workshops, small group and individual practical activities, and structured exercises and discussions. Individual support will be given in tutorials. We’ll encourage you to take part in online discussions with your peers and tutors, to make full use of ICT as a source of information and support, and to maintain a digital portfolio of evidence.

Work-based placements will be arranged for you in situations that meet the requirements for becoming a qualified teacher in the FE and Skills sector. They may involve daytime or evening teaching or both. Your prior knowledge, experience and interests will be taken into account, but will not limit our selection of placements for you.

During your placements, your teaching practice will be assessed according to Ofsted guidelines and documented through session planning, observation reports and reflective journals. You’ll receive informal feedback on your performance, to help you assess your progress and improve your practice, as well as formal assessment that will contribute to your overall grade for the course.

Additional formal assessment will be based on coursework. You’ll be expected to produce written work that demonstrates your understanding and ability to apply the course content. You’ll also receive informal peer and tutor feedback on individual and group activities. Your tutor will guide you towards areas of appropriate research and background reading that will help you to complete your coursework.

To be awarded your PGCE M 14+ qualification, you’ll need to demonstrate that you’ve met all the learning outcomes for the course. Our highly experienced and dedicated staff will guide and support you in this, but a significant amount of personal and independent study is essential and you’ll need to take responsibility for managing your own learning.

The course is designed to help you achieve your potential and enjoy teaching. By encouraging you to reflect on your performance and take charge of your own development, we aim to prepare you for a successful career in education.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

Introduction to Teaching and Learning
Behaviour and Wellbeing for Teaching and Learning
Developing Professionalism in Teaching and Learning Teaching Learners with Additional Needs (TLAN) Part 1 - SEN
Curriculum and Assessment for Teaching and Learning
Developing Professionalism in Teaching and Learning - Teaching Learners with Additional Needs (TLAN) Part 2 - SEN

Assessment methods

Level	Assesment method
Level one	Coursework 100%

Learning activities

Level	Learning activity
Level one	Guided independent study 80%, Scheduled learning and teaching activities 20%

Disclaimer

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.