Large numbers of people need help to improve their English language, literacy and employability skills. If you have a bachelor’s degree along with English skills at Level 3 and a passion for communication, this nationally-recognised master’s level qualification opens the door to teaching and assessing learners aged 14 and over.

Key information

Award:

PGCE M

Mode of Study:

Full-time

Duration:

1 year

Location:

University of Bolton

Start date:

To be confirmed

Course Details

Good verbal and written English skills are associated with access to better jobs and higher pay as well as better overall health, happiness and wellbeing. If you are seeking a career helping people aged 14 and over to gain these skills, whether they are native English speakers or learning English as a second language, this course is ideal. This PGCE (M) course is 135 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.

Including two English specialisms – Literacy and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) – this course explores the key theories and techniques of teaching, learning and assessment. Using a combination of traditional study and work-based learning, we’ll support you as you discover how to apply this knowledge in practice. Teaching placements are key to this and offer you experience supporting learning of both English and ESOL up to Level 2 (GCSE standard).

We’ll guide you as you learn to plan lessons, deliver classes, assess your students’ performances, and provide constructive feedback. Our expert and supportive tutors will work to help you become an expert, engaging and inclusive teacher with high standards of professionalism.

Highlights

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).
Work-based learning through teaching placements is essential for success on this course and you’ll have the opportunity to gain a minimum of 120 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.
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.
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.

Key Features

The University of Bolton is one of the largest providers of teacher training for further and higher education in the UK. Sitting at the heart of an extensive network of partners, we offer access to an impressive range of educational environments.
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.
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 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.
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 skills sector.
By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Manchester, one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, is less than 20 minutes away by train. Not forgetting, the North West of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline and heritage. This makes Bolton an ideal base from which to explore some of the best cultural and outdoor activities the UK offers.

Professional recognition

The PGCE (M) 14+ English programme meets the requirements of the FE specific Diploma in Education (DET). All new FE Teachers must complete a teacher training qualification as the first step in obtaining QTLS (Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills) status.

Although this course does not lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), since April 2012 Further Education teachers, who have been awarded QTLS status and have membership of the Society for Education and Training, are eligible to work as qualified teachers in schools, in England.

You should have at least a lower second class (2.2) honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject and have appropriate work experience.
If you have a third class honours degree, your application will be considered on an individual basis.
If your qualifications aren’t from a recognised UK education institution, advice will be taken from the International Office on comparability.
If you have an HND, foundation degree or DipHE, please see our CertEd Certificate in Education 14+ English and ESOL course details.
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.

This course offers the necessary skills and practical experience required to prepare you for a teaching career, with the emphasis being on the further education and skills sector. In this sector, you’ll have the opportunity to work with further education learners who range in age from 14 years old to adult. These students come from different backgrounds and experiences and may enter further education from local schools, the community, industry or local businesses. There is no national curriculum in FE and therefore courses are often tailored to meet employer’s needs.

What can I do with this qualification?

In addition to working in FE colleges, sixth form colleges and schools, there are significant opportunities to work in a range of related sectors.

The work-based learning sector ensures people are ready for work and have the latest skills. It includes working with apprentices, young people who are not yet ‘job ready’ and employed adults who need to update their skills. Job opportunities in this sector are often with training providers in the private sector, but can also be in the work-based learning units in colleges.

The adult and community learning sector delivers a range of community-based courses, including practical and creative, basic skills, language and computer courses.

The justice sector involves working in prisons and youth offender institutions teaching basic skills. Some offender institutions offer vocational preparation courses. Much of this work is sub-contracted out to local FE colleges who then provide relevant staff.

Alternative career options

Some graduates pursue careers outside the 14+ education sector or take up alternative roles within education. Some of these career areas may require further training and/or qualifications. These can include:

Higher education lecturing
Local Authority education
Mentoring
Family liaison
Educational psychology
Education administration
Student services
Student liaison
Educational writing
Examinations
Counselling
Careers guidance
Training
Quality standards

Course fees

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2022-2023 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:

Course application details are unavailable at present

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. For instance, you might be asked to teach GCSE English to students in a college, adult literacy for the probation service, or work to help prepare students for ESOL exams at a language training centre.

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 have 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.

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
Curriculum and Assessment for Teaching and Learning
Developing Professionalism in Teaching and Learning - English and ESOL Part 1 - ENG
Developing Professionalism in Teaching and Learning - English and ESOL Part 2 - ENG

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.