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“At the University of Bolton, we take great pride in providing a quality, supportive learning environment for our students.” Professor George E Holmes DL | President & Vice Chancellor
“...tutors are very supportive and you’re not just a student ID number, at this university you are an individual with a name.” Ellisse Vernon | BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing
This course is 'Subject to Approval' and has not yet completed the University’s approvals process.
Whilst we are confident that the course will be approved, there is the possibility that the course
may not run or may be subject to alterations. This course is due to be validated by August 2024 after
which we will write to all applicants who have applied for the course to let them know the
outcome and of any changes. In the event that a course is not approved the University
will make reasonable efforts to offer an alternative course at the University.
PGCE M 14+ Special Educational Needs Development (SEND)
Do you wish to gain a better understanding of special educational needs (SEN)? Have you ever considered working in offender learning? Do you wish to support learners with disabilities or SEN to 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, creative, and inspiring teacher of people aged 14 and over who have additional needs.
Key information
Award:
PGCE M
Mode of Study:
Full-time
Duration:
12 months
Location:
University of Bolton
Start date:
To be confirmed
Course Details
Aiding learners in reaching their full potential can be exceptionally rewarding, especially when supporting those with physical and cognitive disabilities, sensory and communication differences and social, emotional and mental health challenges.
Teaching learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and those in challenging and complex circumstances can be a professionally satisfying, 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 the 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 master's 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 SEND. We’ll support you as you discover how to apply them in practice, how you can mould them to the teaching of particular subjects and how they link to current research in education.
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 a skilled, engaging and inclusive teacher with high standards of professionalism.
This course is suitable for pre-service Initial Teacher Education (ITE) trainee teachers – so you don't need prior teaching experience or current employment in education. If you're a new in-service trainee teacher employed in the further education sector, you can apply for this course as part of your continuous professional development (CPD).
Highlights
SEND teaching 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, tutor autistic students in alternative provision, 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).
Recent students have said, 'the content [is] engaging, relevant and well structured' and they 'appreciated the clear structure provided right from the beginning. This clarity has given us a clear understanding of what to expect from the module and what is expected from us as trainees'.
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 SEND teaching are designed to help you gain a high level of understanding in the teaching, learning and assessment of students with a diverse range of needs. These include learners in challenging and complex circumstances and those with learning difficulties, physical disabilities, sensory impairments and social, emotional, mental health 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.
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
Our highly qualified and dedicated team offers a wealth of experience in teaching both in post-14 education and training and teacher education.
We offer a warm and friendly environment for your studies, with relatively small class sizes and excellent IT and library facilities.
All trainee teachers must complete 150 hours of teaching practice in their subject specialist area and 100 hours of CPD training. Teaching placements are an essential component for success on this course, and you'll have the opportunity to gain experience planning and delivering learning in a range of settings within the further education sector.
In most cases, 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 environments you can work in and experience teaching a diverse range of learners.
This PGCE M 14+ course meets the requirements of the FE-specific Diploma in Teaching (DiT) in the Further Education and Skills sector. It's ideal if you wish to teach in adult and community education, further education, sixth-form colleges, universities, 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 FE 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 University of Bolton's Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) M 14+ programme meets the requirements of the FE-specific Diploma in Teaching (DiT) in the Further Education and Skills sector. All new FE and Skills teachers must complete a teacher education qualification as the first step in obtaining QTLS (Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills).
If you are keen to pursue QTLS, please ensure you read the Society for Education and Training’s QTLS eligibility guidance before commencing this ITE programme. We especially draw your attention to the information about which English and mathematics qualifications are acceptable.
Please note, this 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 in which you wish to teach to learners with SEND and on your prior qualifications and experience, but we will require a lower second class honours degree (2:2 or above, or equivalent) in a relevant subject.
If your degree is not from a recognised UK higher 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+ course details.
You must possess suitable Level 2 qualifications in English and Mathematics; for instance, GCSEs at grade 4-9 (or grade C or above) or Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Mathematics. Please contact us for a list of other Level 2 equivalent qualifications that would be accepted for entry to this course.
While previous teaching experience is not necessary for this course, prior relevant work experience in the area you wish to teach will significantly strengthen your application. The placement providers we work with greatly value and prefer relevant experience (paid or voluntary) because you can bring this broader experience into your teaching.
You'll be required to attend an interview day as part of the application process. This will involve written diagnostic tests for English and mathematics, a short oral presentation, and a face-to-face interview. As part of your interview, you may be asked to undertake additional assessment(s) to determine your suitability for the course.
This course involves working unsupervised with young people and/or vulnerable 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.
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.
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.
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 Postgraduate Certificate in Education (M) 14+ is a teacher education course for graduates who wish to teach in the Further Education 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 sector offers opportunities 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.
This course focuses on teaching learners with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) and those in challenging and complex circumstances. You could gain employment working with young people who need additional support or who require an advanced programme of learning in order to reach their full potential. Many SEND teachers/lecturers work with individuals who have physical disabilities, sensory differences, 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 FE 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 in the community, delivering practical and creative courses, as well as focusing on basic skills, language and computer courses. Another route, the justice sector, involves working in prisons and youth offender institutions, teaching basic skills. Some offender institutions also offer vocational preparation courses.
Alternative career options
PGCE M 14+ holders can also use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or further postgraduate study. Possible careers include:
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.
Additional costs
There may be some additional or optional costs associated with this course. These will be published after approval of the programme.
For details of how to apply for this course, please choose your status from the options below:
Course application details are unavailable at present
Course application details are unavailable at present
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 participate in online discussions with your peers and tutors, make full use of ICT as a source of information and support, and maintain a digital portfolio of evidence.
In most cases, 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.
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 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.
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.
