Secondary
Design & Technology PGCE
What will our Design and Technology PGCE offer you?
- Our Design and Technology programme has proven very successful for the ten years that we have been training Design and Technology teachers for secondary schools.
- Our current Design and Technology PGCE is centred around a knowledge and practical based programme so will enable you to develop the core knowledge and skills you will need to confidently teach Design and Technology students aged 11-16.
- During your school placements there will be opportunities for you to observe and teach the KS5 Design and Technology programme, which will be supported by the content of our Design and Technology programme.
- As part of the PGCE element of this course you will write two assignments which are related to Design and Technology.
- One assignment at Masters’ level is about the use of metacognition strategies in the teaching of Design and Technology and the other Masters’ level assignment will have a classroom research- based focus in your subject.
What skills and knowledge will you learn?
- You will be encouraged to develop a wide range of skills in Design and Technology in a supportive environment, so you feel confident about demonstrating activities to students in your classroom.
- You will be given guidance and support in developing your knowledge and skills in the key areas of product design, textiles and / or you can specialise in food technology (Food preparation and Nutrition).
- Specific days about practical skills and safety in the Design and Technology classroom are delivered by specialists and by attending these days you will be awarded accreditation for using specific equipment in the Design and Technology classroom.
- You will be given support about how to teach the maths element in the Design and Technology curriculum too.
How is the Design and Technology PGCE structured and who is involved?
- Our Design and Technology programme is structured around (i) formal sessions from the SCITT Design and Technology Subject Tutor and (ii) the subject knowledge that you will receive from your school mentors who work alongside you in the classroom.
- In your placement school with the guidance and support from your mentors, you will develop the subject knowledge needed to teach successfully in your placement schools.
- In addition, you will have seven Design and Technology Subject Knowledge days led by highly experienced Design and Technology practitioners.
- They will deliver the seven Design and Technology Subject Knowledge days which are spread across the year. These are full of practical teaching strategies for you to be able to use in the classroom in any school.
- These Subject Knowledge days will be supplemented by reading tasks and a subject studies programme which you will complete during the year. We will also provide you with specific books for the Design and Technology programme, and a laptop and a visualiser for the duration of your teacher training programme.
- You will also be assigned a Design and Technology SCITT Tutor who will work closely with you.
- They will observe you teach at least four times during the year. They are all specialists so their understanding of teaching the Design and Technology curriculum is comprehensive. These visits by your Design and Technology SCITT Tutor will be in addition to the school visits/ lessons observations that you will also receive from a SCITT Personal Tutor.
- All visits by any SCITT Tutor provide support and feedback that helps you in your development to become a successful trainee and newly qualified teacher. No lessons are graded, and all feedback is given in a personalised manner.
How will you be assessed?
- At the end of each term, there is an Assessment Point where you will be observed by your Design and Technology SCITT Tutor then discussions will be had with your mentor and other colleagues in your placement school regarding your progress to that point.
- You must pass that Assessment Point in order to continue onto the next term of the programme, but the decision is not made on that one lesson observation.
- Your progress is assessed against the Teachers’ Standards across the term and the quality of your teaching; your completion of your portfolio; your engagement with the subject studies and professional studies programmes; your ability to act on feedback and your professionalism in schools with colleagues and students are all looked at as part of that Assessment Point.
- Our Design and Technology PGCE Programme is designed so you can learn how to become a member of the teaching profession, not a teacher in one school.
