The PGCE is an intensive programme, which combines an exploration of principles and methods of teaching and learning with practical school-based teaching placements. It lasts for 36 weeks from early September to late June. The Secondary programme prepares you to work with pupils aged 11-16. At the heart of our programmes is a vision that our student teachers’ teaching will impact positively on pupil progress over time in schools and that our Partnership activities with schools will contribute to school improvement. We aspire for all our students to be outstanding teachers. The PGCE Secondary courses are structured around three modules, which share a generic General Professional Education (GPE) component. The GPE programme involves an enquiry based learning approach, which combines taught sessions with independent professional learning activities (PLAs). These PLAs require independent research, which is either school-related or school-based.

Employment and Career Prospects A Brunel PGCE with recommendation for QTS is a recognised symbol of high quality Initial Teacher Education. This is demonstrated by our outstanding employment rates and feedback from alumni student teachers, our partnership schools and Ofsted inspectors. 100% of our PGCE Secondary students in 2014-2015 secured teaching posts in schools. Many of our students go on to work in our partnership schools and many in schools where they undertook a placement experience. This allows us to retain links with many former students and often they become school-based mentors for our students. Many of our Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) stay in contact through the Brunel Initial Teacher Education Buddy system, where NQTs and students can share experiences, ideas, advice and resources through a facility on our VLE. We also invite former students back for public lectures, research seminars, Education events and to be involved in steering groups and research activities here in the Department of Education to ensure they can continue to develop through a community of professional practice both within but also beyond the school in which they are working. Our extensive involvement in the Initial Teacher Education has enabled us to develop an extensive network of former alumni who have gone on to hold positions of responsibility in schools across the country.