Secondary with QTS: English

This course is available through School Direct.

Why study with us?

Are you passionate about English? If your dream is to become a secondary school English teacher, then this is the course for you. It prepares you to become a specialist English teacher, trained to deliver the essential knowledge and skills that make English such a wide ranging and exciting subject.

We aim to provide a high quality personalised experience for each individual. We work closely with partnership schools in Lancashire, Cumbria and the North East (and occasionally further afield). Experienced tutors work with you to meet your learning needs and support you throughout the year as you learn how to plan, resource and deliver effective lessons to pupils across the age and ability range. We are enthusiastic about the English curriculum (language, literature, drama, media) and work with you to help you develop your own subject knowledge to promote outstanding teaching and learning in the secondary classroom.

What can this course lead to?

We have a strong tradition of producing trainees who take up full time teaching posts as fully qualified English teachers throughout the UK. Since the course comes with qualified teacher status built in, you will be qualified to work in secondary schools. Depending on prior experience and skills, you may even be in a position to apply for jobs contributing to drama and media courses.

Resources and facilities

University tutors are have a wide range of experiences as secondary practitioners on which to draw and are also active researchers in education, with different areas of specialism. School mentors are experienced classroom practitioners, trained as mentors within our partnership.

Each campus is friendly and easy to navigate with good learning facilities, libraries and ICT access. We have a well-stocked library and a Learning Gateway, which offers an interactive, flexible space to study. You can also take advantage of the Library and Student Services (LiSS), which provides learning resources, equipment, student advice, skills training and study space.

All students have access to our Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment which can provide easy online access to course information, course materials, relevant web links and an online discussion board.

Entry requirements See course specific entry requirements listed below.

More about levels and credits

Credit and UCAS requirements Credit: 60 credits UCAS code: QX31 Selection criteria

• A minimum UK 2:2 honours degree or recognised equivalent qualification in English Language or Literature is required, however strong preference will be given to applicants with 2:1 honours degrees. We also consider applicants with degrees in related subjects such as Media, Film Studies and Drama if supported by strong A-levels in English and/or Literature. A minimum 50% of your degree must be in English or a related subject. All successful applicants must have met this requirement by 31 August 2013.

  If you don’t have an undergraduate degree but do have a Masters or other higher qualification, your application will be considered by our academic tutors on a one-to-one basis.

• GCSE grade C or above in English Language and Mathematics or equivalent qualifications. Strong preference will be given to those who hold these qualifications at the point of application and all successful applicants must have met this requirement by 31 August 2013.

• Successful completion of the QTS skills test in literacy and numeracy by 31 August 2013

• A strong personal statement conveying an enthusiasm for the subject, for working with young people and for teaching and learning.

• A satisfactory academic (university) reference OR a satisfactory professional reference if more than three years since academic study.

• We strongly recommend that you obtain a minimum of 5-10 days secondary school experience in a mainstream UK secondary school observing a class in your chosen teaching specialism before applying. With competitive subjects such as English, we may not select you without this experience.

• Our interviews provide us with further information to supplement the GTTR form and also allow us to consider how applicants perform in group discussion situations, and to question them further about their motivations and their skills, knowledge and experience. Candidates are also asked to teach a short microlesson (on one of a range of given topics) as if to a Year 7 class, and to reflect on this process. We are looking at how candidates prepare resources to promote effective learning; how they have decided to present the lesson to a class; potential development of a strong classroom presence; ability to reflect on their lesson.

• All candidates must demonstrate professional suitability through interview and must obtain medical and enhanced CRB clearance according to established university procedures.

Costs

Click to view information on your study type and home location.

University-based students

Home

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £9,000.

As a full-time UK student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which you only start to pay back when you are earning over £21,000 a year if you're from England or £15,795 if you're from Scotland. You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan (up to £5,500) and a maintenance grant (up to £3,354). For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

Teaching Agency bursary

The Teaching Agency awards training bursaries based on subject and the classification of your first degree. For this course, you may be eligible for:

• £9,000 if you have a first class degree
• £4,000 if you have a 2.1

If you have exceptional subject knowledge from another career or postgraduate study (ie PhD or Masters), you may be eligible for a higher bursary than your degree classification would otherwise allow. Find out more about the TA discretionary bursary.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several support funds available to our current students, including:

• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

EU

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £9,000.

As a full-time EU student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which you only start to pay back when you are earning over £21,000 a year (or the equivalent in your country). For more information about student loans, visit our student finance page.

Teaching Agency bursary

The Teaching Agency awards training bursaries based on subject and the classification of your first degree. For this course, you may be eligible for:

• £9,000 if you have a first class degree
• £4,000 if you have a 2.1

If you have exceptional subject knowledge from another career or postgraduate study (ie PhD or Masters), you may be eligible for a higher bursary than your degree classification would otherwise allow. Find out more about the TA discretionary bursary.

International

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year is £10,800.

Fees are billed annually and may be paid by the student or a sponsor. 75 percent of the annual tuition fees must be paid before or at registration. For students requiring a Tier 4 Student Visa, a deposit of £3,500 is expected as a minimum before a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) will be issued. For more information, visit our international student finance page.

Early payment discount

If you are paying your own fees, you may be eligible for an early payment discount of £1,000. This discount is awarded to students who pay in full before registration.

Additional financial support

Our money doctors will be on hand throughout the year to help you manage your money while you’re in the UK. However, if you do happen to run into financial difficulty during your time here, you may be able to access a small emergency support fund.

School Direct students

Salaried

If you have a salaried school direct place, you won't have to pay a penny; your host school will cover your tuition fees in full. You will not be eligible for any additional funding.

School direct salaries are set by the school and should be in line with unqualified teacher pay scales.

Non-salaried

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £9,000.

As a full-time student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which you only start to pay back when you are earning over £21,000 a year if you're from England or £15,795 if you're from Scotland. You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan (up to £5,500) and a maintenance grant (up to £3,354) if you're a UK student. For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

Teaching Agency bursary

The Teaching Agency awards training bursaries based on subject and the classification of your first degree. For this course, you may be eligible for:

• £9,000 if you have a first class degree
• £4,000 if you have a 2.1

If you have exceptional subject knowledge from another career or postgraduate study (ie PhD or Masters), you may be eligible for a higher bursary than your degree classification would otherwise allow. Find out more about the TA discretionary bursary.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several support funds available to our current students, including:

• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

Apply now

This course is only available through School Direct. Select a school from the School Direct course list to apply.

Modules

We cover all aspects of the English curriculum. Specific modules allow for a focus on assessment, language, poetry and media. The Curriculum Development module is designed to raise your awareness of past and present contexts in English, as well as future possibilities.

We also cover general teaching modules, including:

• Meeting Young People’s Needs Within and Beyond the Curriculum
• Professional Skills, Knowledge and Practice
• Curriculum Development
• Classroom Research for Beginning Teachers

For detailed summary of all course content please read our programme specification for this course.

Course summary

The course blends university sessions with school placements and is founded on the principle of helping trainees to reflect and build upon the connections between university and school experiences.

We begin with three weeks in university during which we look at issues such as the development of subject knowledge (setting personal targets for this); the nature of the English curriculum; identities and philosophies of English teachers; lesson planning; effective teaching and learning strategies; good practice in teaching speaking and listening; reading; writing.

Trainees then begin a phased introduction to their first placement, working closely with a trained subject mentor who works in partnership with the university. Trainees return to days in university to reflect upon school experience and to develop further skills and expertise in specific areas of the English curriculum and in general areas such as behaviour management, English as an Additional Language, pastoral care.

Our clear aim is to produce outstanding teachers who use a variety of innovative teaching and learning activities to engage pupils, and who have confidence in their own subject knowledge and their ability to use this to plan highly effective lessons. There is a total of 120 days in school, and following the first placement which runs until February, we then concentrate on two Masters level modules focusing on assessment and on curriculum development in English. These modules allow trainees to carry out small-scale action research projects in school and to help them develop their practice in the light of recent thinking in key areas.

Following three or four weeks back in university, trainees begin their final block placement in a second school where they continue to develop teaching skills in the light of university experiences.

We make much use of group work and university sessions are interactive and promote independent learning. Trainees always comment on the supportive atmosphere within our groups and the benefits of working together with a group of peers are seen by trainees as a strong feature of the course.

Tutors support trainees in developing your professional skills, knowledge and practice in English teaching, making you into a confident, highly competent classroom practitioner.

Case studies

"It has been challenging but exciting and fulfilling. I knew I wanted to be a teacher and this has helped me to develop the skills I need to be a confident classroom practitioner."

"I have just got a full time teaching job for next year and this course has helped me feel I can really make a difference to young people’s lives."

"I wanted a career change, and although this has been a challenge, I know I made the right decision. My tutors at university and my mentors on my school placements have supported me throughout the year."