Postgraduate Certificate Further Education and Skills

You’ll be taught by a team of experienced teacher educators with a wealth of knowledge from the education sector.

Our whole team regularly update their knowledge and skills, with strong links to Sheffield Hallam University. Staff have or are working towards higher level Master’s and Doctorate qualifications in Education.

• Applicants with overseas qualifications must provide a UK ENIC Statement of Comparability

• GCSE English and Maths at grade 4 or above or Functional Skills at Level 2 or equivalent

• A UK honours degree (or equivalent) in the subject area you wish to teach

All applicants will take part in a professional discussion with a member of the programme team to assess their suitability and readiness for the course.
All applicants must undertake Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.
In addition to their attendance on the taught programme, all applicants must be able to complete a minimum of 250 hours in a teaching setting with at least 150 hours of teaching practice across the duration of the programme. Teaching practice will include experience in more than one setting.
We welcome applications from applicants who are in-service and already working as unqualified teachers, and those who are pre-service and are just starting their journey into teaching.
UCEN Manchester will work with all trainees and our extensive partner organisations to identify appropriate teaching practice opportunities and to ensure that each trainee is supported by a suitably experienced subject-specialist mentor. Mentors and placement settings are an integral part of the programme and contribute to the development of trainees' teaching practice, professional knowledge and subject-specific pedagogy.
The programme is particularly suited to applicants from a wide range of vocational and professional backgrounds, including business, health and social care, construction, engineering, hair and beauty, uniformed services, and many other specialist areas.
Please note: UCEN Manchester is unable to consider international applications for this course due to UKVI regulations.

Professional Practice (1 credits)

Year 1: Reflecting on professional practice and development in further education and skills education (30 credits)
Our vision is to develop and run a course that reflects the FES sector and develops great teachers who are well equipped to work in a diverse range of FES organisations and roles. Our curriculum plan outlines the educational content, learning experiences and teaching strategies that underpin our PGCE Further Education and Skills course.

To pass the PGCE Further Education and Skills course a trainee must:

- Complete 250 hours in a teaching setting, 150 of which will be spent teaching (100 hours teaching their specialist subject)
- Complete an alternative placement for at least 20 hours (no requirement to include teaching)
- Complete 10 teaching observations (two in your classes, eight in placement)
- Endeavour to deliver at least 20 hours of remote teaching
- Complete a teaching log, evidencing all practice hours
- Complete a portfolio of evidence relating to placement, cross referenced to meeting all the Occupational Standards for a learning and skills teacher.
- Teaching at least two different levels e.g., Year 1 and Year 2 of A-levels, or Level 1 and Level 2 BTECs.
- Complete a 30-minute professional discussion relating to any aspect of professional practice linked to Occupational Standards.
- Pass two taught modules, one assessed as an essay, one assessed as a presentation
- Successfully complete a professional discussion, based on a portfolio of evidence that the trainee has put together as they progress through the programme.

Academic achievement is assessed through the successful completion of two taught modules; one assessed through an essay and the other through a presentation. Trainees will also provide evidence of all teaching practice, observations and reflections.
Trainees will also compile a portfolio of evidence, mapped to the Learning and Skills Teacher Occupational Standard, demonstrating how they have met the professional requirements of the programme. This portfolio will inform an assessed 30-minute professional conversation in which trainees critically reflect on their professional practice and development during the programme.
There will also be a range of formative assessments that take place throughout the programme.
To achieve the award, trainees must successfully complete all academic assessments, professional practice requirements and the final professional conversation.

There are two main costs you will have whilst studying and if you are a home student studying on a full-time course, you can apply for student finance to cover both of these:

- Your tuition fees for each year of your course.
- Help with your living costs e.g. rent, food, clothing, course materials, entertainment.

You can find more details, including the actual tuition fee charged on our Fees, Funding and Finance Page.

All of the books required for the course are available either from the library or as e-books. However, many students choose to buy some of the core textbooks for the course and/or a laptop. You may also need to print assignments and other documents.

Campus printing costs start from 5p per page.

Estimated costs are £300 for a laptop and up to £50 each year for books and printing

As an employed volunteer teacher you may also need to factor in travel costs to your place of work

You will be required to have an enhanced DBS check for this course to ensure you meet our safeguarding requirements