51¸£ÀûÉç

Develop the knowledge, skills and classroom experience to teach secondary History.

Our PGCE Secondary History course prepares you to teach History across the 11-16 or 11-18 age range.

The course is designed to help you teach the National Curriculum, including GCSE and A-level. Successful completion leads to a postgraduate qualification and recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

University-based sessions give you space to reflect on teaching methods, develop your teaching style and engage critically with curriculum and classroom practice. We will also support you in developing your own teacher identity.

You will learn with subject-specialist University tutors who have expertise as teachers and examiners, alongside experienced teachers from our partnership schools. Subject mentors will help you develop your subject knowledge and teaching approaches.

This combination of university and school-based training helps you connect subject knowledge, educational theory and practical classroom teaching.

You will: 

• Develop a critical awareness of lesson and curriculum planning, spending time on each with school-based mentors and University tutors.
• Develop skills and knowledge in inclusive History teaching, considering how to include marginalised narratives in the curriculum.
• Develop pedagogy and gain an understanding of a range of different teaching strategies in the History classroom.
• Develop subject and curriculum knowledge for KS3, KS4 and KS5 History.

• We have links with more than 200 schools, academies, and colleges, and you will benefit from significant school-based teaching experience.
• Our leading experts in education have trained more than 5,000 teachers in the last 15 years.
• Our students come from all over the globe and are from a variety of backgrounds - from recent graduates to mature learners.
• Contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goal for Quality Education by helping to expand access to high-quality learning and inspire future generations.

Important notice: factors affecting fieldwork and placements

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) recognises the value of fieldwork and placements. However, the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our priority.

The School will assess on a regular basis the viability of any travel and fieldwork and communicate any significant changes to our students at the earliest possible opportunity.

Your school and University experiences are formally assessed. Both your mentors and tutors will help you to record your achievements and set targets from week to week and from placement to placement. 

During each placement, a University tutor will observe you teach and discuss your progress with you and your mentor. 

At the end of each school experience, you will receive a progress report from your mentor. The report will provide clear feedback and targets in the following areas:

• subject and curriculum knowledge;
• planning and teaching;
• assessment;
• wider professional responsibilities. 

These reports, together with your record of achievement and development, facilitate your progression as a teacher. 

The written assignments will allow you to gain a maximum of 60 master's-level credits, and guidance and support to complete these assignments will be available from your University tutors.

Find out more about Emma and Taylor's experience on the PGCE History course in their student profiles:

The course is taught by the 51¸£ÀûÉç Institute of Education (MIE) with most PGCE University days based in the Ellen Wilkinson building, centrally located on the University's Oxford Road campus, close to the Main Library, Alan Gilbert Learning Commons, and the Students’ Union.