Teacher Training

PGCE Secondary

North and Mid Wales Centre of Teacher Education

Aberystwyth and Bangor Universities together provide Initial Teacher Education and Training in an exciting partnership forming the North and Mid Wales Centre of Teacher Education, one of three national Centres in Wales training primary and secondary teachers. The North and Mid Wales Centre is a collaboration between two traditional institutions, both with excellent and long-standing records in providing training for prospective teachers but also very much in touch with current trends in education. The Centre works with and develops partnerships with primary and secondary schools across the regions, and provides the best possible start for trainee teachers. It offers first rate higher education in two of Britain’s most beautiful locations. The atmosphere at the Centre, whether based in Aberystwyth or Bangor, is welcoming and friendly and trainee teachers will receive a high standard of training and support.

Why do your PGCE Course at Aber?

At Aberystwyth, we can offer you: 

  • An environment which postgraduate students find attractive, congenial and friendly.

  • A School of Education and Lifelong Learning which prides itself on taking a personal interest in both the welfare and the professional development of its students.

  • A University which has a long tradition of courses of training for prospective teachers but is also very much in touch with recent and current trends in education.

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and teaching in the UK and abroad

QTS gained at institutions in Wales is fully equivalent to that for England. All trainees gaining QTS in Aberystwyth will be qualified to teach all over the UK as well as in many other countries. Students gaining QTS in Wales are able to undertake their induction year in England and other parts of the UK.

Subjects

 At Aberystwyth:

• English
• Drama
• Geography
• History
• Information and Communication Technology
• Modern Foreign Languages
• Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
• Welsh

Bangor University also offer PGCE Secondary subjects in Art & Design, Mathematics, Music, Outdoor Activities, Physical Education, Religious Education, Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) & Welsh.

Entry requirements

In order to be considered for an interview for one of our Secondary PGCE courses you will need to have some formal qualifications. Ideally, you should also have experience of working, in any kind of paid or voluntary capacity, with children or young people but it is not an entry requirement. Observation at a school is also recommended but not essential.

We welcome applications from candidates from groups that are often under-represented in the teaching profession, for example male applicants, Welsh-speaking community, ethnic minorities or people with disabilities.

Literacy and Numeracy tests

The first step of the selection process will be for you to complete Literacy and Numeracy tests.

LiteracyTest 1 (30 minutes long)

  • This task will test your skills in spelling, punctuation, grammar and comprehension in English.
  •  A sample copy of the paper is available here: UCET Literacy Test

LiteracyTest 2 (30 minutes long)

  • This task will test your skills in reading, comprehension and writing and will include an extended piece of writing.
  • Welsh medium applicants will be expected to complete this test in Welsh.

Numeracy Test (30 minutes long)

  • The numeracy test will focus on the functional mathematical skills required by teachers in their professional role.
  • Calculators will not be allowed for this test.
  • English and Welsh versions of the question paper will be provided. Applicants can choose to answer in either language.
  • A sample copy of the paper is available here. Numeracy test - exemplar

Additional support material:

Formal qualifications

Normally you will need:
• a single or joint honours degree, at least 50% of which is in a subject which is directly relevant to the teaching of your subject in the Secondary school ‐ see individual subject leaflets for further details.
• a grade C or above in GCSE English and Mathematics or equivalent.

Equivalence tests

The School of Education and Lifelong Learning runs equivalence tests if you do not already have the GCSE or equivalent qualifications. For entry in September, these tests are usually held in April with a resit opportunity in June. The next dates are 16 April 2013 and 13 June 2013. 

Interview

At interview we will be looking for the following:

• you know why you want to be a teacher;

• you show a genuine interest in teaching and understand current educational issues;

• you have a passion for the subject you hope to train to teach;

• you have good communication skills;

• you have a sense of humour;

• you are likely to be able to form effective professional relationships with pupils and adults;

• you are the kind of person who can learn from and act on advice;

• you have energy, determination and perseverance

Travel costs

We will help with costs for travelling to Aberystwyth for your interview.

Additional information about the course at Aberystwyth University

The course normally runs from September the end of June. Trainee teachers will be based in schools for 25 weeks. Guided by university tutors and trained school mentors this will involve classroom teaching and different school based activities.

In addition to subject courses, the university‐based programme includes lectures and seminars on Professional Studies, Information and Communication Technology and teaching pupils with additional learning needs.

Science students follow a course in Balanced Science, as well as their main teaching subject. Trainees in other subjects will train to teach an additional option subject (you can choose from about five subjects) in addition to your main subject.

Financial Support and Incentives for Initial Teacher Training

There are a variety of sources of funding and support available to you as a trainee teacher while you complete your course. What you’ll be eligible to receive will vary according to where you normally live, the subject you’re training to teach, as well as your personal circumstances.

Check your Student Finance Company dependent on where you live:

If you normally live in:

Wales - www.studentfinancewales.co.uk
England - www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance
Northern Ireland - www.studentfinanceni.co.uk
Scotland - www.student-support-saas.gov.uk
Any other EU country - www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

The Welsh Government training grants vary each year and unfortunately the figures for 2013/14 have not yet been released.  The latest information is available on the Welsh Government website here. The main features for 2012/13 were:

The initial teacher training (ITT) incentive grants available in Wales for new eligible students on specified postgraduate (PGCE) ITT courses leading to Qualified Teacher Status starting in the 2012/13 academic year were as follows:- 

Honours degree qualification of student

Postgraduate secondary courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, modern languages and Welsh

Postgraduate secondary courses in ICT, design & technology, English, biology, history, RE, art, PE, music, drama and geography

Postgraduate primary courses

1st (and 2.1 in physics)

 £15,000

 £3,000

2.1(not physics)

 £10,000

 £0

2.2

 £6,000

 £0

ITT incentive grants will only available in the subjects or study areas listed above.  Eligible students who are ordinarily resident in Wales and starting full-time postgraduate ITT courses in the 2012/13 academic year can also receive a new tuition fee grant of up to £5,535, thus reducing the fees to £3,465. The ITT incentive grants and new tuition fee grant provide eligible students starting full-time postgraduate ITT courses in the 2012/13 academic year who are ordinarily resident in Wales with comparable grant funding to their counterparts in England.

Applicants who are residents of other European Union countries will also be eligible for the tuition fee grant of up to £5,535, thus reducing the fees to £3,465.  

School Placements

The North and Mid-Wales Centre of Teacher Education works in partnership with schools in North and Mid-Wales and Pembrokeshire and there are also a few schools offering a limited number of subjects in other parts of Wales. Partner Schools give us an indication of the number of trainee teachers and the subjects they can offer in May/June for the following academic year. Many changes can take places in schools before the start of the new school year and no every school will be able to keep to their original plans. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that requests for placements in particular locations can be met. Requests for specific locations will be considered on a priority basis as follows:

  1. A student with a disability

  2. A single parent with a young child (children age 10 or under)

  3. A parent with a young child (children age 10 or under)

  4. A student with a mortgage.

  5. A student with a long term tenancy agreement

  6. Any student

Accommodation

Students should not enter into tenancy agreements in Aberystwyth for the full academic year. There are only a few placement opportunities in the Aberystwyth area.

Information about private accommodation offered by homeowners and landlords in the Aberystwyth area for PGCE trainees will be provided by the end of June 2013. The accommodation will be available only for the specific weeks of the university-based course. Information on accommodation close to placement schools will be provided in September 2013 when you will be allocated your placement schools.