PGCE (Secondary) Religious Studies

The University of Brighton is one of the UK's largest teacher training universities, rated Outstanding by Ofsted in our 2018 inspection.

This course leads to the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) for the 11–16 age range which enables you to teach in schools in England and Wales. The course also offers enrichment opportunities to teach the 16–18 age phase.

Studying with us, you will have access to excellent resources and gain practical experience in two contrasting schools. We have partnerships with over 600 schools and colleges in the south east offering opportunities in large, small, urban and rural settings.

You will be mentored by a successful teaching team with an outstanding national reputation and comprehensive research profile that informs course content.

Religious education continues to occupy a lively, distinctive and often controversial place in education and we engage in this debate as part of the healthy growth of the subject. You will be required to work out your own answers and approaches to the exciting challenges in religious education in professional, reflective and practical ways as you take on the role of a religious education teacher.

Course structure

Two-thirds of your year will be spent teaching, under supervision, in schools. Our tutors and mentors will advise and support you throughout each placement. You will receive comprehensive feedback during this time, enabling you to see where you are doing well and where you could improve.

The university works in partnership with schools and colleges to provide a high quality programme of support, ensuring a sound relationship between theory and practice. You will benefit from undertaking two placements in two schools or colleges, with the opportunity to visit additional schools or colleges as part of the 'Peer Observation' programme.

You will be encouraged to approach your teaching strategies creatively, to aid the progress of your students and your own skills as an RE teacher. You will learn and practice a variety of teaching approaches and innovative classroom practices on this programme. Your learning will involve:

tutor and student-led seminars and presentations
practical workshops
group-work
drama and role play
media based activities; tutorials
sessions by visiting specialist lecturers
independent directed study
external national courses
active learning and a range of RE pedagogies.

You will have access to multimedia training materials, giving you the opportunity to develop your confidence and competence in the use of ICT. Our multimedia suites are regularly updated to keep up with technological advancements in classroom teaching provision. The Open Learning Centre and Falmer Library on campus contain a wealth of materials used in the teaching of Religious Education. This includes artefacts, music, images, film and text-books that you can draw upon to use in the classroom.

Areas of study

A number of support systems are put in place before and during the course, to help students develop their subject knowledge in key curriculum areas. The subject knowledge required for Key Stages 3/4 includes the six major world faiths, religious philosophy and ethics, and secular philosophies and other religious traditions.

Careers

Graduates of the course are equipped with the skills and knowledge to become confident and competent secondary-school teachers.

As well as gaining a PGCE, you will be assessed against the national Teachers’ Standards in order to be recommended for the award of Qualified Teacher Status.