University of Birmingham

Contact

Simon Asquith
Head of Department, Department of Professional Education
Tel: +44 (0)121 414 7607
Email: s.asquith@bham.ac.uk

The School of Education

Course details

Details

Just like the university’s full-time Primary and Secondary PGDipEd programmes, the School Direct routes are intensive one-year programmes designed to maximise the expertise and experience available in schools and the opportunities made available by training with an internationally recognised School of Education that is graded ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Subjects offered

Currently, School Direct with the University of Birmingham’s PGDipEd is available in the following phases / subjects where an agreement has been put in place with a School Direct school:

Primary

Primary 3-7 Early Years
Primary 5-11 General Primary
Primary 5-11 Specialist Mathematics

Secondary (11 - 18 years)

Secondary English
Secondary Geography
Secondary History
Secondary Mathematics
Secondary Modern Languages (French, German or Spanish)
Secondary Physical Education
Secondary Physics with Mathematics
Secondary Religious Education
Secondary Science: Biology
Secondary Science: Chemistry
Secondary Science: Physics

Download a flier for the School Direct route (PDF, 148KB)

Information for Schools

If you are interested in partnering with the University of Birmingham in the provision of either School Direct or School Direct (Salaried) then we would be pleased to discuss working together. Please contact:

Simon Asquith
Head of Department, Department of Professional Education
Tel: 0121 414 7607
Email: s.asquith@bham.ac.uk

Two principle models of partnership are available, each with a different level of responsibility assumed by the school and each with a different funding formula. In addition the university is always keen to discuss broader partnership objectives and strategy with schools and how School Direct can fit into such negotiated partnerships.

Fees and funding

You will pay tuition fees or £9000 to the university but if you are from the European Union you will be eligible for a student loan. If you are from the United Kingdom you can also apply for a means-tested maintenance grant and a maintenance loan.

You may be able to apply for a tax-free bursary. These vary depending on teaching phase or subject and your degree class or highest relevant academic qualification. For example, bursaries of £9000 are available for those with 1st class degrees training to teach in the primary phase (this can be £11,000 for those training on a primary specialist mathematics course) and £20,000 bursaries are available for those training to teach in a secondary shortage subject who hold a 1st. There are also a number of subject association provided competitive scholarship opportunities for those wanting to train in shortage subjects. For information on the range of bursaries available for those holding degrees of 2:2 or above, and on scholarship schemes, go to the National College for Teaching and Leadership website for information on Funding, Bursaries and Scholarships.

Importantly, note that if you train in a School Direct school that has more than 35% of its pupils eligible for free school meals, you will have any bursary increased by a further 25%.

School Direct (Salaried)

You will be paid a training salary by the school in which you train. This salary will be in line with the unqualified teacher pay scale and will be funded through a payment made by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) to the school to cover this cost and costs associated with training. If the school has more than 35% of pupils eligible for free school meals it will attract a 10% funding premium from the Teaching Agency. Schools recruiting and training primary specialist teachers will receive a £2000 supplement to funding. Information on this pay scale is available from the NCTL's site. You will not pay fees and you will not be eligible for a training bursary. Normally you can expect a training salary to be £15,817.

More information on funding is on the Teaching Agency website

Entry requirements

In order to apply for a place on School Direct, you must have:

A UK undergraduate degree or a recognised equivalent qualification.
A GCSE grade C or above in English and mathematics.
A GCSE grade C or above in a science if you are applying to teach primary or key stage 2/3 (ages 7–14).

The School Direct Training Programme focuses on developing teaching skills. You should have a strong understanding of the subject you wish to teach before you start training. If your degree subject does not link closely to your chosen teaching subject, it is recommended that you undertake a subject knowledge enhancement course before you begin training.

In addition, all candidates applying for initial teacher training (ITT) courses beginning after 1 July 2013 are required to have passed the literacy and numeracy professional skills tests before starting teacher training.

International

If you studied outside of the UK, you should visit the National Academic Recognition Centre (NARIC) website to find out whether your qualifications are of an equivalent level to UK GCSEs, A levels and an undergraduate degree.

For up to date information on this visit the National College for Teaching and Leadership website and specifically its Eligibility information

How to apply

You will need to visit the National College for Teaching and Leadership website to search for a school local to you that is offering School Direct places. You will find the details of lead schools offering School Direct places on the Teaching Agency’s website and it is a good idea to contact any possible school to check that it still has places and that its training agreement with the University of Birmingham would suit your needs.

You must register with the National College for Teaching and Leadership so that you can complete its online application form. Applications are then checked by the University of Birmingham to make sure that necessary selection criteria are met before shortlisting is undertaken by schools in consultation with the university. Interviews are then organised by schools as necessary with the final decision on offers being made by the school and the university.

Contact

Simon Asquith
Head of Department, Department of Professional Education
Tel: +44 (0)121 414 7607
Email: s.asquith@bham.ac.uk

The School of Education

Learning and teaching

Postgraduate Diploma in Education (QTS) (‘PGCE Advanced’) General Primary or Early Years or Specialist Mathematics

The primary course is designed in conjunction with our partnership of schools and early years settings, is founded on our long-standing expertise in teacher education and combines the phase, curriculum and learning and teaching expertise of specialist tutors and seconded teachers at the university with the expertise of school-based colleagues. School Direct combines the best of these elements while developing analytic and reflective practitioners. We are one of the few universities that awards 120 credits for successful completion of our teacher education courses, which we award at Masters level. For those who successfully complete their induction year there is an opportunity to transfer credits to the MEd in Teaching Studies course, which is awarded on completion of a 60 credit dissertation.

The course combines school based learning coordinated by the lead School Direct school with lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials and practical sessions, sometimes involving group working and a research element at the university. Study at the university is largely within the School of Education’s dedicated building which includes specialist facilities, a specialist Education Library, student study areas and online learning support.

For Specialist Mathematics students there is a dedicated programme of study base on a carefully developed partnership with School Direct schools able to offer expertise in mathematics and which utilises specialist mathematics facilities within the School of Education.

Postgraduate Diploma in Education (QTS) Secondary

A variety of teaching styles and approaches to learning are used in the university’s School Direct partnership training programme. These include university-based lectures, small group seminars and workshops, school-based work with pupils and teachers, and work undertaken individually or with other groups of students. The close relationship between School Direct schools and the university creates important learning and research opportunities for students.

Specialist university tutors are experts in their field and lead dedicated subject programmes. In some subjects a field course, involving work with children, may replace a number of single days in the year. Assessment is based on coursework undertaken during the year. There are specialist teaching facilities within the School of Education including a specialist Education Library, laboratories, student study areas and online facilities.

The whole school issues part of the programme is concerned with aspects of education that are of importance to all intending teachers, irrespective of their particular teaching subjects. It is designed to provide a breadth of awareness, depth of insight and development of skills through a range of themes studied by all students. Themes currently include Managing Inclusion, Monitoring and Assessment, and Pastoral Care and Citizenship.

FAQ

What is School Direct?

School Direct is a school-led teacher training route, where the schools who participate recruit and select their own trainees, working in partnership with accredited ITE providers such as the University of Birmingham. There is the expectation that trainees will go on to work within the school (or group/federation of schools) where they received their training. .

Qualifications

Teachers need qualified teacher status (QTS) to teach in a maintained school or non-maintained special school in England.

When training has been completed, the University of Birmingham as ITE provider, will inform the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) of a trainee’s course results. The NCTL will then send out individual QTS certificates to successful students.

On both the School Direct and School Direct (Salaried) routes you will also follow the completing a Masters Degree with the University.

What will my timetable look like?

This will depend on the ‘model’ of School Direct agrees between your School Direct school and the university. It will also depend on whether you are following the School Direct of School Direct (Salaried) route. Whichever phase and School Direct model you are following, however, there will be sessions at the university which involve whole days with a blend of subject workshops, seminars, tutorials or group-working sessions. There will also be personal research and learning time and significant school-based elements. The school-based aspects of the programme are coordinated by your lead School Direct school and will involve pre-placement learning, substantive placement periods organised by the School Direct school in conjunction with partner schools and focused training and learning activities coordinated carefully between the schools and the university. A minimum of 120 days of your programme will be spend training in schools.

What support will I get?

The University of Birmingham prides itself in the high level of support provided to all of its students, whether on School Direct of other programmes. Personal and Subject Tutor support is significant and both school and university-based tutors and students have formal meetings and tutorials on a regular basis.

University pastoral and academic support systems and structures are highly regarded by our students and mentorship models in our School Direct partner schools are also very effective in providing students with immediate support when required in school.

What are the benefits of School Direct and of School Direct (Salaried)?

Students on the School Direct (Salaried) route are paid a salary based on the unqualified teacher pay scale. You are would be an employee of your School Direct school. On this route you would not qualify for a bursary, nor could you apply for a student loan from the Student Loans Company as you will not be charged a Tuition Fee.

Students on the School Direct route are eligible for a loan to contribute towards the cost of Tuition Fees (subject to the Student Loan Company’s criteria) and may qualify for a bursary depending on degree classification, and subject.

Can I follow a postgraduate award on both the salaried and unsalaried route?

The School Direct and the School Direct (Salaried) routes include QTS and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education awarded by the University of Birmingham. This award is worth 120 credits and can then count towards an MA from the University of Birmingham in the future.

Contact

Simon Asquith
Head of Department, Department of Professional Education
Tel: +44 (0)121 414 7607
Email: s.asquith@bham.ac.uk

The School of Education

Related staff

Simon Asquith

Course details

Employability

School Direct students studying with the University of Birmingham and its School Direct partner schools can expect to be highly employable. Success in finding first teaching posts for students on the Postgraduate Diploma in Education programmes is very high – and substantially above national averages. In addition to this, teachers educated with University of Birmingham partnerships typically remain in the profession and build excellent careers in teaching with progression on to leadership and management roles in schools where that is their desire. The significant number that take up the opportunity to complete the full MEd (Teaching Studies) at some point after their induction year, further enhance their further employability and career development.

School Direct (Salaried) students will be engaged as unqualified teachers within their School Direct school and therefore are specifically employable in that they have been trained via an ‘employment-based route’.

Many of those who have trained to teach with the University of Birmingham are now in headteacher, head of department and similar roles across the West Midlands, nationally and beyond – and many give up time and expertise to contribute to our programmes.