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You are viewing entry year 2024/25.

Further Education and Skill Sector,Prof Cert Ed (FE) (QA Only) (NESCOT)

Gain your Professional Graduate Certificate from Nescot in Education (FE&SS) and teach 14+ students. At Nescot you will receive a supportive environment and a proven record of trainee success.

Our top-up degree in education studies is aimed at students interested in developing their current Level 5 qualification, such as a foundation degree, to a Bachelor's degree in education. The course prepares you for a range of careers in education, including work as a teaching assistant, teaching in further education, and roles in education administration and youth work.

Although much of the course is lecture-based, your tutors will encourage debate, discussion and analysis and help you develop your practical skills. By the end of your degree, you should understand the key elements of education studies and the importance of learning and teaching in the context of wider communities and society.

The course is offered by one of the university's partner colleges: Nescot, in Epsom, Surrey.

We received Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023. This recognises our outstanding performance in student experience and outcomes.

Duration

  • 1 years full-time
  • 2 years part-time

Start month

September

Home fees 2024/25

TBC

What you should know about this course

  • This course will be of particular interest to applicants who value the learning opportunities that small class sizes offer and wish to pursue a career in teaching students aged 14+
  • We pride ourselves on the level of support we give and our students value the feedback they receive to enable them to develop and thrive

What you will study

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Course information is currently unavailable for this programme. Please contact course-info@gre.ac.uk for more information.

About the course team

Teacher training is delivered by a very experienced and qualified team from diverse backgrounds. The team has significant experience of classroom teaching and management roles and we offer knowledge and practice in research, SEND, secondary & tertiary settings. As a result, the team delivers an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) curriculum that is rich in practical teaching skills’ development and pedagogy and we promote evidence-based research to underpin good teaching practice. Our trainees also benefit from our partnerships with subject specific mentors in placements.  As a result, they experience comprehensive input and support to enable them to flourish.

Entry requirements

Applicants requirement :

All the applicants are required to hold a professional or vocational qualification at level 3 or above in the subject they wish to teach and an English GCSE grade 4 or above, or equivalent. There is no formal entry requirement for numeracy or IT, however, support will be available for students wishing to achieve level 2 in both these areas by the end of the qualification. This may require some independent study. If applying as a part-time applicant, a placement for 100 hours of teaching over the duration of the course needs to be sought, although the course leader may be able to assist.

For more information, use our contact form or call us on 020 8331 9000.

You can also read our admissions policy.

Further information about entry

In addition to meeting the entry requirements, you will be asked to complete two tasks – one to demonstrate your level of writing, and the other to reflect your current understanding of lesson planning.  These will be set by the admissions tutor prior to and discussed at the interview. ID will be requested as proof of residency and a valid DBS will need to be applied for if successful in securing a place on the course.

Available to overseas students?

No

Can I use Prior Learning?

If you already hold a teaching or training qualification, please refer to the Tariff of Qualifications (ITT) Database for accreditation of prior learning and discuss with the admissions tutor at the interview.

How you will learn

Teaching

Learning takes place through a combination of timetabled learning and independent study.

You can view more information about how each module is taught within our 'What you will study' section.

Seminars and workshops enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups. You will also be able to meet your personal tutor. Timetabled learning may fall between 9am and 9pm depending on your courses and tutorials.

Class sizes

Students on a NESCOT higher education course are typically taught in class sizes of 16 or fewer.

Overall workload

If you are a full-time applicant, each week, you will participate in 12 hours of taught sessions at Nescot on a Thursday & Friday (10am-4.45pm); 6 hours of teaching practice in an approved setting; and approximately 6 hours of independent study.

If you are a part-time applicant, each week you will participate in 3 hours of taught sessions at Nescot on a Thursday evening from 5.30pm; 3 hours of teaching practice in an approved setting; and approximately 3 hours of independent study each week.

In both cases, the academic year is 30 weeks, running from early September to late May.

Assessment

You can view how each module is assessed within our 'What you will study' section.

Each course has formal assessments which count towards your grade. Some courses may also include 'practice' assignments, which help you monitor progress and do not count towards your final grade.

Feedback summary

Information coming soon.

Dates and timetables

The academic year runs from September to June.

Full teaching timetables are not usually available until term has started. For any queries, please call 020 8331 9000.

Fees and funding

Your time at university should be enjoyable, rewarding, and free of unnecessary stress. Planning your finances before you come to university can help to reduce financial concerns. We can offer advice on living costs and budgeting, as well as on awards, allowances and loans.

Cohort Full time Part time Distance learning
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Funding your study

There is a range of financial support options available to support your studies, including the Aspire@Greenwich award for study resources that many full-time students will receive.

Discover more about grants, student loans, bursaries and scholarships. We also provide advice and support on budgeting, money management and financial hardship.

Financial support

Other costs

Information coming soon.

For any queries, please call 020 8331 9000.

Careers and placements

Will I have a work placement?

Placement is a core element of teacher training which enables the trainee to put theory into practice in a supportive environment. We are extremely lucky to work with a wide range of partners across London, Surrey, Essex and Kent and we work closely with trainees when deciding on placements to ensure they get the best training possible. Our strong partnerships ensure our trainees are well supported and have outstanding experiences whilst training with us.

The PCE requires 100 hours of mandatory teaching practice during the period of training. Nescot will provide teaching practice placements for full-time applicants, however, placements are limited and distributed on a first-come first-served basis. Part-time applicants are required to secure their own placement. Wherever possible, assistance will be provided by the course leader. In all cases, engagement in the placement is supported by a subject-specific mentor and a tutor from the teaching team.

What sort of careers do graduates pursue?

This award will fully qualify students to teach post-14 and in the FE and Skills Sector. Former students have gained promotion, taken up new teaching posts or moved from a voluntary to a permanently employed teaching position.

If students wish to teach in a school setting then support to gain QTLS status is provided.

There is also the opportunity at Nescot for further higher education study to acquire a full degree via a one-year top-up BA(Hons) Education Studies.

Do you provide employability services?

Advice and guidance related to gaining QTLS status are given on the course, as are interview practice and application support. We are proud of achievement, progression and employment rates.

Our Careers 360 team will support you every step of the way to help you progress in your chosen career and our Student Finance team can provide advice to students considering further study.

Support and advice

Academic skills and study support

We want you to feel fully supported whilst you study with us, so we provide many opportunities for advice and guidance, both pastoral and academic. You can access study skills support through your tutor, information literacy sessions, Coursera modules (eg critical thinking, time management), PDP sessions, our subject librarians, and our HE Support Mentor.


All assignments are returned with full and detailed feedback that identifies strengths and recommends how aspects can be improved.  Tutorials can also be used as a vehicle to discuss such feedback in greater detail.

Support from the department

Throughout your studies, we will endeavour to meet your learning needs and help you become a confident and independent adult learner.  Identifying these needs and measures to support them are discussed and acted upon from the interview to the close of the course. You will have access to tutorials with your personal tutor, self-directed or referred access to our HE Support Mentor for guidance to improve your academic writing, ongoing support and guidance from your placement mentor to aid the development of your professional practice, regular feedback from your personal and module tutor on your academic progress, and peer support and feedback on micro teaches and other in-class activities. These support mechanisms and outcomes are recorded via Proportal and your PDP & Teaching File. Your module tutor, placement mentor, yourself and your personal tutor will contribute to your progress reviews and target setting.

Not quite what you were looking for?

We've got plenty of other courses for you to choose from. Browse our undergraduate courses or check our related courses below.....

Education studies at the University of Greenwich

Are you passionate about education? Whether you’re working in the field or looking to start your career, our award-winning lecturers will help you get the best from your studies.

Visit our education studies degrees page.

Become an educational practitioner


Robert Morgan, Programme Leader talks us through the programme.

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Apply now

If you are a UK student or have settled/pre-settled status (EU) and you want to study full-time then you apply through the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS).

If you are a UK student or have settled/pre-settled status (EU) and you want to study part-time then you can apply directly via our online application form.

If you are from outside the UK, you can apply via UCAS, directly via our online application form or via one of our in-country representatives. If you require a student visa, you cannot study part-time at undergraduate level.