Overview

This PGCE course prepares you to teach Drama in either the 11 to 16 (with post-16 enhancement) or 14-19 age phases. It is a very practical course with around two thirds of the time spent in schools, mostly working with teachers and pupils, and around one third spent on directed study, with partnership training in the University and school. It is an integrated academic and professional preparation for teaching, combining study at either postgraduate or professional level with practical training to meet the Teachers’ Standards.

About The Course

The Secondary Drama PGCE is taught by experienced staff with national and international profiles. Our subject specific sessions are usually taught through practical seminars and workshops and we focus on real challenges faced in the drama classroom by a secondary specialist teacher, including ‘active’ approaches to Shakespeare as a poet-playwright. Texts by this writer are a major element of the secondary school curriculum and the course benefits from a close working relationship with English PGCE colleagues, enabling expert input across both English and Drama. BGU has an excellent record of trainees finding employment as specialist drama teachers and our connection with English is a key element for future employability. We provide access to a variety of school placement settings including Academies, comprehensive schools, state selective grammar schools, some rural, some urban, and where drama is taught as a discrete subject. The course includes enrichment visits to venues such as The Globe Theatre, and West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds as well as inputs from visiting professionals with expertise in theatre design and/or related specialisms. We challenge and support trainees to develop their expertise as specialist drama educators of the future, to be the best they can be and to succeed in this rewarding career. Whilst the PGCE compliments BGU’s long established undergraduate degree pathways in Applied Drama, we welcome applications from well qualified drama graduates who have studied across the UK and beyond.

You will consider the broader aspects of teaching, contexts for learning, the latest government initiatives and contemporary issues in teaching, learning and assessment. You will also work alongside trainee teachers of other subjects to consider cross-curricular aspects of education. These topics will introduce you to your career in the teaching profession.

Careers & Further study

The teaching profession has a well-structured career pathway which moves progressively from initial teacher training through to newly qualified (NQT) status to qualified teacher. Many continue to work in our partner schools, becoming mentors to our trainee teachers, pursing further study to full Masters and Doctoral level at BGU and taking on leadership roles including Headships.