School Direct: Pre-course tasks
Pre-course Tasks
For each School Direct route, there are a number of tasks described below that you are asked to complete prior to starting the course or that form part of the course during the first few weeks of term. To help you make sure you complete all these required tasks, please download the relevant checklist for your route:
Primary PGCE School Direct Trainee Checklist - @Exeter route
Secondary PGCE School Direct Trainee Checklist - @Exeter route
Primary & Secondary School Direct PGCE Trainee Checklist - Distance route
Anticipating Practice arrangements and tasks
You will start your placement at the beginning of the school autumn term as agreed by your Lead School. Where possible, your Lead School will arrange for you to spend one week in a primary school and another week in a secondary school (one of these is likely to be your home school).
In readiness for the University-led autumn taught provision, you will need to complete the same pre-course tasks set for the PGCE cohorts. Some of these tasks will need to be completed during your Anticipating Practice time in school which will be incorporated into your September training programme.
Please ensure you download and complete the following set of tasks during your Anticipating Practice before you join the University taught course on 19 September (Primary) or 26 September (Secondary):
Primary PGCE Anticipating Practice Tasks (for School Direct@Exeter trainees)
Secondary PGCE Anticipating Practice Tasks (for School Direct@Exeter trainees)
These tasks should be well presented as they will contribute to the evidence required for the award of your PGCE and will form the basis of group and individual discussions with your tutor during the first weeks of the taught course. So please keep your completed tasks document safe as you will need to add it to your electronic portfolio of evidence during the first few weeks of the course.
Please make sure you ask the school or schools you do your Anticipating Practice in to complete an Anticipating Practice Feedback Form, providing feedback about your time spent with them. You will also be asked to upload this form(s) to your electronic portfolio at the beginning of the course.
Fundamental Skills Audits
All trainees need to demonstrate a certain level of English and mathematics by the end of the course before QTS can be awarded. This is a DfE requirement. To start this process, please download the following two audit documents and spend as much time as you can developing and improving your English and mathematics skills before the course starts.
Fundamental Skills English Audit
Fundamental Maths Skills Audit
Your tutor will discuss the outcomes of your audits with you in the first weeks of the taught course and there will be plenty of opportunities during the course for you to work on any areas you identify as needing improvement. You will be asked to upload your completed audits to your electronic portfolio at the beginning of the course.
Other tasks to complete - Primary@Exeter trainees:
Please download Introduction to the Curriculum Subjects and Initial Needs Analyses
This is an introduction to all the curriculum subjects along with an initial needs analysis for each area for you to complete in order for you to identify what you do not know or have forgotten so that you can revise/brush up on and complete some self-study exercises. It also includes some suggested reading. Please make sure you complete all the audits - you will be asked to upload them to your electronic portfolio at the beginning of the course.
Please also download Primary Teaching & Learning Pathway. Primary School Direct @exeter trainees will be timetabled to attend the Primary Teaching & Learning sessions so this is the pathway information relevant to you.
Other tasks to complete - Secondary@Exeter trainees:
Subject Leaders have their own additional tasks, reading lists and general information to impart relating to their individual subject. Please click on the relevant link below to access the subject-specific pre-course information relating to your subject:
Secondary English Information and Tasks
Secondary History Information and Tasks
Secondary History - Progression in History under the 2014 National Curriculum
Secondary Mathematics Information and Tasks
Secondary Mathematics - Subject Knowledge Audit
Secondary MFL Information and Tasks
Secondary MFL - Eurydice explanation of the English education system
Secondary MFL - History of Education in England part 1
Secondary MFL - History of Education in England part 2
Secondary MFL - Key Stage 3 Framework for Languages
Secondary MFL - GCSE subject level conditions for MFL (Nov 2020)
Secondary PE Information and Tasks
Secondary PE - Appendix A Secondary PE - Appendix B Secondary PE - Appendix C
Secondary PE - Appendix D Secondary PE - Appendix E
Secondary RE Information and Tasks
Secondary Science Information and Tasks
Secondary Science - Reading 1 (Lemke) Secondary Science - Reading 2 (Willingham) Secondary Science - Reading 3 (Archer)
Secondary Preliminary reading
Many trainees ask for advice on useful reading prior to beginning the course. Your main subject tutor will advise you on subject-related reading. The following books have been suggested by tutors and represent a range of views on educational issues. The list includes some more accessible texts, while others are quite ‘heavyweight’. All are relevant to the course that you are about to follow. Select from these titles, depending on your interests. Some of these books are more recent publications, but the list includes a few older texts that are still significant.
Alexander, R. (2008) Towards Dialogic Teaching: Rethinking Classroom Talk. Dialogos: UK
Capel, S., and Leask, M. (Eds). (2016) Learning to Teach in the Secondary School: A companion to school experience 7th Revised Edition. Taylor & Francis Ltd.
Ellis V (2013) Learning and Teaching in Secondary Schools, 5th Revised edition. Sage Publications Ltd. Learning Matters Ltd.
Fisher R (2005) Teaching Children to Learn. Nelson Thornes
Fisher R (2005) Teaching Children to Think. Nelson Thornes
Flutter J and Rudduck (2004) Consulting Pupils: What's in it for schools? RoutledgeFalmer.
Fox R (2004) Teaching and Learning: Lessons from Psychology. Blackwell
Kyriacou, C (2007) Essential Teaching Skills. Nelson Thornes Ltd.
Petty, G. (2009) Teaching Today: A Practical Guide. Fourth Edition. Nelson Thornes
Pollard, A. (2008) Reflective Teaching. 3rd Revised edition. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Sewell, K. (2012)(ed). Doing Your PGCE at M-Level: A Guide for Students. 2nd Revised edition. Sage Publications Ltd
Wells, C.G. (1999) Dialogic Inquiry. Toward a Sociocultural Practice and Theory of Education. Cambridge University Press
Wilson, E. (2013) School-based Research: A Guide for Education Students (2nd Edition). London, Sage.
Please contact your lead school in the first instance if you have any queries about your pre-course programme for September.
Anticipating Practice arrangements and tasks
You will start your placement at the beginning of the school term as agreed by your Lead School. Most Lead Schools will arrange for you to spend one week in a primary school and another week in a secondary school (one of these is likely to be your home school). As part of this Anticipating Practice time in schools, your lead school will set you some Anticipating Practice tasks.
You will receive further guidance about these tasks along with any additional pre-course information and tasks directly from your lead school. They will also provide you with details about an induction event held at the University on Friday 09 September.
In addition, below is some suggested preparatory reading for School Direct distance trainees. Note: this is not a required reading list but a selection of texts that have been suggested as useful, interesting and relevant by PGCE tutors. Please select those that are appropriate for your own interests and chosen phase of training.
Suggested preparatory reading for School Direct Distance trainees (Secondary)
Also, for Primary School Direct Distance trainees, please download the following Initial Needs Analysis document which includes audits for all the curriculum subjects. Please complete these audits prior to the course starting and submit them to your lead school/home school.
Initial Needs Analyses - School Direct Distance (Primary trainees only)
Fundamental Skills Audits
All trainees need to demonstrate a certain level of English and mathematics by the end of the course before QTS can be awarded. This is a DfE requirement. To start this process, please download the following two audit documents and spend as much time as you can developing and improving your English and mathematics skills before the course starts.
Fundamental Skills English Audit
Fundamental Maths Skills Audit
Your lead school contact will discuss the outcomes of your audits with you in the first weeks of the taught course and there will be plenty of opportunities during the course for you to work on any areas you identify as needing improvement.
Please contact your lead school in the first instance if you have any queries about your pre-course programme for September.