Dance (Secondary)
PGCE (PROFGCE)

Course summary and entry requirements

Course duration
Full-time: 1 year

GTTR code W5X1

Professional accreditation
The course leads to the recommendation of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

About the course

This course prepares graduates to teach in secondary schools. As well as gaining a PGCE, students are assessed against the national standards in order to be recommended for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
The opportunity to undertake masters level study within the course facilitates progression to an MA Education award after completion of the PGCE.
Dance addresses the development of pupils' performance, choreographic and appreciation skills. The demands of examination syllabuses are studied in parallel with practical experience.

Typical entry requirements

Individual offers may vary.

For non-native speakers of English:
IELTS 7.0 in all elements.
Other:
The Department for Education has introduced Professional Skills Tests in English and Maths for all applicants to teacher training (QTS) routes. These tests are compulsory, and it will not be possible to enter training without having successfully completed them. Candidates are able to book these tests in advance, and the Department for Education strongly advises you to take the tests soon after you have submitted an application.
The University of Brighton recognises that these tests may present a real challenge to some candidates and we recommend that you prepare carefully before attempting them, as you are limited to only three attempts per test. We recommend that postgraduate applicants have passed the tests before they come to an interview as this will give you a clear advantage. However, if you have not yet passed the tests but have a clear strategy in place, we may well be prepared to consider your capacity to pass and potentially make you an offer of a place subject to their successful completion. When we make such an offer you will be given a clear deadline, usually within 2 months of your interview, so we advise that you plan ahead and book your tests well in advance so that you can organise your preparation.
Details about the tests, including how to register and prepare for the tests, can be found here: www.education.gov.uk/schools/careers/traininganddevelopment/professional
All applicants are required to attend an interview in person at our Eastbourne campus.
All offers of places are subject to a satisfactory health check and a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) enhanced disclosure check.
Applications are made via the GTTR - www.gttr.ac.uk.
Degree and/or experience:
Degree, directly relevant to subject specialism. GCSE English language and mathematics, minimum grade C or equivalent.
Course content

Course structure

The course comprises four strands: subject study/subject education, education studies, placements and professional development
The subject study/subject education strand builds upon existing subject expertise and provides students with the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and understanding of the specialist subject in the secondary school context, allowing them to formulate their own rationale for teaching. Students consider pedagogical issues within curriculum development, and the learning and teaching strategies pertinent to the specialist subject, regularly reflecting upon, analysing, recording and evaluating their own learning experience. Students have the opportunity to develop a creative and constructively critical approach towards innovation within their specialism, and the capacity to improve practice.
The Education Studies strand is common to all subject routes of the course and takes place both at the university and while on placement as a means of enabling students to develop practical competences supported by relevant, analytical skills.
Teaching under supervision, on placement, occupies approximately two-thirds of the course. 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. There are two placements in two different schools/colleges with the opportunity to visit further schools/colleges as part of the 'Peer Observation' programme.
Professional Development is linked explicitly to all strands of the course and is designed to enable students to evaluate critically and reflect upon their learning in order to make improvements. Students are expected to gather and justify evidence of their achievements on a regular basis and, in the light of this, develop and implement improvement plans.
Fees and costs

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2012-13. Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study.

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take. Different rules apply to research degrees - please contact the Doctoral College for advice.

To help you plan for your time here we will be providing further information about what is included in your tuition fee, and any optional costs you may need to budget for, later in the autumn.

Our website www.brighton.ac.uk/money provides advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee paying status.

Bursaries are available for eligible trainees on priority PGCE courses. Bursary amounts will vary depending on the subject route and your degree classification. Find out more about funding.
Location

Location Eastbourne

Eastbourne is a thriving town which offers traditional seaside attractions, modern nightlife, good shopping and a wide range of sporting activities. It’s one of the sunniest places in the UK.
Our Eastbourne campus is located at the foot of the South Downs National Park, about ten minutes walk from the seafront and 20 minutes from the pier and Eastbourne town centre. Almost 3,000 students are based here.
View campus maps and directions
Living in Eastbourne
Eastbourne’s buzzing university community and compact town gives it a laid back and friendly feel. The town combines the traditional seaside attractions with modern nightlife, a wide range of sporting activities and an exciting arts scene.
Social scene
The student community in Eastbourne ensures it has a thriving social scene, with dedicated student nights at many of the town’s pubs and clubs. Eastbourne’s expanding nightlife includes trendy cocktail bars, laid-back country pubs and modern nightclubs.
Arts
The striking Towner contemporary art museum in Eastbourne features international exhibitions as well as a permanent art collection. Eastbourne's six theatres give you a chance to see West End musicals, touring shows, live music and comedy.
Sports
Eastbourne has long been the home of pre-Wimbledon tennis tournaments at Devonshire Park. Eastbourne also hosts an extreme sports festival and the Beachy Head Marathon that takes place across the South Downs National Park.
Staff profiles

Lucy Pocknell

Route leader: Dance (Secondary)

Lucy has a B.Ed. (Hons) degree in Physical Education (University of Brighton). On graduating, Lucy`s work in schools focused on physical education at KS3 and 4, and teaching GCSE and A Level examination work in dance and physical education.

In 2003, Lucy became an advanced skills teacher in dance, and as part of this role within West Sussex she offered CPD to departments establishing examination dance within their school, as well as providing support and training for dance provision at Key Stage 3. This was through either consultancy or curriculum development work, or through INSET training led by the local authority.

Lucy has been a GCSE dance moderator for AQA for the past eight years and is also an executive member of the National Dance Teachers’ Association.

Over the past six years, Lucy has presented at a number of conferences around the country (AfPE annual conference, NDTA annual conference, West Sussex Physical Education Conference), and has also delivered numerous CPD training courses to non-specialist dance teachers, based on the resource ‘A Practical Guide to Teaching Dance` (Coachwise, 2007).

Lucy is currently Route Leader for PGCE Dance and lectures in dance to undergraduate students. She has choreographed a number of performance pieces for the university all-female company `Fidget`.
Career opportunities

Career prospects are excellent: most gain their first teaching posts in secondary schools as soon as they qualify.

Visit the careers service website.