Postgraduate Certificate in Education - Secondary - Chemistry

The PGCE Secondary science programs (Biology with Science, Chemistry with Science, and Physics with Science) are designed to enable them to teach, as a minimum, all the science specified in the National Curriculum for science at Key Stage 3, and mainly the chosen science specialism from biology, chemistry or physics at Key Stage 4 and, if appropriate, at post-16. Students join the course with a variety of science degrees and backgrounds. Few, if any, are confident from the start in all aspects of science demanded by the National Curriculum or even by their own subject specialism. Early in the course they will complete a personal audit and begin an action plan to build on their general science and subject specialism knowledge. This is an important thread running through the program. A similar approach is followed with their understanding and skills in ICT so that they will be able to make appropriate use of these when teaching.

The program is the result of close collaboration between school-based mentors and the Roehampton team. It is arranged into three terms. In the first term, they begin to learn how pupils develop science understanding and skills while at the same time building enough confidence to plan and teach a science lesson. The second term extends this by using teaching experience to improve lesson performance and revisit and extend issues within science education. The third term addresses science education outside the classroom and broader issues concerning the role of science within the school curriculum. Toward the end of this term, they will develop an action plan to provide a basis for progression and development within their first year of teaching.