Post-Graduate Certificate in Education at Queen’s
NOTES FOR SCHOOL PLACEMENT
FULL-TIME NATURE OF THE COURSE
Students are reminded that the course is full-time and they may not be enrolled concurrently for any other course leading to a degree or certificate (other than the Certificate in Biblical Studies of this University). Students enrolled as research students must apply to their supervisor(s) and Head of School for permission to suspend their research before enrolling for the Post-Graduate Certificate in Education course or proof that submission pre-dates the commencement of the course.
PGCE courses in all institutions must be of 36 weeks minimum length. The PGCE in the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work commences on 3rdSeptember 2018 and ends on 31stMay 2019 (please note that dates may be subject to change).
Except for short vacations at Christmas and Easter, students must be available during that entire period. School placements straddle both the Christmas and Easter vacation periods, and holidays will be the same as for staff in the school in which you are placed.
All students are required to attend enrolment on the 3rdSeptember 2018. All students are required to spend nine days (4th –14thSeptember 2018) of observation and teaching in a Primary School. There will be an Induction to the PGCE Week from the 17th – 21stwith classes timetabled24th September 2018.
PLACE OF RESIDENCE DURING THE COURSE
When considering your place of residence during the course, it is worth considering that the PGCE is predominantly based in a school, rather than at university, with 24 of the 36 weeks being spent in schools. You may choose to live at home and be placed in schools near your home, travelling for the 12 weeks during which the course is university-based. Alternatively, you may choose to live in Belfast and be placed in schools in the greater Belfast area. In reaching this decision, you should carefully consider your financial position. Please remember that you must be prepared to travel during the school placement periods, in some cases for a considerable distance. We will try to keep this within 30 miles of your stated location.
Enquiries about accommodation in the Belfast area should be addressed to the Student Accommodation Office,
Tel: 028 9097 4525, email: ,
SCHOOL PLACEMENT (Primary and Post-Primary)
Primary School Experience
You are only responsible for arranging your own Primary School experience. Many students are able to arrange observation at a local Primary School.
The object is to underpin the University-based workshops with practical experience of the classroom and working with pupils. For this purpose, it is felt that observation of upper primary school classes is advised but the choice of which primary school is left for you to arrange. The period of Primary School Experience will begin on Tuesday 4thSeptember and end on Friday 14th September. This experience is an integral part of the teaching practice requirements for the PGCE and is compulsory for all students. Associated documentation such as a Letter of Introduction to the Principal and Report form should be downloaded for the purpose of this placement and the report returned to the PGCE office.
Please note that when you correspond with schools on such matters, it is a courtesy to enclose a stamped addressed envelope for a reply. You are advised to make these arrangements at the time of offer as it can be difficult to secure primary school experience. When you have organised your Primary School Experience, please return the Primary School Experience Notification Form.
Please note that you will not be able to attend Primary School Experience unless you are fully enrolled and registered with the University and you have Access NI clearance, please contact the PGCE Office for advice.
EDU6000 School Placement
The responsibility for arranging the two post-primary school placements, rests with PGCE staff. You must not approach schools independently as this can cause difficulties. The system of gaining placements is based on the goodwill and good working relationship and excellent partnerships that the PGCE team have with schools throughout Northern Ireland. If, in spite of making every reasonable effort, we are unable to secure a placement for a student, the student may have to withdraw from the course.
One of the placements is usually spent in an 11-16 school. The other post-primary placement is normally spent in an 11-18 school. Students will not normally be placed in schools which they have attended as pupils, or in which a close relative is a pupil or is employed. Note that students taking PGCE English will do their first school experience in an 11-18 school.
School PlacementLocation form
Please note that the School Placement Co-ordinator seeks to place students within their geographical location in suitable, 11-16+ and 11-18+ schools that have confirmed that they have a place available for a particular subject(s). Please note that the placement that is secured on your behalf, may not be the one that is closest to your location but will be within reasonable parameters. Schools may choose not offer a place to the course for a number of reasons such as not having that particular subject available that year, or having members of staff not at school or the school may be going through a period of significant change. If you are considering moving to the University area, please be aware that there is a great deal of competition for placements in schools in the Greater Belfast area and you may still have to travel a reasonable distance. You may choose, therefore, to reside at home, and be placed in schools near your home for 24 weeks, and travel for the 12 weeks during which the course is university-based.
It is not unreasonable to expect students to travel up to 30 miles each way or spend a reasonable amount of time on public transport and in accepting a place on the course, we assume that you are prepared to travel to your placement school and that you have considered carefully the financial implications associated with this.
Information for Placement Schools: Student Profile
In order to enable schools to provide you with the most appropriate placement, you should complete the Student Profile form which will be sent directly to the schools that we approach for the purpose of requesting a placement. Given that this is the first impression a school has of you, pleasegive this very careful attention, checking for accuracy of your spelling and grammar. Present yourself in a favourable light – treat this as if it were an application form as schools may agree to a placement or refuse you on the basis of the information you provide in your profile. Please remember that schools may also become your future employer, so it is important to make an excellent first impression.
Completed Student Profile forms should be emailed to Margaret .
CALENDAR 2018/19*
DatesActivity:
3rdSeptemberEnrolment (times to be specified)
4th– 14th SeptemberPrimary School Experience
17th – 21stSeptemberInduction Week
24th September – 2ndNovemberQUB-based tuition
5thNovember – 1st FebruarySchool Placement 1*
7thDecemberQUB-based tuition for one day only, tbc (some subjects only)
(Note: Actual dates of Christmas vacation will be the same as those of the school in which you are based)
4thFebruary – 1st MarchQUB-based tuition
4thMarch – 24th MaySchool experience 2*
26th April – 24th MayPossible optional placement in another school
(Note: Actual dates of Easter vacation will be the same as those of the school in which you are based)
27th – 31st MayQUB-based tuition
* Please note that dates may be subject to change or amendment and you will be informed in advance of any changes