Level 6 PGCE Course in Southend-on-Sea

Cost£7,750.00
Duration12 months
DeliveryClassroom based
Start26 Sep 2026
Study modeFull-time
AttendanceDaytime

About this course

Level 6 PGCE Course in Southend-on-Sea. Classes run at South Essex College Southend Campus, full-time over 12 months. This PGCE qualification is validated by The Open University and prepares you to teach or train in the further education and skills sector. You'll complete a minimum of 250 hours in placement, including at least 150 hours of teaching practice. Entry requires an honours degree, GCSE Maths and English at grade C/4 or equivalent, and a confirmed workplace mentor and DBS check. Fees are £8,250 for the full-time year.

Who this course is for

The Professional graduate Certificate in Education (Further Education and Skills Sector) is a Level 6 teaching qualification which has a teaching/training practice requirement.

This course is ideal if you work, or want to work as a teacher or trainer in the further education and skills sector; if you are in or want to start a career in a teaching or training role; if you are a teacher or trainer who is seeking career progression in your area of work. This programme is a recognised Full Teacher Training qualification, eligible for QTLS application on completion.

From September 2024, as part of our teacher training programme you will be required to complete a minimum of 250hrs in placement, including at least 150hrs of teaching practice across the duration of the course during which you have full responsibility for planning, delivering and assessing specific area/s of the institution’s provision. The placement should be within a local school teaching 14-plus students, a local sixth-form teaching post-16 learners or a local college teaching post-16 or adult learners.

Alongside organisation of a placement and to support your studies, you will also be required to ensure you have a mentor in the workplace who is a qualified teacher/lecturer (i.e. PgCE) and where possible is a subject specialist in the same area as the trainee teacher. Where the mentor is not a subject specialist the trainee teacher will require the support of a named subject coach.

Entry requirements

Honours degree or equivalent GCSE Maths and English at minimum grade C/4 or equivalent Level 2 qualifications A 500-word written piece, prescribed following application and returned to the ITE team prior to or at interview (for details please contact [email protected]). A completed Teaching and Mentor Hours form from your workplace to confirm your mentor and organisation Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)* enhanced check

What you will learn

  • You'll plan, deliver and assess teaching in your specialist subject area.
  • You'll develop skills in lesson planning and curriculum design for post-16 learners.
  • You'll practise teaching in a real further education or sixth-form setting.
  • You'll build knowledge of education theory and professional practice.
  • You'll learn how to evaluate and improve your own teaching.
  • You'll understand the policies and frameworks that govern the further education and skills sector.

How you will learn

You'll study two days a week on campus for the full-time route. Learning combines taught sessions at the college with a minimum of 250 hours in a workplace placement, including at least 150 hours of direct teaching practice. You'll be supported by a qualified workplace mentor throughout. Assessment is based on your teaching practice, written assignments, and professional development portfolio.

What you will need to bring

You'll need to arrange a workplace placement in a local college or sixth-form teaching post-16 learners, and confirm a qualified mentor at that setting before you start. You'll also need a completed Teaching and Mentor Hours form and a DBS enhanced check. South Essex College Southend Campus will confirm anything else you need before you start.

Where next

Jobs you could do

  • Further education lecturer, teaching your specialist subject in a college
  • Adult education tutor, delivering courses to adult learners
  • Workplace trainer, running training programmes in a business or organisation
  • Skills coach, supporting learners in vocational or apprenticeship programmes
  • Sixth-form teacher, teaching post-16 students in a school or academy

What you could study next

On completing this PGCE Course you can apply for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status through the Society for Education and Training, which is the recognised professional status for further education teachers. You could also progress to a Level 7 Master's in Education if you want to move into curriculum leadership, management, or educational research roles.