Secondary Initial Teacher Education Art and Design at University of West of England

The Secondary Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a one academic year (36 week) course that trains graduates to be secondary school teachers of Art and Design.

The PGCE course has been designed to train teachers to practise as a subject specialist teacher for the secondary age range (11-16). Trainees are assessed against the standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) across the age range. Trainees will also often gain experience of the 16-18 age range, although they will not be formally assessed in this phase.

Art and Design stimulates creativity and imagination. It provides visual, tactile and sensory experiences and a unique way of understanding and responding to the world. Pupils use colour, form, texture, pattern and different materials and processes to communicate what they see, feel and think. Through art and design activities pupils learn to make informed value judgements and aesthetic and practical decisions, becoming actively involved in shaping environments. They explore ideas and meanings in the work of artists, craftspeople and designers. They learn about the diverse roles and functions of art, craft and design in contemporary life and in different times and cultures.

The course is active and practical, allowing trainees to develop professional competence through work undertaken in schools and in the University. It is our view that teachers of art and design must be artist teachers, so trainees develop their subject knowledge in a range of workshops. We also work with different subject areas in cross-curricular projects. Past examples include geographical themes through art and design media; responding to the work and landscape of a WW1 poet through art, English and geography; and creating a medieval experience for children at Chepstow Castle with history and design and technology trainees.

Trainees work with young people, develop their expertise in their specialist subject area, share and discuss educational issues and study relevant educational research. The course is just the beginning of what we hope will be a process of continual professional development throughout a challenging and rewarding career.