Why study this course?
This English with Drama PGCE course offers an exciting and inclusive programme that will allow you to train to teach with confidence and to thrive in any learning environment. Led by experienced industry professionals who have wide-ranging experience in London schools, it draws upon powerful experiences in both university and school-based training, preparing you to become an effective school practitioner. You will be guided with assurance to use the key methods and approaches of both English and Drama as curriculum subjects across the secondary age range.
Our programme is also designed to give you a rich wider experience, exploring the role of teacher as a creative agent. Our work with local theatre companies will allow you to explore your own creativity, making strong links between your love of drama and English, and the practical skills you will need to teach these subjects in school.
Graduates of the English with Drama PGCE work across a range of schools in London and beyond, many having taken on roles in their placement schools. Our graduates are critically aware and reflective practitioners, confident of their ability to teach with creativity and imagination even in challenging circumstances. London Met teachers are equipped to work in diverse situations with inclusive practices, following our Education for Social Justice model.
Interested in finding out more? Sign up for one of our information events – online or in person – a chance to meet the tutors and get your questions answered. See below.
More about this course
You will undertake practical exploration of the different strands of the Drama and English curriculum areas alongside a broader training, led by specialists, in the fundamental aspects of professional practice. Our course is research-led and focuses on building your skills as a critically reflective practitioner, allowing you to choose your own pathway towards becoming the teacher that you want to be.
Our alumni have considerable choice as to onward career path; by the end of the course you will have gained the skills to become a teacher of Drama, a teacher of English or a teacher of both English and Drama.
Drama is at the centre of a strong arts curriculum, allowing pupils to gain confidence in their personal, social and aesthetic skills. In this course you will learn to challenge their creative thinking through devising, physical theatre and the practical exploration of plays.
In English, you will explore language, literature, expression and the role of communication across Key Stage 3 and 4. You will have the opportunity to develop your English skills across the year with support from key practitioners in school.
The course also enables a complementary approach to your teaching of both English and Drama, allowing for a rich combination of ideas and methods. The two subjects are inextricably linked, but also offer very different approaches to learning. For example, the study of drama writing is an integral part of the English curriculuma and the drama curriculum offers opportunities to explore plays in more practical ‘embodied’ ways and to develop links with dance, music, art and across the range of subjects. Practical drama also offers a rich resource for creative, reflective and analytical writing.
Initial Teacher Education at London Met is dedicated to broadening the diversity and inclusivity of our teaching profession, welcoming applicants from all backgrounds, and supporting you to work in often challenging urban schools. We actively work towards a model of Education for Social Justice and explore the key issues facing teachers today.
The course will centre on training you to teach 11 to 16-year-olds and, by arrangement, can also give you additional experience in the post-16 age group. This course qualifies eligible applicants for a bursary of £15,000
Assessment
Assessment for the University taught components of the course (60 credits) comes through a variety of coursework instruments and practical tasks. One assignment involves a portfolio of tasks relating to teaching, whilst the second assignment is a research report. These credits are associated with hybrid modules and can thus be awarded at either Level 6 or Level 7.
Assessment of the School Experience modules (60 credits at level 6) is through observation of teaching and professional practice in relation to the professional Teachers’ Standards for QTS.
Professional accreditation
This course is accredited by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA).
Fees and key information
Apply nowEntry requirements
You'll be required to have:
- a UK degree, preferably grade 2.2 or equivalent, in a relevant subject or with a considerable proportion of the content in the subject
- GCSE English grade B/6 and GCSE Mathematics grade C/4 or above (or equivalent)*
- London Met Health Check
- literacy and numeracy tests — these are university-based tests, which you will be asked to undertake at your interview
If you hold a third class degree, you may still be considered, particularly if this qualification is supported by a completed master's degree or relevant work experience.
If you feel your qualifications are slightly lower than our requirements, contact the Admissions Office for further advice before applying.
We are looking for dynamic, energetic, enthusiastic and caring trainees. As a teacher you will need to be passionate and enthusiastic about your work, as well as the desire to make a real difference to young people's lives and futures.
Ideally, you:
- are able to express your passion for teaching English and Drama
- have visited a local school in order to observe and gain experience of how teaching and learning is organised
- have participated on the School Experience Programme
- can discuss current educational thinking, concerns and issues (see the educational press, eg Guardian Education or TES)
Trainees are subject to an enhanced DBS check and are required to make a declaration about any criminal convictions.
Please note, we will need to see originals of documents, qualification certificates etc. It is usually possible to order duplicates if these are lost.
*If you need to take an equivalency test for any of the required GCSEs, please sign up for A Star Equivalency or Equivalency Testing. They offer all three GCSE equivalencies. Please be aware that you may need to undertake study towards the exam, either with the equivalency organisation or independently.
Alternatively, you might want to sign up for a college course in the relevant subject, though this is likely to take longer and you may not have the chance for a re-sit, if required, prior to the start of the PGCE course.
English language requirements
To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Student visa you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. This course requires you to meet our standard requirements
If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.
Modular structure
The English with Drama course is a blend of taught sessions at the University and school-based training. The course includes lectures, seminar sessions, workshops, educational visits, face-to-face discussions and on-line interactions. You'll also have individual meetings with your personal group tutor to review progress and set personalised targets.
Modules in Year 1 include:
- Curriculum Studies (CS) is a taught module, assessed by a synoptic essay. Curriculum Studies is where you'll learn about the specific requirements and methods of teaching in your subject or phase.
- Professional and Inclusive Practice (PIP) is the second taught module, assessed by an Education Research Project, which you'll undertake towards the end of the course.
- School Experience A is a school-based placement, which introduces you to the practicalities of teaching in a secondary school environment. It runs from October to December and is assessed on your progress towards meeting the Teacher Standards.
- School Experience B is the second school-based placement, in a different setting, during which you'll hone the skills and attributes necessary to succeed in the classroom. It runs from late January to the end of May, including a two-week window for the completion of the Research Project. It is assessed on your ability to meet the Teacher Standards.
Where this course can take you
Most of our trainees go on to take up roles in schools as Early Career Teachers (ECTs) including with many of our partner schools or in their placement schools as teachers of English and/or Drama..
Graduates of our PGCE training courses are spread across the educational world, in many cases reaching positions of leadership including Head teachers and advisors.
Funding
Bursary funding is available for this postgraduate English with Drama course leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Depending on you degree classification, you may be eligible for a bursary or scholarship of £15,000 through the teacher training bursary.
Top tips for applications
- Ask somebody you trust to check your personal statement, both for accuracy of writing and for focused, relevant content.
- Ensure that your personal statement addresses your reasons for choosing the exact course, phase or subject specialism. Make sure that all potentially relevant experience is referred to in your statement – if you don’t tell us, we won’t know!
- Don’t wait until you have passed all relevant qualifications before applying (but make sure you tell us about them – otherwise, again, we won’t know).
- If your qualifications are from another country, you will have to get an ENIC statement of equivalence.
- Make sure you have read all the relevant course documentation and requirements before applying.
- If in doubt, ask!
Important information for international applicants
Due to unprecedented demand for our courses for the autumn 2023 intake, international admissions are now closed for this postgraduate course. Please check back at a later date to view future available intakes.
How to apply
You can apply for all teacher training courses, apart from the assessment-only route, through the Department for Education’s “Apply for teacher training” service.
To apply to us, select London Metropolitan University as the training provider and then choose the relevant course. You can also use the following codes:
Training provider code: L68
Course code: 3C9W
When to apply
Please apply as early as possible to maximise your chances of securing a place. The application window opens in early October for courses starting the following September.
Do not wait until you’ve met all the criteria before applying.
If you’re not sure whether you meet the criteria, please do one of the following:
- Contact us to enquire about the eligibility of your qualifications and experience. We’ll be able to let you know whether the Level 2 Maths certificate that you have is accepted for teacher training, or whether your degree is considered relevant to the secondary course you’re applying for.
- Apply early through and make it clear in your personal statement what steps you propose to take to get the relevant qualifications or experience.
Places are limited by the Teaching Regulation Agency and are offered on a first come, first served basis. We also operate waiting lists for these courses.
To find out when teaching for this degree will begin, as well as welcome week and any induction activities, view our academic term dates.