Internationally Educated Students
As a beginning teacher who has been educated internationally, we are really keen to work together with you over the next academic year to draw on your experiences and insights in order to enhance the experiences of the pupils you teach.
At the same time, we recognise that there will be many elements of the English education system which will be unfamiliar to you and at times very different from the system that you have been used to.
In order for you to have the best opportunity to meet the Teachers' Standards by the end of the course and to feel more comfortable and familiar with your understanding of the education system in England when you embark on the course, you are strongly advised to:
- if possible, arrange a pre-course visit to a state school in England prior to the start of your course. You can contact schools via the email on their website and ask if it is possible to go along for a few days to observe your subject/phase.
- if this is not possible, complete the virtual primary school experience booklet, before the start of the PGCE course. It contains a set of tasks to help you understand what happens in primary schools in England before pupils move to secondary school. This is relevant for all beginning teachers, those with a primary or secondary focus.
- further enhance your understanding of school and the role of a teacher by engaging with some of the resources in 'Developing your understanding of schools in England'
We would also like you to complete ‘Preparing for the PGCE year’ section in the booklet below before the start of the PGCE course. It will help you understand some of the roles within schools, the terminology used and allow you to notice differences between you own educational experience and the context in which you are completing your PGCE course. Other sections of this booklet should be revisited in the early weeks of the course to enable you to capture your learning about different aspects of education in this country.
Download booklet for internationally educated students (Word)
University tasks and assignments
Many PGCE students find that they need help and support with their assignment writing and for internationally educated students with English as an additional language, task and assignment writing can pose certain challenges. There are many ways in which you can access support and advice:
Further resources, such as the assessment handbook for the PGCE course, that will be available to you once you have registered. University tutors will also be able to provide advice and guidance.