Course Content

Our Teaching School Hub is based at Archbishop Holgate’s School, an outstanding Church of England Academy, with excellent student outcomes, which is situated three quarters of a mile from York city centre. We work closely with secondary schools across York and in North Yorkshire and the East Riding. This enables us to offer a variety of placement contexts and provide a truly broad teacher training experience.

Our placement schools cover a wide network of schools across North and East Yorkshire but we can guarantee you a placement at either: All Saints Catholic School, Malton School, Applefields Special School, or Archbishop Holgate’s School (the PTSH base school). When applying for your course with PTSH we will give you the opportunity to select the school you would like to have one of two placements in. This means you can pick one of your placement schools and we will pick the other based on your personal and practical circumstances and our large pool of schools across the region.

What makes our course unique?

In addition to the fact that you get to pick 1 of your 2 placement schools, 50% of your theoretical research-led training will come from The University of York and 50% from Pathfinder. Nearly all of your training at University will be subject based while the training at Pathfinder covers a programme of Whole School Issues.

You can expect to learn from a range of well-respected and highly knowledgeable colleagues from the wider teaching and learning community, as well as outstanding research-driven teaching practitioners from Archbishop Holgate’s School.

A central feature of our programme is that every child, no matter their circumstances, should go on to receive a world class start in life. This means we make a conscious effort to guide you in addressing areas of educational inequality, inclusion and what we can do as Teachers to support all young people at being successful.

So, in addition to your subject specific training at The University of York, here is an example of some of the sessions which we run during the year:

• Resonant leadership, wellbeing and integrity
• SEND and inclusive pedagogy
• Climate for learning
• Assessment for learning and responsive teaching
• How we learn and an overview of various learning theories
• Lesson planning and curriculum design
• Connecting with all students but especially those from vulnerable groups or disadvantaged backgrounds
• Data and tracking
• EAL
• Working with parents and families
• Pastoral care
• Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and trauma informed care
• Professionalism
• Literacy across the curriculum
• Numeracy across the curriculum
• Voice management

Trainees who complete our course will be able to:

• Independently and creatively plan, resource and deliver lessons by applying theory, discipline knowledge and appropriate level expectations
• Create an inclusive, stimulating learning environment by managing classroom dynamics and adapting to learning need
• Effectively assess learning and progression through critiquing a range of well-development formative and summative strategies
• Critically reflect on, and perceptively develop their own classroom practice by assessing and selecting appropriate evaluative frameworks and engaging actively with a supportive network for feedback
• Communicate clearly, confidently and professionally with teaching colleagues, pupils, parents/guardians, support staff, external agencies and in academic contexts, using media appropriate to the situation
• Contribute with justifications to debates and developments in primary education by applying a research-informed approach to the analysis of their own practice and by proactively researching broader education

Fees and Funding

Click here to access information about tuition fees, maintenance loans, bursaries and scholarships. By training to teach with Pathfinder and The University of York or Sheffield Hallam University, you will still be entitled to all of the usual financial support available to PGCE students.

Teaching and Assessment

By working with The University of York and Pathfinder TSH, you’ll have access to world-leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. You will work with experienced teachers from both PTSH and UoY. In addition to this you will be allocated a Mentor in each placement school who will work with you and train you on a day-to-day basis.

Teaching format

Participation in the PGCE course is an active process. Although there are lectures and presentations, much of your learning will come from workshops, seminars and school and classroom activities with strategies and techniques for an effective learning environment in your placement classrooms.

Trainees come to the course with a range of qualifications, employment background and interests. Throughout the course you will be encouraged to work collaboratively, sharing your experience, knowledge and technical expertise.

Throughout the course you will be guided by mentors in your placement schools and supported in school and in your PTSH and UoY/SHU groups.

Teaching location

Depending on the session, you will either attend your training at The University of York or Pathfinder Teaching School Hub which is based at Archbishop Holgate’s School.

School placements take place across the region. We take many factors into consideration when allocating placements and will work with you to ensure you can get to your placement safely and easily.

Assessment and feedback

You’ll complete three academic assignments:

• Lesson observation
  You’ll critically evaluate the observations you have undertaken during the serial visits to your first placement school.
• Evaluation of Teaching and Learning
  You’ll evaluate your early teaching by analysing some of the work pupils have produced in the lessons you have planned and delivered.
• In-depth Focus Study
  This is a small-scale study based on a piece of research. This is an opportunity for you to pursue an individual professional interest by investigating a particular aspect of what it means to teach your subject effectively.

The primary aim of the course is to enable you to meet, and ideally exceed, the Teachers’ Standards and be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). You will also be awarded a PGCE from the University of York at Masters level.

Entry Requirements

2:2 or equivalent in your selected subject. We also accept combined honours degrees where your selected subject makes up at least 50% of the award.

If your undergraduate degree is not in your selected subject or a related subject, we may still may be able to offer you a place if you also have a postgraduate degree in your selected subject or Grade B in A level of your selected subject.

If your undergraduate degree is not at least 50% of your selected subject, we may require you to undertake a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course prior to starting your PGCE.

Additional requirements

• GCSE Mathematics grade 4 (C)
• GCSE English grade 4 (C)
  This is in addition to any other English language requirements you may need to fulfil.

Further information about government requirements for teacher training.

What our Trainees Say

The Pathfinder ITT programme will provide you with a high quality, school centred training programme for the whole year. But don’t just take our word for it. We have been training student teachers for a number of years now. Let them tell you what they think…

Placement Locations

During your ITT programme you will be placed at two contrasting schools. Our placement schools cover a wide network of schools across North and East Yorkshire but we can guarantee you a placement at either: All Saints Catholic School, Malton School, Applefields Special School, or Archbishop Holgate’s School (the PTSH base school).

When applying for your course with PTSH we will give you the opportunity to select the school you would like to have one of two placements in. This means you can pick one of your placement schools and we will pick the other based on your personal and practical circumstances and our large pool of schools across the region.

Guaranteed placement schools

All Saints Catholic School is a large urban Catholic comprehensive school in the centre of York and part of the Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust. It is currently rated Outstanding by Ofsted (2016) and has a long history of students gaining some of the best academic results in the North of the country. It is split over the upper site (years 10 – 13) and the lower site (years 7 – 9). The school is guided by the teachings, traditions, sacraments and values of the Catholic Church. Staff aim to educate the whole child, morally, socially and personally, and strive to create a learning atmosphere that enables all students to thrive and makes them feel valued as individuals.

Malton School is a comprehensive school situated in an excellent edge of town location, with a rural feel, and pleasant spacious surroundings. The sense of community within the school is tangible and there is a strong sense of belonging. The school is currently rated Good by Ofsted (2019) and has a long track record of very strong exam results. It is currently going through the process to become a member of our trust – the Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust. The school vision and values focus on tolerance and respect, politeness, good manners, a smart appearance, an industrious work ethic and a generosity of spirit. The broad curriculum offers a range of subjects at GCSE and A Level, with particular strengths reflecting it’s Specialist Science School status. There is a sixth form attached to the school which attracts highly-motivated students from a wide area, not just Malton, Norton and Ryedale.

Applefields School is a special school operating on four sites across the City of York with over 200 students and is currently going through the process to become a member of our trust – the Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust. They cater for young people presenting with a vast array of additional needs and strive to provide the very best outcomes to them and their families. The curriculum offer is bespoke and individualised in a way which is in keeping with the child’s Education, Health and Care Plan. There are 4 pathways to choose from allowing breadth and depth of learning and development. The school is currently rated Good by Ofsted (2015) who recently praised them by stating “the newly introduced curriculum is more pupil-centred and supports individual planning and assessment effectively” (2019).

A large, busy and successful Church of England comprehensive school which is part of Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust. The distinctive and effective Christian vision and values permeate every aspect of school life. The recent Outstanding Ofsted report (2021) found AHS to be “an exceptional place for pupils to learn. The school’s values of justice, compassion, forgiveness and trust are at the heart of every aspect of school life.” Progress and achievement at GCSE and A-Level are routinely in the top 5% (or better) nationally. This sustained trend of success can also be seen with disadvantaged students who in 2022 made twice the level of progress than non-disadvantaged students nationally. The AHS personal development ‘JOURNEY’ and excellent pastoral support is integral to this, allowing all students to flourish regardless of their background. This contributes to the strong record of outcomes including destinations beyond the school’s Sixth Form.

Secondary placement locations

Applying

The latest cycle for ITT places begins on Tuesday 3 October 2023, when places will be available to view on the Government’s postgraduate teacher training website: https://www.find-postgraduate-teacher-training.service.gov.uk/start/location

You can then start to apply for places on Tuesday 10 October 2022, when the application process begins and we will be able to accept applications.

Application steps to being onboarded and ready to train to teach

• 1
  Submit your application via DfE Apply.
• 2
  Invited to interview at Archbishop Holgate’s School (the PTSH base school).
• 3

  Subject knowledge test – issued by UoY PGCE admin team.

• 4
  Attend interview – Including an overview of our course and placement schools, and an opportunity to meet key colleagues.
• 5

  Offer made by us.

• 6

  Offer accepted by you.

• 7

  Pre-course placement form completed – this is where you can select 1 of 4 schools that you would like to be placed in for 1 of 2 placements during the course of the programme.

• 8

  Place pending – checking of references, DBS, health, finance etc.

• 9

  Ready to start ITT.

Secondary ITT Courses