The one-year PGDE course varies a little from university to university. However, you’ll study for 36 weeks with an equal balance between learning at university and in schools. It's great preparation for your first teaching job.

School placements give you the chance to work with teachers and pupils in the classroom. Placements also develop your teaching skills and allow you to use the concepts and skills you've learned. Of course, you’ll also get feedback on your progress.

More than that, you'll learn to consider the special educational needs of pupils, and develop your own theories about teaching.

Case Study: Catherine Williams

"I trained in Edinburgh, completing a one year course in Physics and Maths at Moray House. The course included lectures and tutorials on a wide range of general teaching topics, including behaviour management, the structure of the school curriculum and teaching and learning styles.

"We also had tutorials, where we shared ideas for teaching particular topics, practised experiments, learned how to mark exams and much more. These tutorials were invaluable preparation for our three school placements (each lasted around six weeks).

"Though terrifying at the start and certainly challenging, these placements provided a taste of the excitement and fulfilment of teaching. They gave me an excellent opportunity to practise new skills, safe in the knowledge that the real class teacher would be able to pick up the pieces if it all went horribly wrong!"

Case Study: Susan Arnold
Age – 23
Geography

"Placements can be quite diverse. You can teach at two or three completely different schools where there are a variety of resources, discipline and teaching styles. It's great training to work in quite different environments."