PGCE

The Oxford Internship Scheme

The Oxford Internship Scheme involves a close partnership between the university department and local comprehensive schools. This enables all aspects of the course to be planned, carried out and evaluated jointly by university and school staff. This partnership results in a course which integrates work in the university and in school throughout the year.  Successful completion of the course qualifies you to teach in state-maintained schools in the UK.

The Oxford University Department of Education positively encourages applications from all sections of the community.  It is vital that the teaching profession fully reflects our diverse and pluralistic society.

In the most recent OFSTED inspection the Oxford Internship Scheme was awarded the highest grades in all categories for every subject and for management and quality assurance. To view the report please visit the OFSTED website.

Course Structure

The course begins with an orientation experience in mid September in a primary and a secondary school near the prospective teacher's home. The first week in Oxford is spent in the university and the rest of the Autumn Term is made up of 'joint weeks'. Initially three days are spent in the university and two days in school. These changes to two days in the university and three days in school each week later in the term. The Spring Term and the first part of the Summer Term consist primarily of school experience. During the summer term interns move to a second school so that they have the opportunity to consolidate and extend their understanding and experience of teaching and learning.

Prospective teachers (known as interns) are attached to the same school for much of the year, which makes it possible for them to get to know teachers and pupils in the school really well and to understand the school's policies and practices. There are two main components of the course: curriculum (subject related) work and the professional development programme. An experienced teacher (or mentor) co-ordinates the subject related classroom based activities of the intern. The mentor provides guidance and support and, as the year goes by, judges when and how to increase an intern's experience and responsibilities. Another experienced teacher, the professional tutor, co-ordinates school based activities related to general educational issues, the professional development programme. The school based mentor liaises with the curriculum tutor to plan tasks and activities for the interns. Similarly, the professional tutor and general tutor (a member of the university staff) plan activities and seminars related to broad issues in education which are not subject specific.

School teachers and university tutors contribute their particular expertise to the interns’ learning and professional development. Interns, therefore, are presented with differing perspectives and points of view. The course is not seen as an apprenticeship scheme in which interns learn to teach like their mentor, nor is it a theory-into-practice scheme in which ideas taught in the university are put into practice in school. Instead, the emphasis is on interns as critical learners, thinking about different perspectives and testing out ideas for themselves in their practice. This process of reflection and experience underlies the whole course. As they become increasingly competent as teachers, interns are encouraged to take responsibility for their own professional development and develop their own philosophy of teaching and learning.

Roles within the partnership

This is a full-time course and, while making every effort to take interns’ personal circumstances such as place of residence and dependent relatives into account, we cannot guarantee that you will be placed in your nearest partnership school.

Curriculum Work

Curriculum work includes a range of activities related to the teaching of a specific subject or subjects in the secondary school. These activities include seminars and workshops in the university, as well as collaborative teaching, solo teaching, observation and discussion in school. They are aimed at giving interns competence in teaching their subjects, the opportunity to develop a range of teaching strategies, and an understanding of wider issues affecting the teaching of those subjects within the whole school curriculum. The work in each subject is organised by the curriculum tutor and mentors for that subject. Part of the work in each subject area is planned for all interns, and part develops from the concerns of individual interns. Interns complete three written assignments related to their subject teaching. These all involve school based investigation and the critical analysis of relevant research and professional literature.

Professional Development Programme

The professional development programme (PDP) involves a range of activities related to important educational issues. These activities include lectures in the University, weekly seminars in school and a series of assignments building to form a dissertation focused on a specific aspect of schooling of the interns’ own choice. These activities are aimed at giving interns an understanding of whole-school and cross-curricular issues, and an appreciation of the contribution which they can make to developing these issues through teaching their own subjects.

Some aspects of the PDP are planned and organised for all interns by university tutors, who take responsibility for particular issues. The detailed programme for the interns in each school, however, is organised by the professional tutor and general tutor for that school.

Optional Classes

Optional classes are open to all interns specialising in any subject. These currently include:

• Additional Learning Needs
• Citizenship
• Drama
• Education in Developing Countries
• Workshops to support ICT

Optional classes may change from year to year.

Masters level accreditation

The course is accredited at Masters level with an award of 60 credits. The M level accreditation is based on interns' written assignments only; there is no M level assessment of interns' classroom practice. A part-time Masters programme is being developed at Oxford (and other courses run elsewhere), intended for qualifed teachers in the early years of practice, will subsequently allow them to study for a further 120 credits to complete a full Masters degree.  

Equal Opportunities Policy for Students

The University of Oxford and its colleges aim to provide education of excellent quality at undergraduate and postgraduate level for able students, whatever their background. In pursuit of this aim, the University is committed to using its best endeavours to ensure that all of its activities are governed by principles of equality of opportunity, and that all students are helped to achieve their full academic potential. This statement applies to recruitment and admissions, to the curriculum, teaching and assessment, to welfare and support services, and to staff development and training.

Race Equality Policy

The University of Oxford welcomes diversity amongst its students, staff and visitors, recognising the particular contributions to the achievement of the University's mission that can be made by individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.

The Collegiate University is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and good race relations and avoiding racial discrimination.

To view the either policy in full please select the linked title above.

The Programme Specification can be downloaded here