How to apply
Teacher and students at Kelvin School

Faculty of Arts, Cultures and Education

PGCE Secondary Modern Foreign Languages

PGCE

About the course

Become a Modern Foreign Languages teacher and provide pupils with valuable, lifelong skills that could shape their future careers. We welcome trainees from across the world and from the beginning, the course is centred on the practical skills and techniques necessary for successful language teaching. We offer French, German and Spanish as both main and subsidiary languages. Some trainees work with all three languages, some with one language.

Part of this course also extends your studies and experience to cover preparation for post-16 teaching. You’ll spend a third of your course studying at the University with dedicated subject tutors, and the remainder is spent on two teaching practices in two different schools. You’ll benefit from both a professional tutor and a subject-specific, personal mentor to guide you through your teaching practice.

Hull benefits from close partnerships with approximately 90 schools. These schools are largely based in the East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire region, but we also work with schools as far apart as North and West Yorkshire, as well as schools deep into the Lincolnshire countryside. There’s an opportunity to gain experience across a variety of school and academy types: urban or rural, large or small, comprehensive or selective.

What you'll study

The programme seeks to identify the process of learning a second language. You’ll study the following areas:

  • Critically review the various approaches, methods, techniques, and materials used in the teaching of foreign languages at secondary level
  • Examples of methodology ranging from lively oral practice supported by interactive whiteboards, the use of new digital technology and games for beginners, to the exploitation of topic-based and literary texts at a sixth-form level
  • Prepare your own teaching materials and to use a variety of teaching aids, including the latest digital technology
  • School-based work under the direction of a mentor and use of the resource facilities available in our modern languages studio and the Language Learning Centre at the University

Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) - French booster course

If you are interested in teaching modern foreign languages but don’t have a language related degree, you can build your knowledge prior to studying the PGCE through a French Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course.

Applicants should have an A Level or a high-grade GCSE in French, but most importantly, a passion for the subject. 

There are no tuition fees and students may be eligible to receive a bursary of £115 per week for the duration of the course. Please contact us for dates of the next course.

To apply for an SKE course, you should apply for a place on the Secondary PGCE (Modern Foreign Languages) course through UCAS Teacher Training and indicate in your application that you would like to do the SKE course.

Extension Course: support for single linguist graduates

The Language Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) French Extension course is an opportunity for German or Spanish graduate linguists to undertake an intensive course prior to beginning your PGCE.

We offer two levels of the course:

  • French Extension - for graduate linguists with some knowledge of French (such as GCSE or A Level)
  • French Extension Ab Initio - for graduate linguists with little or no knowledge of French

There are no tuition fees and students may be eligible to receive a bursary of £115 per week for the duration of the course. Please contact us for dates of the next course.

To apply for a SKE course, you should apply for a place on the Secondary PGCE (Modern Foreign Languages) course through UCAS Teacher Training and indicate in your application that you would like to do the SKE course.

Assessment information

Theory

Assessment is based on a range of coursework assignments.

Practice

Assessment takes place in schools. You’ll also be assessed on your achievement of the Teachers’ Standards.

School experience

A total of 120 days are spent in schools during the programme, supported by school mentors, class teachers and University-based tutors.

Teaching staff
  • Ann Haddock
  • Shelley Hindley
  • Jane Woolliscroft

    • To apply for a PGCE course you must apply through UCAS Teacher Training.

    How to apply

    Get in touch

    Admissions +44 (0)1482 465974 International Enquiries

    Related courses

    Fees and funding

    Home/EU: £9,250

    The way your course is funded depends on the route you take. 

    You could access a Get Into Teaching bursary or scholarship. Your eligibility, and the amount you can expect to receive, will depend on the subject in which you train and your degree classification, or highest relevant academic qualification.

    If you’re looking to train on a non-salaried postgraduate teacher training course but are not eligible to receive a bursary or a scholarship, you could be eligible for a tuition fee and maintenance loan.

    The University currently subsidises travel to school placements, where the journey to the placement is longer than the normal journey from home to University. You will be expected to pay at least the first £5 (equivalent to the first 25 miles). For journeys over 25 miles per day, costs will be paid directly into your bank account.

    We offer two ways to complete our PGCE with recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

    School Direct training

    The University works in close partnership with a wide range of schools, academies and teaching school alliances. You complete most of your school experience in one host School Direct establishment with a further 30 days in another school to ensure that you gain experience of different teaching environments. Academic theory will be delivered at the University campus.

    School Direct institutions may offer

    • School Direct ‘training’ places to suit graduates who may be eligible for training bursary of up to £30,000.

    • School Direct ‘salaried’ places to suit graduates with at least three years’ work experience. You’ll be employed by the school and earn a salary as you train.

    Provider-led training

    The University selects the two schools in which you complete your school experience. We work in a range of schools, academies and teaching school alliances to ensure you are able to put theory into practice in high-quality, supportive settings. You may be eligible for a training bursary of up to £30,000 depending on your honours degree and the PGCE you select.

    Entry requirements

    We take applicants for the MFL Secondary PGCE course who have studied one or any combination of French, German or Spanish for their first degree or have native or near-native fluency in French, German or Spanish. We usually require the equivalent of at least 50% of a degree in MFL, which can include a year abroad.

    Professional Skills Tests

    All students must pass the Professional Skills Tests in Literacy and Numeracy before beginning the course. These tests cover the core skills that teachers need to fulfil their professional role in schools, rather than the subject knowledge required for teaching. They do not replace the GCSE grade C (or equivalent) entry requirements in English language and mathematics.

    The tests are set in the context of the professional role of a teacher and the questions use real data and information that teachers are likely to encounter. They are computerised and can be taken at approximately 150 test centres throughout the UK.

    For more information visit the Department for Education website

    Application procedure

    All applications are through the UCAS Teacher Training website. Suitable applicants will be called for interview.

    Those who are offered placed will be required by the University to complete a medical questionnaire and may be required to undergo a medical examination.