Jackie Taylor, Course Manager and Drama Co-ordinator Jackie Taylor is an experienced teacher and inspector of Drama in a range of schools throughout the UK. She has worked as a Pastoral Head and Vice Principal, as well as Head of Department.  Previous experience includes work as an actress and director in Theatre in Education and Director of Devon Youth Theatre.  She led the development of the course eight years ago as part of her role as Drama Adviser for Devon LEA.  As Course Manager and Drama Co–ordinator, she now leads the training, and continues to work with schools and artists on Drama and education projects.

 

Meriel Hughes - Link Tutor

Meriel is an experienced teacher and former Head of Drama, currently in charge of inclusion at Coombeshead Community College. She provides examination based demonstration classes for Drama trainees and acts as the Link Tutor for the course in developing ways for the staff at the Training Centre to use the resources at Coombeshead College to benefit the full trainee cohort.

 

What the Course Consists of

The course consists of five main components:

• A specialist subject module in either Drama or Music
• A subsidiary subject module in either Drama or Music to Key Stage 3 and some opportunity to develop Dance teaching if qualified
• A Professional Studies module
• Performing Arts Experience
• Classroom practice

During the course you will spend a total of 28 weeks in two member schools, working with pupils. It is likely that at least two trainees will be placed in each school. The remaining 8 weeks will be spent in taught sessions at the Training Centre based in Newton Abbot.

All members schools are within reasonable driving distance of the Training Centre and, as far as possible, we will make individual placements taking the location of your accommodation into account.

 

First Term

The course begins with an introductory week at the Training Centre. The second week is spent on a programme of induction in the first Practice School (School A). Two days in the third week are spent at School A, and three days at the Training Centre. The rest of the first term is spent working closely with teacher-mentors at School A, apart from the majority of Fridays at the Training Centre.

 

Second Term

The first week is spent working with professional performing artists (Performing Arts Experience). Weeks 2 and 3 provide an induction into the second Practice School (School B) as well as central training. The rest of the term is spent working in School B, except for some Fridays at the Training Centre.

 

Third Term

The first week is spent at the Training Centre. You will spend the rest of the term, except for three Fridays, working in School B. During this period you will participate in a collaborative project in the performing arts, and you will take part in the arrangements for the induction of primary school pupils, who will be joining the school the following term. The last week of the course will take place at the Training Centre.

 

Assessment

During the course you will be assessed in the following ways:

There will be a formal review of your progress towards the end of the first two terms. You will receive early warning if your performance is likely to be judged unsatisfactory. The final assessment for the award of PGCE will take place in the third term, and will take into account the evidence provided by previous reviews.

Quality Assurance

The programme uses a range of strategies to monitor the quality of provision and ensure it is of the highest standard. The Quality Assurance Officer visits all schools during the year to observe practice and report back to the Management Group. Written assignments are moderated at a joint meeting of school and central staff. Trainees are observed jointly by their own and a visiting mentor to ensure parity. All trainees are seen teaching by a member of central staff and their professional tutor.