BA (Hons) Learning and Teaching (Secondary Education) Top-Up

Compulsory modules may include:

Professional Practice 1: Contemporary School Based Education (20 credits)

This module provides opportunities for you to meet the professional standards and expectations of teaching through practical, school-based experience during your first teaching practice placement.

Behaviour, Wellbeing and Safeguarding (20 credits)

This module offers practical advice on the skills and strategies you will need to cope appropriately and effectively with challenging behaviour in a range of educational settings.

Teaching Learning and Assessment in School Based Education (20 credits)

This module explores the factors that contribute to the development of effective teaching strategies in the education of children and young adults.

Inclusive Professional Practice (20 credits)

In this module you will critically evaluate the role of education in supporting the diverse needs of a range of learners and consider interventions aimed at eliminating barriers to participation.

Optional modules may include:

Professional Practice 2: Reflecting on Professional Practice* (20 credits)

During your second teaching placement, you will develop your subject specialist teaching skills and develop your ability to plan a series of lessons that build on and sustain progression in pupils’ learning.

Professional Practice 3: Subject Specific Theory and Practice* (20 credits)

In your third teaching placement, you will experience the complexity of non-mainstream secondary education including independent alternative provision, off-site direction and special schools.

Major Research Project (40 credits)

Engage in educational research and undertake a research project based on a theme of interest within the primary school sector.

*These modules are required if opting for QTS

To prepare you for your future role as a teacher of secondary education, you will benefit from the unique experiences that being a trainee within the Luminate Partnership for ITT will provide. Through the partnership, you will have access to a large number of specialised settings. The experience you gain within these specialist settings through your compulsory alternative placement experience is invaluable and will enhance your professional profile and skills.

We will draw on the strengths of the partnership to support your continuous professional learning, early career development and upward in-work progression. You will have frequent opportunities to meet and work with other professionals across the sites within the partnership so that effective practice can be shared and developed.

As part of your third placement experience, and at the latter stage of the academic year, all trainees who are on track to meet the Teachers’ Standards will participate in a ‘School Adoption’ week. During adoption week, you will be given the opportunity to experience the role of a secondary teacher under increasingly real conditions, developing a range of additional skills.

Assessment will take a holistic approach. Teaching Practice Placements will be assessed by an Individual Progress Journal that contributes towards the achievement of each of the Teachers’ Standards.

Other assessment methods include a variety of observational and coursework-based methods that have been designed to contribute to the development of your professional practice, such as:

• Teaching observation
• Critical reflection
• Case study
• Investigative report
• Academic poster, to be exhibited at an annual ‘HE Research Festival’
• Action research project

Assessment is contextualised in your practice and relates to a work-related problem. In your assessed work, you are encouraged to engage critically with whole-school improvement efforts.  Assessment has been designed to result in recommendations for future school-based practice.

All applicants will need to fulfil the following entry criteria to be offered a place on the programme:

• Achieved at least a grade 4 (C) or above in both mathematics and English Language GCSEs (or approved equivalents).
• Hold and be able to provide certificated evidence of having passed a relevant foundation degree programme conferred by a UK higher education institution or an equivalent qualification.

Successful applicants must complete an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and be cleared to teach by the accredited provider, ensuring they are not barred from working with young people or excluded from teaching. Candidates will also be required to sign up for the update service.

Check on Health and Physical Capacity to Teach – All applicants will be required to complete a health questionnaire to determine their fitness to train to teach.

For the latest version of the programme specifications for this course please click here.

For the latest version of the course handbook for the part time course please click here.

For the latest version of The Open University regulations please click here.

The programme will be delivered at the new Teacher Development Centre at our Park Lane Campus. The space hosts a number of classrooms, focused on their ability to be flexible for a variety of delivery and learning episodes. The new Teacher Development Centre has its own purpose-built library with relevant teaching and learning literature, as well as a plethora of resources such as books, journals and other publications.

All trainees will become members of the Chartered College of Teaching,  the professional body for teachers. Through membership of the Chartered College of Teaching, you will have access to a wealth of research, resources and insight to enable excellent teaching. If you are completing any of the routes in science teaching, you will be encouraged to sign up to a student membership of the Association for Science Education (ASE). Trainees who are completing a training route in maths will be encouraged to register with the Institute of Mathematics and its applications. Trainees completing a route in computing will be encouraged to register with the Chartered Institute for IT.

Attending the programme will have additional costs; for example, the purchase of books and other materials. A key cost will be travel to and from your teaching placements. You may be entitled to have some of the cost of their journeys between their term-time accommodation and their placement site reimbursed by the training provider. The cost of the enhanced DBS check, including registration with the update service, will be reimbursed by the training provider.