Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses (SKEs)
What are SKEs?
Subject knowledge enhancement courses are
designed to help you gain the depth of knowledge you will need to
teach your chosen subject before starting to train. They are
available in shortage subjects where we need to train more
teachers. They vary in length from 2 weeks to 6 months study.
Who are SKEs for?
These courses are aimed at those who have
been offered a place on a postgraduate initial teacher training
course subject to completion of a subject knowledge enhancement
course. You may be recommended to complete a SKE if your degree is
not in the subject you want to train to teach or if it has been
some time since you studied your subject. We welcome career
changers and mature candidates as well as new graduates.
What SKE courses are on offer at UWE?
- Design and Technology (2 weeks)
- Mathematics (6 months)
- Modern Languages: French (3 months)
- Science: Chemistry or Physics (equivalent 4 weeks)
Eligibility
To be eligible for a SKE course you need:
- to be a graduate
- to demonstrate at interview the necessary attributes for teaching
- ideally to have already gained some recent experience of observing your subject being taught in a UK Secondary school
- to obtain an offer of a place on a teacher training course
Where are they held?
The taught sessions will be held in the
Department of Education, S Block, UWE, Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour
Lane, Bristol BS16 1QY and run during the daytime.
Design and Technology
The Design and Technology SKE enables
applicants to develop their practical skills in another specialism
in the Design and Technology curriculum. All D&T trainees are
required to have a main specialist area and a second specialism
(with the exception of food technology which can be a single
subject training route). The SKEs are appropriate for either your
main or second specialism and will be tailored to your individual
training needs.
At UWE we offer a 1 unit (50 hours) 9-day SKE in August in 3 specialist strands:
- Food technology
- Resistant materials / systems and control
- Textiles technology
There is no charge for this course but no bursary is payable.
Mathematics
The Mathematics SKE at UWE is a full-time
course run between January and July which will enable you to
prepare for the PGCE course the following September. We would
expect you ideally to have a good A level and some further
experience of the subject, for example within a related degree or
through vocational experience. Participants on the Mathematics SKE
course have previously come from various backgrounds with degrees
in economics, engineering, accounting, law and psychology.
A bursary is paid for this SKE.
Modern Languages: French
The Modern Languages: French SKE is designed
for those applicants who need to develop their knowledge of French
in order to be eligible for a Modern Languages PGCE. For example,
you may have limited or no knowledge of French but are fluent in
German or Spanish. This is a three month full-time taught SKE
course and includes a study visit to France.
A bursary is paid for this SKE.
Download the French SKE leaflet (pdf 370KB) for course dates and further information.
You can download an application form (Word 67KB) for the French SKE.
Science: Chemistry or Physics
The Chemistry and Physics SKEs will give you
sufficient knowledge and understanding to meet the required QTS
standards for teaching all the science specified in the National
Curriculum at Key Stage 3, and to enable you to teach chemistry or
physics as a single subject to pupils aged 14-19. The course
comprises the equivalent of four weeks study, but is spread over a
longer period part-time to accommodate your individual
circumstances.
A bursary is paid for this SKE.
There are significant shortages of teachers of mathematics, physics, chemistry and some shortages in modern languages and design and technology. The Government offers bursaries to attract the best candidates to train to teach these subjects.
How to apply
To find out the available dates for any of the SKEs, and to apply, please contact Admissions and International Development:
Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 83333
E-mail: Admissions@uwe.ac.uk
Page last updated 16 February 2012