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City College curriculum leader Tom Dowds on Post Compulsory Education PGCE

“Eight of the ten teachers on my team have all been trained through the Post Compulsory Education PGCE at the College. I now prefer to recruit people with recent and comprehensive industry experience, but no teaching experience, and put them through the training internally than to take experienced teachers who have worked elsewhere.

This is because I know that the teacher education they receive at the College covers the latest questioning techniques and the most effective teaching methods which generate lots of learning and feedback. What we end up with are teachers with a fresh and current approach.

One of these teachers started off as a technician in the workshop, completed the teacher training and has now had two grade ones in the overall College observation scheme. Another came here as a learner and is now a very important and successful member of the team…