Postgraduate Diploma in Secondary Education
Develop a research-informed approach to teaching approved secondary subjects.
About the course
Develop a research-informed approach to teaching approved secondary subjects. You will examine adolescent learning, curriculum demands and classroom assessment, then apply these ideas through supported teaching practice.
What you'll learn
Interpret curriculum requirements in an approved subject.
Plan explanations and tasks suited to secondary learners.
Develop assessments with clear learning criteria.
Respond to language and participation barriers.
Evaluate teaching through observation and learner evidence.
Requirements
A relevant degree and phase-appropriate subject knowledge are useful preparation. BMIT must confirm whether this is initial teacher preparation or further professional study and specify any prior teaching qualification required.
Course content
The complete subject sequence below moves from foundations to specialist application. Stages show learning progression. Practical work and the final project draw together the subjects studied.
2 learning stages 11 subjects
1Stage 1: Foundations8 subjects
2Stage 2: Core subjects3 subjects
Subjects in this programme
The complete subject sequence below moves from foundations to specialist application. Stages show learning progression. Practical work and the final project draw together the subjects studied.
11 subjects are listed below with a short description of each. The Subject descriptions tab contains the learning outcomes, topics, practical tasks and assessments.
Stage 1: Foundations
- Adolescent Development and Learning. Connect adolescent development with supportive secondary teaching. You will examine identity, peer relationships, cognitive development. Design a response to an anonymised adolescent-learning scenario.
- Curriculum Studies. Translate curriculum intentions into a coherent learning sequence. You will examine curriculum aims, knowledge selection, progression. Map outcomes, content and assessment for a learning unit.
- Lesson Planning and Facilitation. Plan lessons with clear learner actions and evidence of learning. You will examine learning outcomes, prior knowledge, instruction sequence. Teach a short lesson and revise the plan from learner responses.
- Educational Assessment. Design fair assessments and use results to guide teaching. You will examine assessment purpose, task design, marking criteria. Produce an assessment task, rubric and feedback plan.
- Inclusive Education. Identify participation barriers and plan accessible learning support. You will examine learning barriers, universal design, differentiation. Adapt a lesson and assessment for a specified access need.
- English Language and Literature for Teachers. Develop subject knowledge for informed English teaching. You will examine grammar, text analysis, literary genres. Prepare an annotated text study and teaching explanation.
- Mathematical Knowledge for Teachers. Strengthen reasoning behind school mathematics and common errors. You will examine number systems, algebra, functions. Produce worked explanations and analyse mathematical misconceptions.
- Educational Technology. Select digital tools according to learning purpose and access. You will examine learning platforms, digital resources, interaction. Build an accessible digital activity and test the learner flow.
Stage 2: Core subjects
- Research Methods and Evidence Analysis. Plan an enquiry suited to a specific social or organisational question. You will compare qualitative and quantitative approaches, prepare ethical data collection and assess evidence quality. The module connects research questions to sampling, analysis and clear reporting of uncertainty and limitations.
- Classroom Action Research. Investigate a teaching problem through an ethical enquiry cycle. You will examine problem identification, evidence review, action planning. Conduct an approved classroom enquiry using anonymised evidence.
- Teaching Practice III: Professional Integration. Integrate planning, teaching and assessment in an approved placement. You will examine independent planning, supervised delivery, learner support. Complete supervised teaching and defend a professional portfolio.
Assessment and practical learning
- Subject-pedagogy and curriculum tasks.
- Microteaching with peer and tutor feedback.
- Observed school practice and a professional portfolio.
Practical application
Complete proposed supervised teaching in the approved subjects and phase. Use a mentor’s feedback and anonymised learner work to evaluate explanations, tasks and assessment decisions.
Subject descriptions
Select a subject to read its learning outcomes, main topics, practical task and assessment.
Stage 1: Foundations
Adolescent Development and Learning
Connect adolescent development with supportive secondary teaching. You will examine identity, peer relationships, cognitive development. Design a response to an anonymised adolescent-learning scenario.
Learning outcomes
- Explain identity in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between peer relationships and cognitive development.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing motivation, wellbeing and school transitions.
Main topics
- Identity
- Peer relationships
- Cognitive development
- Motivation
- Wellbeing
- School transitions
Practical task
Design a response to an anonymised adolescent-learning scenario.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Curriculum Studies
Translate curriculum intentions into a coherent learning sequence. You will examine curriculum aims, knowledge selection, progression. Map outcomes, content and assessment for a learning unit.
Learning outcomes
- Explain curriculum aims in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between knowledge selection and progression.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing integration, contextual adaptation and curriculum evaluation.
Main topics
- Curriculum aims
- Knowledge selection
- Progression
- Integration
- Contextual adaptation
- Curriculum evaluation
Practical task
Map outcomes, content and assessment for a learning unit.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Lesson Planning and Facilitation
Plan lessons with clear learner actions and evidence of learning. You will examine learning outcomes, prior knowledge, instruction sequence. Teach a short lesson and revise the plan from learner responses.
Learning outcomes
- Explain learning outcomes in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between prior knowledge and instruction sequence.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing learning activities, questioning and closure.
Main topics
- Learning outcomes
- Prior knowledge
- Instruction sequence
- Learning activities
- Questioning
- Closure
Practical task
Teach a short lesson and revise the plan from learner responses.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Educational Assessment
Design fair assessments and use results to guide teaching. You will examine assessment purpose, task design, marking criteria. Produce an assessment task, rubric and feedback plan.
Learning outcomes
- Explain assessment purpose in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between task design and marking criteria.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing feedback, moderation and use of results.
Main topics
- Assessment purpose
- Task design
- Marking criteria
- Feedback
- Moderation
- Use of results
Practical task
Produce an assessment task, rubric and feedback plan.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Inclusive Education
Identify participation barriers and plan accessible learning support. You will examine learning barriers, universal design, differentiation. Adapt a lesson and assessment for a specified access need.
Learning outcomes
- Explain learning barriers in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between universal design and differentiation.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing assistive resources, referral and family collaboration.
Main topics
- Learning barriers
- Universal design
- Differentiation
- Assistive resources
- Referral
- Family collaboration
Practical task
Adapt a lesson and assessment for a specified access need.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
English Language and Literature for Teachers
Develop subject knowledge for informed English teaching. You will examine grammar, text analysis, literary genres. Prepare an annotated text study and teaching explanation.
Learning outcomes
- Explain grammar in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between text analysis and literary genres.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing writing, language variation and critical reading.
Main topics
- Grammar
- Text analysis
- Literary genres
- Writing
- Language variation
- Critical reading
Practical task
Prepare an annotated text study and teaching explanation.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Mathematical Knowledge for Teachers
Strengthen reasoning behind school mathematics and common errors. You will examine number systems, algebra, functions. Produce worked explanations and analyse mathematical misconceptions.
Learning outcomes
- Explain number systems in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between algebra and functions.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing geometry, measurement and statistics.
Main topics
- Number systems
- Algebra
- Functions
- Geometry
- Measurement
- Statistics
Practical task
Produce worked explanations and analyse mathematical misconceptions.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Educational Technology
Select digital tools according to learning purpose and access. You will examine learning platforms, digital resources, interaction. Build an accessible digital activity and test the learner flow.
Learning outcomes
- Explain learning platforms in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between digital resources and interaction.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing accessibility, data privacy and technology evaluation.
Main topics
- Learning platforms
- Digital resources
- Interaction
- Accessibility
- Data privacy
- Technology evaluation
Practical task
Build an accessible digital activity and test the learner flow.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Stage 2: Core subjects
Research Methods and Evidence Analysis
Plan an enquiry suited to a specific social or organisational question. You will compare qualitative and quantitative approaches, prepare ethical data collection and assess evidence quality. The module connects research questions to sampling, analysis and clear reporting of uncertainty and limitations.
Learning outcomes
- Formulate a research question
- Select a defensible research design
- Prepare an ethical data collection plan
Main topics
- Research questions
- Literature review
- Design choices
- Sampling
- Ethics
- Data analysis
Practical task
Submit a research proposal, instruments and a worked analysis of a pilot dataset.
Assessment
Assessment combines applied exercises, a documented case or practical portfolio and an individual written or oral explanation. Judgement considers technical accuracy, reasoning, evidence quality and the feasibility of recommendations.
Classroom Action Research
Investigate a teaching problem through an ethical enquiry cycle. You will examine problem identification, evidence review, action planning. Conduct an approved classroom enquiry using anonymised evidence.
Learning outcomes
- Explain problem identification in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between evidence review and action planning.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing classroom evidence, evaluation and revision.
Main topics
- Problem identification
- Evidence review
- Action planning
- Classroom evidence
- Evaluation
- Revision
Practical task
Conduct an approved classroom enquiry using anonymised evidence.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Teaching Practice III: Professional Integration
Integrate planning, teaching and assessment in an approved placement. You will examine independent planning, supervised delivery, learner support. Complete supervised teaching and defend a professional portfolio.
Learning outcomes
- Explain independent planning in a relevant case.
- Analyse the relationship between supervised delivery and learner support.
- Produce a reasoned response addressing professional collaboration, evidence of learning and development planning.
Main topics
- Independent planning
- Supervised delivery
- Learner support
- Professional collaboration
- Evidence of learning
- Development planning
Practical task
Complete supervised teaching and defend a professional portfolio.
Assessment
Submit the practical output with supporting evidence and an individual written or oral explanation. Assessment considers subject knowledge, accuracy, reasoning and the quality of the completed work.
Instructors
