PLS Curriculum Overview

Professional Studies Rationale and Curriculum Overview

PLS develops the pedagogical knowledge (general and subject-specific) of its trainees (PLS teachers) through Professional Studies (PS) and Subject Knowledge for Teaching sessions (SKfT). 

Our ambitious PS curriculum aims to provide a solid platform for PLS teachers to become confident and competent early career teachers. Sessions are structured to provide PLS teachers with access to research, strategies, practise opportunities and a collegial experience to consider how to best meet the emotional and intellectual needs of their learners. 

The structure of our professional studies curriculum takes inspiration from the work of Kennedy (2015) and our own reflective practice to prioritize PLS teacher learning based on need and impact. Therefore, each half term has a particular focus/foci that is broken down into individual but holistic sessions;

Our PLS society which encompasses PLS and its partner schools are committed to our vision and support the realization of our vision through the day-to-day practices in schools, which educates and assesses the PLS teacher.

Subject Knowledge for Teaching Rationale and Curriculum Overview

Our subject knowledge for teaching curricula complements our professional studies curriculum, while exploring the subject specific principles that are unique to each discipline. It focuses on the development of subject mastery, the expectations of the subject curriculum, the pedagogical methods to teach the subject and reflective practice. See subject specific curriculum maps for more information.

The structure of the subject knowledge for teaching curricula prioritises PLS teacher learning based on need and impact. Therefore, subject leads have created their curriculum utilising the National Curriculum, Ofqual and their teaching and learning expertise. These inform the content, structure and form of the subject development sessions and the core curriculum observations.

Our subject leads act as a bridge between PLS and subject expert colleagues ensuring our vision is disseminated to all expert colleagues who work with PLS.   

Our subject leads have been recruited and selected based on their subject and curriculum knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and their experience in education and wider influencing institutions.

Pre learning tasks allow PLS teachers to revise subject content to be explored, deepened and contextualised in education in subject knowledge for teaching sessions.  

Post learning tasks create a learning thread between subject knowledge for teaching sessions and classroom practice and when relevant, form the focus of the weekly professional dialogue between the PLS teacher and general mentor.

Central Training (Professional Studies and Subject Knowledge for Teaching) Curriculum Overview

Assessment Procedures

PLS teachers are consistently assessed during their training year against the PLS Curriculum Strands:

PLS uses both formative and summative assessments to support PLS teachers to make and evidence progress to the award of QTS.

PLS Formative Assessment procedures

• Weekly observations by an expert colleague/General mentor
• Half termly observations by PCM 
• Half termly observations by PLS Lead mentor
• Half termly portfolio progress checks*

PLS Summative Assessment procedures

• Weekly Professional Learning Dialogues
• Half Termly Professional Dialogues
• Progress check reports
• Academic assignments

Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)   

PLS offers the PGCE to both tuition and salaried trainees.

Those PLS teachers who are embarking on the PGCE, as well as the award of QTS, will be completing this through the University of Sussex. PLS aims to merge the PGCE seamlessly into the training programme. The PGCE consists of two assignments, the APK and the RPK.  

Applying Professional Knowledge (APK)

The Applying Professional Knowledge is a 6000 word essay evaluating the impact of pedagogy on the PLS teacher’s professional practice. 

Reflecting on Professional Knowledge (RPK)

The Reflecting on Professional Knowledge assignment is a 45 minute interview in which the PLS teacher shares anecdotes and evidence to discuss the development of their practice in relation to the Teachers’ Standards. The discussions have to be informed by pedagogical reading and show critical insight when reflecting on their individual progress over the course of the training year.  

Lucy Harknett is the PGCE Lead at the University of Sussex and her email is l.harknett@sussex.ac.uk.

For all information on the PGCE please visit the University of Sussex website.

Our PLS central training will not only consist of our professional studies and subject knowledge for teaching curricula, but it will also include four Intensive Training and Practice experiences.  

These Intensive Training and Practice experiences will focus on specific, foundational, or pivotal areas of our PLS curriculum, which will also relate to areas of the Core Content Framework.  They aim to consolidate PLS teachers’ understanding of how the evidence-based theory shapes teaching practice, engaging PLS teachers in critical analysis, application of learning to classroom practice, and improvement focused feedback on such practice.  

Some elements of the Intensive Training and Practice will take place in a school environment, while some elements will be led by practitioners at central training.