Internationally Educated Students
A Handbook for Internationally Educated Students, Subject
Tutors, Partnership School Mentors and
Co-ordinators
PGCE Course 2016-17
ENRICHING EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR ALL
Contents
Welcome
Support and contacts
Useful Websites
Preparing for the PGCE year

Getting to know the UK Education System

Comparing perspectives
During the PGCE year

School Experience

Teaching Practice

School Based Inquiry

University Tasks and Assignments
Welcome
We are delighted that you have been offered a place on the one year PGCE
course at Nottingham University and know that you will bring a positive energy
and diversity, both to the course and to the schools that you will be working in.
This view is supported by comments made by school co-ordinators:
having an internationally
educated student helps our
school with community
cohesion and a global vision
his presence in school
has made it clear to all
that racist remarks are
really not acceptable
stereotypes are
challenged with
an internationally
educated student
a more multi-ethnic
presence in school has
helped our school
our internationally
educated student helped
us with our international
day by bringing in
Spanish food
Over recent years, we have become increasingly aware of the additional
challenges faced by our PGCE students who have not been through the UK
education system themselves. To understand, and successfully teach within, the
system you need to be aware of its historical background, how education is
perceived in society and the meaning of all the terminology.
To tackle these issues alongside all the usual demands on the PGCE is a real
challenge. The University of Nottingham PGCE course therefore offers
enhancement resources which include:



pre-course orientation tasks;
an introductory session where you can meet other students;
additional materials and resources to support university-based and schoolbased work.
We have drawn on the experiences of students and staff on this programme to
produce this booklet which we hope you, your tutors, mentors and coordinators
will find useful throughout your PGCE course. The purpose of this booklet is to
highlight some of the key issues of working within the English education system
and to suggest possible ideas and strategies for all partners to use during
different phases of the course.
This booklet could not have been produced without the valuable and informative
input from our past Internationally Educated Students and Partnership School
Mentors and Coordinators, to whom we are extremely grateful.
We wish you all the best for a busy, successful and productive year ahead.
Support and contacts
Any student starting a new course faces particular challenges, and students
relocating to Nottingham from an International context may also experience
additional challenges. We would encourage all students to contact their personal
tutor for advice and guidance in the first instance. The following contacts may
also be helpful:
Role
Name
Telephone
E-mail Address/Website
PGCE Course
Leader
Stef Sullivan
0115 8467187
stefanie.sullivan@nottingham.ac.uk
PGCE
Administrator
Tricia King
0115 9514445 tricia.king@nottingham.ac.uk
PGCE admin
assistant
Eva Parker
0115 9514443
eva.parker@nottingham.ac.uk
0115 9515247
www.nottingham.ac.uk/international/current_students
International Office
Useful websites
Many UK educated and Internationally Educated Students can feel overwhelmed
at the start of the PGCE with the different terminology, acronyms and jargon that
surround teaching and learning in our schools. The National Curriculum, the
different Key Stages, 14 – 19 developments and whole school initiatives such as
Achievement for All can be bewildering and confusing. Developing an interactive
teaching-style which is less teacher-led and more student-centred can also be a
challenge for many of our students.
The following websites can provide information to help you to understand some
of the terminology and latest developments in the UK education system as well
as providing you with opportunities to explore different teaching and learning
styles.
www.eurydice.org
general descriptions of the education system in England,
Wales and Northern Ireland
www.education.gov.uk
Department of Education (DfE) website with information
on current educational issues, qualifications, teaching
frameworks, good practice, latest policies
www.tes.co.uk
A wide range of educational articles, resources and tv
programmes
www.teachersmedia.co.uk
Broad range of videos focusing on teachers’ work.
Explore videos specific to your subject and consider
different teaching and learning styles
Preparing for the PGCE Year
As a PGCE student who has been educated internationally, we are really keen to
work together with you over the next academic year to draw on your experiences
and insights in order to enhance the PGCE course and enrich the experiences of
UK educated students, tutors, coordinators and mentors.
At the same time, we recognise that there will be many elements of the UK
education system which will be unfamiliar to you and, at times, very different
from the system that you have been used to. According to the experiences of our
former internationally educated students, this can make the course very
challenging.
In order for you to have the best opportunity to meet the QTS standards by the
end of the course and to feel more comfortable and familiar with your
understanding of the UK education system when you embark on the course in
September, you are strongly advised to organise a pre-course visit to a UK
secondary school prior to the start of the PGCE course.
To help you to make the most of your time during your pre-course visit, we have
produced a set of tasks for you to complete.
Getting to know the UK Education System
Find out as much as possible about
UK schools and education. Record
the information below.
Different schools in the UK
From and until what age is school compulsory in the UK?
Types of schools
a nursery school
a primary school
a secondary school
a specialist school
an academy
a college
a state school
a grant-aided school
a private school
a comprehensive
school
a grammar school
a secondary modern
school
Definition
From……..
(age)
to…..
Secondary Schools in the UK
Highlight which county your SE school is in. Ask your mentor/coordinator if there
are any differences in the school systems in the different counties, e.g.
Derbyshire?
Nottinghamshire?
Leicestershire?
Lincolnshire?
Key Stages and year groups: (complete the grid below, filling in the
missing information)
KS 1
5 – 7 years old
KS 2
KS 3
KS 4
KS 5
Year Group
Year seven
Year eight
Year nine
Year ten
Year eleven
Year twelve
Year thirteen
Age of student
Primary
years 1 and 2
Policies, Documentation and Exam Systems
Write down your understanding of the following. Some of these may no
longer be current policy but have had a big impact on the UK education:
Understanding
The National Curriculum
Scheme of Work (SoW)
Programme of Study (PoS)
KS3 Curriculum
APP
GCSE for your subject
Every Child Matters
Functional skills
BTEC
The Secondary National
Strategy
SATs
GCSEs
AS levels
A levels
International Baccalaureate IB
Diplomas
Other 14 – 19 qualifications
CAT testing
YELLIS
Fischer Family
Trust (FFT)
Mock GCSEs
Mock AS / A
levels
Unit tests
End of year tests
RAISEonline
Space has been left for you to add any further policies or documentation you are
introduced to.
Glossary:
Below is a table of some common acronyms, words and phrases used in schools.
This is only a start; there will be many more. Complete and add your own as you
encounter them.
Phrase/acronym
League tables
OFSTED
Senior leadership team (SLT)
(SMT)
Assistant Head Teacher
Head of Year
Tutor
Tutor group
Special Educational Needs
(SEN)
Gifted and Talented (G+T)
Detention
‘On report’
Exclusion
Isolation
Parents’ evening
The pastoral system
ICT
PSHCE
A cover lesson
PPA time
AfL
B4L
SEAL
Cover Supervisor/TA
Citizenship
meaning
Comparing perspectives
Consider the similarities and
differences between your own
education and education in the
UK. Record the information below.
Roles and Responsibilities
Find out what the following roles involve
Role
SLT:
Subject
Leaders:
Year Leaders:
SENCO:
Senior Level TA:
Child Protection
Officer:
Role descriptor
Midday
Supervisors:
Technicians/ ICT
Technicians:
Reprographics:
Site Manager:
Interviews with teachers
Interview teachers to find out about the following. Make notes in the first
column. In the second column make notes about how the teachers’
responses compare with your own educational background:
Aspect of
education
The school’s tutorial
and pastoral care
system
The dress code for
teachers and
students
The subjects taught
at Key Stage 3
The subjects taught
at Key Stage 4
UK
Where I was educated
The exams taught in
your subject at Key
Stage 4. Which exam
board is used for
your subject? Get a
copy of the
specification.
The subjects taught
at Key Stage 5.
Which exam board is
used for your
subject? Get a copy
the specification.
What happens if a
student does not
make sufficient
progress in a year?
Does the school have
a specialism? What
is it and what
implications are
there for your
subject?
The Role of the Teacher
Whilst you are observing classroom teachers, make notes on the following.
Please add your reflections as to how this is similar/different from the role of the
teacher where you were educated.
Observation
When his/her
day begins and
ends
What duties he/
she does in a
typical week
What role
he/she has as a
tutor
What he/ she
does if a
student
misbehaves.
What are the
departmental
and whole
school rewards
and sanctions
policies?
What he/she
does in free
periods and PPA
time
What types of
activities does
the teacher
have in lessons?
UK
Where I was educated
What extracurricular or
lunchtime
activities is
he/she involved
in?
What does this
teacher do if
he/she is ill and
needs to be
absent from
work? What
should you do?
When and in
what ways does
the school
communicate
with parents?
What meetings
are you
expected to
attend. Write
the dates in
your planner/
Diary?
The UK classroom
Shadow a pupil for a day. Observe the classroom that the student is in and reflect
on how this compares to, or contrasts with, a classroom in the school where you
were educated. If you can, take time to talk to your chosen pupil and discuss
similarities and differences to where you were educated.
Observation
How committed are
the students to
studying?
The types of
activities in the
classroom (active/
passive/ physical
etc)
How the teachers
relate to the
students (formal/
informal/tactile/
positive/ negative)
Whether the groups
are mixed ability or
in sets
How much and in
what way the text
book is used in
lessons
The use of praise
and sanctions with
students
UK
Where I was educated
The work produced
by the students
The behaviour of
the students and
their attitude to
learning
The roles of any
other staff in the
room (learning
mentors, SEN
provision, TA)
How work is marked
– what comments
are made? Are
levels or grades
used?
How many students
are there in the
classes?
During the PGCE Year
Even having done the preparation in the earlier parts of this booklet, you still
need to be aware of your needs as an internationally educated student over the
duration of the PGCE course. What follows is some guidance on things to do at
each stage of the course in order to ensure you are able to manage the demands
of the course successfully.
School Experience
School Experience is a phased introduction to working in schools. To ensure that
you make the most of the learning opportunities during School Experience, it is
important that you have a secure knowledge and understanding of the UK
education system and are familiar with the acronyms commonly used in schools.
You will have more time during School Experience than during Teaching Practice
to reflect on the similarities and differences between your own education and the
UK education system.
Drawing on the experiences and recommendations of last year’s internationally
educated students, you may find the following suggestions useful:
 If you have not had time to complete the activities in this booklet before the
start of the course then complete them alongside your Personal Learning
Record - School Experience.
 Do not be afraid to ask your mentor/class teacher a number of times for
clarification if you are not sure what you are expected to do.
 Make a number of focused observations (any subject), specifically noting the
language that is used for instructions, praise and sanctions. Start building up a
glossary of key classroom management phrases.
 Ask to be observed very early on in your practice by your mentor or classroom
teacher with a specific focus on the language that you are using.
 Sit next to a supportive peer during staff meetings and ask for clarification if
you do not understand the terminology used.
 Ask your mentor what his/her expectations are of you attending before or
after school meetings, joining in with extra-curricular sessions.
 Ask to be videoed teaching a lesson and watch the video together with a
supportive peer for constructive feedback on your language/instructions/ body
language/variety of activities, etc.
 Find out about the praise/sanctions strategies within your department and
within the wider school community. Start building up your own glossary of
phrases to use based on what you have observed.
 Resources: ask whether you need to pay for coffee/tea, bring in your own
milk. Find out where the paper/cardboard/photocopier are kept.
 Ask to be paired up with an experienced teacher for lunch/break duties.
 If you are asked to teach PSHE lessons, ask to observe a number of lessons
first and to team teach. You may need support from an experienced teacher to
understand some of the issues which are dealt with in the lessons as they can
be specific to UK culture.
 Discuss with your mentor/coordinator where you might bring an element of
your cultural background into a session to enhance your students’ learning.
(e.g. maths lessons in a different language, teaching an introductory lesson in
your mother language);
 Stay in contact with other Internationally Educated Students during School
Experience.
 Talk to your tutor, mentor, coordinator if there are issues worrying or
confusing you. These people are here to help you.
Teaching Practice
Teaching Practice is a busy time when you will be focusing on your lesson
planning and teaching, with less time to reflect on the differences between your
own education and the UK education system. Drawing on the experiences and
recommendations of last year’s Internationally Educated Students, you may find
the following suggestions useful (in addition to those from School Experience):

Ask to be observed very early on in your teaching practice by your mentor or
classroom teacher with a specific focus on the language that you are using
and developing an interactive teaching style.

Liaise with your Subject Tutor for an early visit with a specific focus on
developing an interactive teaching style.

Ask your Subject Tutor/Mentor/Class teacher for a recommended book to
help you to develop interactive teaching activities for your subject; watch
subject teachers teaching in classrooms and on videos to gain ideas and
enhance your teaching style.

Ask to observe Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs) or other highly skilled
teachers if there is an area of your practice that you particularly need to
develop (behaviour management, assessment for learning, increasing
variety).

Team teach where possible with the classroom teacher and ask for feedback
on how to make your activities as varied and student-centred as possible.

Ask to be videoed teaching a lesson and watch the video together with a
supportive peer for constructive feedback on your language/instructions/
body language/variety of activities, etc.

Ask your mentor what his/her expectations are of you attending before or
after school meetings, joining in with extra-curricular sessions.

Find out about the praise/sanctions strategies within your department and
within the wider school community.

Ask to read copies of reports and to have access to a ‘comment bank’ to help
you with report writing.

Ask to observe at a parents’ evening and start building up a glossary of key
phrases/terminology/format for meeting with parents.

Stay in contact with other Internationally Educated Students during Teaching
Practice.

Remember that you can still get help from CELE with academic writing.
Continue to get peer support and ensure that you use a native English
speaker as a response reader for your written work.
School Based Inquiry
During this phase of the course, you will be undertaking your research project
which will have already been defined by your coordinator and your fellow
students during Teaching Practice. The following may be of some help to you
during this period:

Remember to get help and support with your academic writing. Use CELE,
your response reader and other peers.

Aim to undertake a mini-project during Teaching Practice. This can be
teaching a one-off or series of lessons, organising a lunch or after-school
session, taking part in a whole-school focus day, where applicable. The
aim of this project is to bring an element of your cultural background into
your teaching to enhance your learners’ experience.
University Tasks and Assignments
Many PGCE students find that they need help and support with their assignment
writing and for Internationally Educated Students with English as a second
language, task and assignment writing can pose certain challenges. The following
ideas are some suggestions to help you with this.

Pair up with a native English speaker and ask him/her to proof read your
work carefully. Do this together so that you can learn from any recurring
mistakes that you make.

Centre for English Learning Education (CELE) offers literacy support for
international students

Ask your subject tutor if you can read examples of assignments both
before and after you write an assignment

Check the Harvard Referencing System carefully. There are guidelines in
your Assessment Handbook which you will find on Moodle.