Mixed Deck — All PGCE Topics Flashcards

What does 'personalised learning' mean in inclusive education, and what are its limits?

Answer: Adapting teaching approaches and support to individual needs — but not creating entirely separate curricula for each pupil

Personalisation means responsiveness to individual needs within the class — differentiated tasks, varied support, flexible groupings — but it does not mean a separate curriculum for every pupil.

What is the role of a university 'link tutor' (or visiting tutor) in PGCE school placements?

Answer: To liaise between the university and school, conduct progress reviews, observe trainees, and ensure quality and consistency of training

The link tutor bridges university and school, conducting placement visits, observing trainees, supporting mentors, and ensuring the programme is being delivered consistently and to standard.

What is 'reasonable adjustment' under the Equality Act 2010 in a school context?

Answer: A proportionate change made by a school to remove a disadvantage experienced by a disabled pupil, where failure to do so would constitute indirect discrimination

Schools have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to avoid putting disabled pupils at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled pupils - this is anticipatory (proactive, not just reactive).

How should a PGCE trainee respond when a pupil challenges a sanction publicly in front of the class?

Answer: Calmly defer the discussion to a private moment, maintaining the sanction

Public arguments rarely resolve well; deferring to a private conversation preserves the teacher authority and the pupil dignity, while the sanction remains in place.

Which legislation dramatically expanded the academy programme, allowing all maintained schools in England to apply for academy status?

Answer: Academies Act 2010

The Academies Act 2010, introduced by the Coalition Government, dramatically expanded the academy programme by allowing all maintained schools in England to convert to academy status.

What is the difference between 'safeguarding' and 'child protection'?

Answer: Safeguarding is the broader activity of promoting welfare and preventing harm; child protection is the specific response when abuse or neglect has occurred or is suspected

Safeguarding is the broader proactive framework — including health, safety, wellbeing, and preventing radicalisation. Child protection is the specific statutory response to abuse or neglect.

What is Erikson's stage of 'identity vs role confusion' and at what developmental stage does it occur?

Answer: Adolescence (approximately 12-18 years), when young people explore identity, values and future direction

Erikson's fifth stage - identity vs role confusion - occurs during adolescence, when young people grapple with questions of who they are, their values, and their role in society.

Teachers' Standard 1 states that teachers should 'set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils.' Which of the following best demonstrates this in practice?

Answer: Maintaining consistently high expectations for all pupils regardless of background, providing appropriate support and challenge to enable every pupil to achieve

Standard 1 requires teachers to have high expectations for ALL pupils. This means not lowering the bar based on background or prior attainment, but providing the differentiated support needed for every pupil to meet ambitious expectations.

Which Act of Parliament raised the participation age in England, requiring young people to remain in education or training until the age of 18?

Answer: Education and Skills Act 2008

The Education and Skills Act 2008 raised the participation age, requiring all young people in England to remain in education or training until 18, fully implemented by 2015.

Which of the following best describes a 'Free School' in the English education system?

Answer: A new academy-style school set up by parents, teachers, charities, or businesses

Free Schools are a type of academy set up by groups such as parents, teachers, charities, or businesses, operating outside local authority control and funded directly by central government.

What does Maslow's hierarchy of needs suggest about preconditions for effective learning?

Answer: That basic physiological and safety needs must be met before pupils can engage with higher-order learning

Maslow hierarchy shows that if pupils lack food, safety, belonging or esteem, their capacity to engage with learning is severely limited - highlighting pastoral and wellbeing responsibilities.

A trainee teacher notices that a pupil who speaks English as an additional language (EAL) is struggling in lessons. Is this pupil automatically considered to have a special educational need?

Answer: No — EAL is not a special educational need in itself, though some EAL pupils may also have SEND which should be identified through careful assessment

The SEND Code of Practice is clear that having EAL is not in itself a special educational need. However, some EAL pupils may also have SEND, and schools must assess carefully to distinguish between language acquisition needs and learning difficulties.

What is the purpose of the PGCE 'portfolio of evidence' or 'standards file'?

Answer: A structured document evidencing the trainee's achievement across the Teachers' Standards, used for final assessment

The portfolio provides structured evidence - observations, lesson evaluations, feedback records, reflective writing - demonstrating the trainee meets the Teachers' Standards and is ready to qualify.

What is the 'Teachers' Standards' framework and what role does it play in PGCE assessment?

Answer: The national framework describing the professional knowledge, practice and conduct expected of all teachers in England, used to assess PGCE trainees

The Teachers' Standards (DfE, 2011, updated) define the minimum level of practice expected from all teachers and form the framework against which PGCE trainees are assessed and qualified teachers are appraised.

What is 'scaffolded play' in early years education and what role does it serve?

Answer: Play in which an adult or more capable peer supports and extends the child learning within the ZPD through sensitive intervention

Scaffolded play involves a knowledgeable adult supporting and extending children's play to promote learning just beyond their current level, consistent with Vygotsky's ZPD.

What is the 'ripple effect' (Kounin) in classroom management?

Answer: When a teacher's response to one pupil's behaviour influences the behaviour of the rest of the class

Kounin's ripple effect shows that the class observes how the teacher responds to individual pupils — a calm, fair response positively ripples through the group, while a harsh or inconsistent response can increase anxiety.

How does 'withitness', a concept from Kounin's classroom management research, help manage behaviour?

Answer: It describes a teacher's awareness of everything happening in the classroom at all times

Kounin coined 'withitness' to describe teachers who demonstrate they are aware of all pupil activity simultaneously, which deters off-task behaviour before it escalates.

What is 'spaced practice' and how should it inform medium-term planning?

Answer: Distributing practice of content across time rather than massing it — schemes of work should build in revisiting of prior content

Spaced practice (distributed practice) is a well-evidenced memory strategy — revisiting content at spaced intervals improves long-term retention compared to massed practice.

What is a 'scheme of work' (SoW) in the context of teacher planning?

Answer: A medium-term plan that sequences lessons across a unit, mapping content, skills, and assessment across several weeks

A scheme of work is a medium-term planning document that maps out the sequence of lessons in a unit, including objectives, content, assessment, and differentiation over several weeks.

Why is vocabulary instruction particularly important for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds?

Answer: There is a significant vocabulary gap on school entry linked to language exposure at home, which affects reading comprehension and academic achievement

Research (Hart and Risley; EEF) shows children from lower-income families hear significantly fewer words in early childhood, creating a vocabulary gap that compounds across schooling if not explicitly addressed.