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Changes to policy and curriculum

Show all changes for 2021/22

Conditions of Registration 2021/22: Supplementary Agreement (PGCE)

In March 2021, The Open University published its new Conditions of Registration 2021/22: Supplementary Agreement (PGCE) for the first time.

This Supplementary Agreement applies to Students who have been accepted on to The Open University’s Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) (Wales) programme. This Supplementary Agreement sets out the additional terms relating to study of a PGCE (Wales) qualification under both of the routes available in this programme: the salaried route and the part-time route.

The changes made:

There have been several significant changes to this policy:

  1. Additional paragraph added to the Scope section to note that the Conditions document may be updated throughout the year to correct errors, improve clarity or accessibility, or to reflect changes in legal or regulatory requirements
  2. Vocational learners added to the out of scope section
  3. Amendment to The Open University Student Charter section to reference the Student Charter Values which were launched in 2020
  4. Table 1 title added to the introduction, along with minor changes to wording, using ‘replaced’ as opposed to ‘superseded’. Change of reference from SRSCs to SRS
  5. Addition of paragraph 3.5 to advise that neither an offer of a place nor completion of the qualification guarantees entry onto the professional register
  6. Addition of paragraph 4.1e) and paragraph 6.2 to ensure that you and your school comply with the requirements and terms of the programme, in terms of salary, subject focus of your practice learning (for secondary), or other issues with your timetable
  7. Clarification to paragraph 4.1f) to state “This may include reasonable levels of travel”
  8. Addition of paragraph 4.1g) to ensure that you attend practice learning and online-seminar sessions in all bar exceptional circumstances
  9. Clarification added to paragraph 4.2a) around observations and supervised practice
  10. Addition of the word ‘other’ into Section 7.4
  11. Clarification to paragraph 7.6 and 8.7 that registration is onto the PGCE programme
  12. Clarification to paragraph 8.8 that modules are part of the qualification (not PGCE programme), and rewording for clarity
  13. Rearranging of sentences within paragraph 9.1 for clarity
  14. Rearranging of sentences within paragraph 9.4 for clarity and additional information added around the definition of a study break
  15. Addition of Section 10 regarding “Information sharing and Data Protection” and referencing The Open University’s PGCE Privacy Notice
  16. Additional clarification added to the Glossary entry for ‘taking a study break’
  17. Additional Glossary entry added for ‘Student Recruitment and Support (SRS)’
  18. Additional wording added to the Further Clarification section to state that the most up-to-date response times for receiving and sending postal correspondence are available on the OU Offices webpage
  19. Supporting evidence in Table 2 “Circumstances under which Students may be considered for a deferral or study break to complete their PGCE qualification” clarified to be examples
  20. Criterion 1 in Table 2 “Circumstances under which Students may be considered for a deferral or study break to complete their PGCE qualification” altered to past tense
  21. Criterion 3 in Table 2 “Circumstances under which Students may be considered for a deferral or study break to complete their PGCE qualification” amended to reference the Equality Act (2010), and to account for other statutory duties and obligations
  22. Criterion 4 in Table 2 “Circumstances under which Students may be considered for a deferral or study break to complete their PGCE qualification” amended to include surrogacy, and evidence from a health professional
  23. New Criterion 5 in Table 2 “Circumstances under which Students may be considered for a deferral or study break to complete their PGCE qualification” inserted to cover “An unforeseen prolonged incapacity of yourself due to adoption” and related conditions and examples
  24. Criterion 9 (was Criterion 8) in Table 2 “Circumstances under which Students may be considered for a deferral or study break to complete their PGCE qualification” amended to include evidence from household insurance documentation
  25. Criterion 10 (was Criterion 9) in Table 2 “Circumstances under which Students may be considered for a deferral or study break to complete their PGCE qualification” clarified to specify ‘an unforeseen change’ in caring responsibilities

For more help or information

Please talk to your Student Support Team if you need any further information. You can find out how to contact them on Contact the OU.