Thinking of joining PGL as a Study Course Instructor?
Here you'll find some frequently asked questions we receive from people interested in our exciting Study Course Instructor opportunities.
What do you mean by Study Courses?
What will I need to know?
What happens on the Study Course Instructor training course?
Will I have to take an exam?
Do I need to bring any particular kit with me?
What are the centres where Study Courses take place like?
What age group will I be working with?
How much Study Course instructing will I do?
Product specific FAQs
We offer courses in Field Studies, Science, Maths and ICT - together they're known as Study Courses.
They aim to help children and young people with their studies, either by explaining a topic they don’t understand or haven't studied before, or by energising and enthusing them about a topic or overall subject. All four courses share a similar style and approach, and are managed by the same teams on centre.
Field Studies is a common term used by teachers to describe practical work in Geography, Geology, Environmental Science and Biology, so we use the same.
Science covers the areas of normal Science curriculums that aren’t traditionally thought of as Field Studies - in other words Chemistry and Physics.
We also offer courses called ‘Discover More’ that are for younger (Key Stage 2) groups that are a mixture of all possible Study Course options.
You'll need to have a relevant degree in your specialist area. This helps us to maintain the standard of our courses, aids us when talking to teachers about what we can offer them, and ensures our courses are kept up to date with the current information from the latest generation of graduates.
We offer Field Studies at GCSE and A Level. Your degree means that you have a good level of knowledge in at least one of our major topic areas. It probably means that you have covered several other areas at secondary school, GCSE and A Level. Within your Field Studies training programme, we'll cover all the academic knowledge that you need and provide background reading and notes for you so that you can spend time reading about any topic we cover.
Our sessions are based in a particular location, so for example, you don't need you to be a brilliant Marine Biologist (although you might be!), but you'll learn about the local beach we use for our rock pool sessions, regardless of your degree subject.
You're most welcome to bring with you any notes or favourite books you think might be useful, but we'll provide everything you need. In addition to the content of the sessions, you'll also learn a lot of really useful information and skills, such as off-site safety, delivery skills (how to talk to groups), some IT skills and loads of games and activities to help you get the information across to children.
If you're specialising in Science, Maths or ICT, your knowledge can be in other areas, but the same principles apply; we'll teach you the information relevant to the topics we're covering and make sure you have all the information you need. Your background knowledge helps us to make sure we're up to date and that you're confident in the topics you're delivering.
The groups that visit PGL can choose a mix of study and activity sessions during their stay, and therefore the training course covers a lot of information and activity delivery sessions as well as additional information and useful transferable skills.
It's quite an intense course, but really interesting and enjoyable. Leading activity sessions as well as study sessions is lots of fun and gives you the chance to get to know your group better during their stay.
We focus on some of the popular topic areas of the Study Courses and the training course is a mixture of providing you with information and making sure that you are ready to be a PGL Instructor.
There are two main assessments on the training course, but don’t worry; it’s nothing to be alarmed about!
All of the training courses for staff at PGL are designed to help find your strengths rather than your weaknesses and your trainers will be there to help support you in any areas you're not so confident in.
There will be a practical assessment, during which you will instruct a short section of a session we have trained you in, using the other new Instructors on your course to act the roles of guests. There will also be a written exam paper with a few questions on each session you have been trained in, and some general questions.
Throughout the course, we'll be observing your progress and, as we want you to do well, we'll be doing everything we can to make sure you're ready and happy to instruct study sessions.
The formal assessments are designed to provide proof that you are ready, and by the time you get to the end of the course, both you and your trainers should already be confident about this.
All your uniform and equipment for sessions is provided.
Every centre has sessions in fields or rivers or on the beach, so a pair of wellington boots can be handy.
A good pair of sturdy shoes or walking boots will be useful.
A notebook and pens will come in handy for taking notes during your training course as there can be a lot of information to take in!
If you've any particular favourite books in your specialist area, these might be useful to have - for example, plant guides etc. The centres have a variety of reference books or guides for use on sessions.
A small backpack is useful to take with you during your 'off centre' sessions to carry anything from your lunch, drink, waterproofs, hat, gloves to, very importantly, money for ice-cream!
We operate Study Courses primarily at Osmington Bay in Dorset, Barton Hall in South Devon, Little Canada on the Isle of Wight, Winmarleigh Hall in Lancashire and at Loch Ranza on the Isle of Arran, off Scotland's West Coast.
Each centre is different, however, as your initial training will be taking place at one of our PGL centres, you'll probably get a good idea just by looking at the centre you stay at during your training course.
All the systems and set-ups are similar at PGL's larger centres; from the shared staff accommodation and large dining rooms to the management structure and the study sessions and adventure activities.
The main difference relates to the location of the centre, in relation to the coast or local towns and therefore facilities. The location also affects the study sessions available. The other main difference is in the physical appearance of the centre itself, the grounds and the buildings.
They do vary quite a bit, but everyone ends up thinking that the centre they work at is the best!
This depends on the bookings at each centre; the vast majority of groups are at Key Stage 2, aged between eight and ten years old generally.
We also get a number of A Level groups (16 to 18 years) and this is where we'll need your specialist knowledge more. For example, if the group are doing their A Level in Geology, we need as many Instructors working with them who have Geology degrees.
Wherever possible we'll try to match your personality and enjoyment of individual topics with each group to give you the best possible experience, which will in turn give the group the most rewarding time.
This depends on the number of bookings we receive, with different centres getting a different number of bookings, varying each year.
We don't have study groups at centres during school holidays, when you'll also be working with families or individual children on holiday, and during the term some periods are busier than others.
Our younger Study Course groups, especially at Key Stage 2, do many activity sessions during their stay, in between their study. This is why our initial Study Course Instructor training period is designed to cover all the basics of activity instructing and instructing in general; you'll become more specialised on arrival at your destination centre.
If your specialist area is, for example, Field Studies (let’s assume you hold a Geography degree), then we'll also train you to deliver Science, ICT and Maths to our younger groups. You'll have the appropriate all-round knowledge to do this, having completed a full school career, and many of your skills, IT literacy for example, will be transferrable.
Field Studies
Science
Maths
ICT
What topics does Field Studies cover at PGL?
You can get a good idea of the topics we cover by looking at the courses offered by PGL.
We have sessions on Geology, Human Geography, Physical Geography, History, Biology, Ecology and Environmental Science. We deliberately have sessions that cover areas that are difficult to teach in the classroom at school and topics that are helped by seeing real life examples. Many of the sessions stretch across these areas.
How much Field Studies is on-site at the centre and how much is 'off centre'?
This is slightly driven by the surrounding landscape and the actual location of the centre.
At some centres, there is a beach within walking distance, whilst at others there may not be. Likewise, some have villages or towns can be walked to, while some need a coach journey.
Some centres have wooded or meadow areas within the grounds that can be used as study sites, and the ones that do not, these sessions take place 'off centre.'
At Key Stage 2, many schools prefer to do sessions that are on centre, because they can avoid the extra costs of coach trips and paying to get into any museums or attractions.
Whichever the centre, joining PGL as a Field Studies Instructor guarantees you trips 'off centre' at some point!
What topics does Science cover at PGL?
You can get a good idea of the topics we cover by looking at the courses offered by PGL.
We have sessions on Chemistry, Physics and Biological Sciences. We deliberately have sessions that cover areas that are difficult to teach in the classroom at school and topics that are helped by seeing real life examples. Many of the sessions stretch across these areas. We also aim to use the centre or simple household objects to bring the Science to life.
What topics does Maths cover at PGL?
You can get a good idea of the topics we cover by looking at the courses offered by PGL.
We have sessions on algebra, number and number systems, shape and space and handling data. We deliberately have sessions that cover the main curriculum topic areas and we hope to help children increase their understanding by showing them real life examples of Maths ‘in action’. Many of the sessions stretch across these areas. We also aim to use the centre and the activities on-site to bring Maths to life.
What topics does ICT cover at PGL?
You can get a good idea of the topics we cover by looking at the courses offered by PGL.
We have sessions on control, dat-logging, animation, film-making, music, publishing and web-design. We deliberately have sessions that cover the main curriculum topic areas and we hope to help children increase their understanding by showing them real life examples of ICT ‘in action’. Many of the sessions stretch across these areas. We also aim to use the centre and the activities on centre to bring ICT to life.