Primary PGCE with QTS

Entry requirements

You must be employed as a teacher in an independent or state-maintained primary school in England and be teaching the core subjects (English, maths and science) for a minimum of 50% of a full timetable. General primary trainees must be teaching the three core subjects across two consecutive age ranges, and for the subject specific course, trainees’ teaching time should be split 50:50 between the core subjects and their chosen specific subject.

Every year some of our applicants have arranged to work in a school for the specific purpose of gaining this training, others have worked in the school for a year or two, some for longer than that.

In addition, you must:

• Attend an interview.
• Provide a reference from your headteacher supporting your application to undertake a PGCE.
• Obtain the commitment from your school to release you for the second school placement and to provide a suitable mentor.
• Provide a satisfactory criminal record check and show the physical and mental fitness to teach.
• Demonstrate competence in literacy and numeracy.

The employing school must be able to fully support a candidate through the course, enabling them to demonstrate all of the Teachers’ Standards across the full age and ability range of training, and cannot be graded as inadequate.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Course outline

The Primary Post Graduate Certificate in Education with QTS is the accreditation that enables teachers to teach in state-maintained and special schools in England and Wales.

This course is available to teachers who are currently employed in maintained or independent schools in England, or those who have a training placement under the School Direct Scheme, but do not yet hold a teaching qualification. Trainees are expected to undertake a teaching placement in a second school which must be a non-selective state maintained school. The duration of this teaching placement is determined upon interview and is usually for three weeks.

Course content

The Primary QTS Course is available via two routes – General Primary or Subject Specific Primary (available in Physical Education/Sport, MFL and Music). It is a 37 week school-based course during which time trainees work under the guidance of a mentor and receive weekly tutorials to review progress and set targets. There are three residentials (nine days overall) to attend and this is supplemented by a weekly programme on the University’s Virtual Learning Environment. Each trainee is assigned a University tutor who visits once per term to assess their progress and guide their development. Trainees are assessed against the Standards by both their mentor and their tutor and there are three assignments to complete.

For teachers undertaking their first year of teaching we highly recommend your participation in our Ab Initio course in late August as an addition to the PGCE. This will provide you with some basic knowledge and skills to start teaching.

Fees and funding

You may be eligible for a Student Finance England loan. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/funding-for-postgraduate-study.