PGCE Secondary with Physics (with QTS)

Entry requirements

• Bachelors degree with Honours at 2:2 or above, or equivalent level.
• At least Grade C or the new Grade 4 in GCSE English and Mathematics.*

Equivalency Tests

We are able to accept approved third party equivalency tests in place of GCSEs. The current providers that have been approved are as follows, with details of the current discounts that are available. If you are intending to use another equivalency testing company, we recommend you contact our admissions team prior to doing so to ensure that they meet the entry criteria.

Equivalency Testing

• Why choose Equivalency Testing?
• Long standing company
• Excellent student support
• Secure testing
• Good and quick feedback
• Significant discount available for PGCE offer holders, please email cte.admissions@warwick.ac.uk for the code.

A Star Equivalency**

Why chose A Star Equivalency?

• Excellent student support
• A clear outline of required material in each exam

• Rolling programme of live online subject specific support sessions.
• An extensive range of free support material
• Practice papers and marking schemes
• Discounted from £165* to £139 (saving £26). Please contact cte.admissions@warwick.ac.uk for the discount code.

If you are intending to use another equivalency testing company, we recommend you contact our admissions team prior to doing so to ensure that they meet the entry criteria.

*The new grading system for those receiving their results for GCSE Maths and English was adopted in 2017. The grading system is now 9-1, with Grade 9 awarded to those students in the very top tier. Grade 4 is considered equivalent to the old Grade C.

**Special offer for the University of Warwick students. Maths exams are available in Foundation or Higher. English, Science and Biology are untiered

If students require further support, we offer a range of low-cost options.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Do you remember the excitement of exploring the effects of radiation, starting to understand fundamental forces, or discovering which metals conduct electricity best? Perhaps astronomy, or mechanical mathematic problems were highlights of your time at school. Now imagine sparking that same curiosity in your own students.

As a secondary school physics teacher, you’ll play a vital role in helping young people make sense of the physical world around them. Physics offers a powerful lens through which to understand the world - and as a secondary school physics teacher, you’ll have the opportunity to inspire the next generation of scientists and problem-solvers.

Our PGCE programme is designed for graduates with a background in Physics or a related discipline such as Chemical Physics, Astrophysics, Medical Physics, Geophysics, or Engineering. It combines academic study with extensive school-based experience to prepare you for a successful career in secondary education.

Through university-based training, you will develop a strong foundation in teaching theory and practice, learning how to plan effective lessons, manage classroom environments and adapt your teaching to meet the diverse needs of learners. You’ll explore a range of evidence-informed teaching approaches, all underpinned by the latest educational research.

School placements are an integral part of the course, providing you with hands-on experience in the classroom. Working alongside experienced mentors, you will gradually take on responsibility for planning, teaching, and assessing lessons, building the confidence and skills needed to lead learning in physics.

The course leads to a recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), enabling you to teach physics at secondary level. You will also learn how to teach Chemistry and Biology to younger secondary students, giving you the advantage of employability in a range of school science departments.

Course overview

Our Secondary Postgraduate Certificate in Education focuses on the 11-18 age range. Our course will develop you into a highly effective teacher, equipped with the values, skills and knowledge to become a successful school leader.

Our courses offer the best of both immersive, school-based training and regular teaching input from experts with subject specialist teaching experience. In addition, you can access the support and learning facilities of a world-class university.

On the course you will develop a secure subject knowledge base, and the ability to plan and teach in your subject so that all pupils learn and make good progress. You will learn how to assess and evaluate learning and develop your teaching to ensure progress for all pupils. You will also learn about the needs of pupils and how to adapt your teaching to strengthen inclusion in your teaching.

In partnership with regional schools, we will ensure that you have the skills and knowledge needed to forge a strong personal and professional identity, which you will continue to develop throughout your career. The Warwick Teacher Values, of Social Justice, Intellectual Curiosity and Creativity run through all our programmes.

What is a PGCE?

A Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is usually a one-year teacher training course. It offers a mixture of academic and practical learning, and it's the first step for graduates in the development of a teaching career. At Warwick, our PGCE courses provide a recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS – a requirement to teach in the state school system as a Newly Qualified Teacher).