Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) Conversion Course – Primary

The QTS Conversion Course is available to teachers who are currently employed in maintained or independent schools in England, who have already completed The University of Buckingham’s Independent PGCE within the past two years. This course is the accreditation that enables teachers to teach in state-maintained and special schools in England.

The Primary QTS Conversion Course is a 37-week school-based course that is completed across the school year. During which time you will work under the guidance of a school mentor and receive fortnightly tutorials to review your progress and to set targets. Trainees on the QTS conversion complete 15 Professional Learning Activities over the duration of the programme, meet with their mentor 15 times and have 15 lesson observations. You will also be assigned a University tutor who will visit twice during the course of the year to assess your progress against the Teaching Standards and Core Content Framework and guide your development.

You are expected to undertake a teaching placement in a second school which must be a contrasting school environment. The duration of this teaching placement is determined upon application but is likely to be for three weeks.

“Trainees find the programme both demanding and rewarding. They praise the pastoral support offered and describe leaders as open, responsive, and flexible. Trainees like the predominantly school-based design of the training and take pride in the academic rigour underpinning it. Trainees show commitment to course reading, reflecting carefully about the impact of research on their teaching. The dovetailing of theory and practice deepens their understanding of why certain strategies in teaching work, rather than just learning a random repertoire of techniques which teachers use.” Ofsted, 2022

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 Key Stages. Across the year you will be expected to gain experience of teaching all subjects of the Primary Curriculum.

You will be expected to have the following qualifications:

• UK degree. For equivalent qualifications, contact education@buckingham.ac.uk to confirm that your qualification meets the University entry requirements
• GCSE in English Language, Maths and Science at grade C/4 or above or equivalent. For equivalent qualifications, contact education@buckingham.ac.uk to confirm that your qualification meets the University entry requirements.

In addition, you must:

• Demonstrate competence in literacy and numeracy.
• 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.

The University reserves the right to increase course fees annually in line with inflation linked to the Retail Price Index (RPI) to take account of the University’s increased costs of delivering educational services. If the University intends to increase your course fees it will notify you via email of this as soon as reasonably practicable.

Course fees do not include additional costs such as books, equipment, writing up fees and so on. Where applicable, these additional costs will be made clear.

Applicants must also pay a £275 non-refundable Registration Fee.

Fees are invoiced in three instalments commencing once accepted onto the programme at the beginning of the course.

Please use the ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of this page; or contact The Faculty of Education on +44 (0)1280 820222 or email: education@buckingham.ac.uk.

Before we can accept you, you will need to supply:

• copy of your degree certificate
• copy of your English, Maths and Science GCSE (or equivalent) certificates
• copy of passport photo page (and visa/work permit where necessary)
• head and shoulder style photo for your University identity card

Closing date for applications: 17 July 2023.

It can take at least 6 weeks to process applications. Please do not leave applying until the last minute. If you or your school are inaccessible in the summer holidays, your application will not be complete before the course begins.